A really good Mother's Day....so far

Once I crossed the divide to motherhood, I eagerly looked forward to Mother's Day as my right to be pampered, relaxed and carefree for a day. 

Of course, some years that didn't happen since I was hosting a brunch and ended up planning, cooking and cleaning up the whole mess. 

Then I wised up and made brunch reservations..aha!  Someone else to cook and wash the dishes...love it! 

I was looking forward to that this week, with perhaps a massage or manicure thrown in, when I learned that not only was brunch at a nice restaurant

a delusion all my own,

but that also any hope of relaxation was a joke, indeed. 

It seemed that the needs of our little start up company far surpassed my selfish desires to kick back and do as I pleased. 

We have to complete a swat truck by early next week and all hands are on deck. 

They are welding the puzzle pieces together with awesome precision, thanks to the massive laser cutter that is computer guided. 

All the guys wear numerous hats at they work to build the first truck from scratch. 

So, in what universe do I have the audacity to whimper that I am due for a pedicure? 

None in this galaxy... 

All in good time will things fall into place....

I just wish it were sooner! 

So, to  make myself feel better I picked flowers. 

Two doors down is a rental house and those boys don't know nor care that this gigantic patch of lily of the valley grows in their yard. 

Lily of the valley is my favorite spring bloom...the fragrance is intoxicating!  So I walked over and picked a massive bunch. 

Now my back yard looks like Chernobyl from our construction disaster (see my January blog) but the snowball bush and lilac have survived. 

I picked a bouquet worthy of a florist's nod.  Ahhh, fragrant flowers in the house...that feels better! 

Postscript Sunday morning.....  Hubby and kids cooked up a lovely breakfast in bed, complete with heartfelt cards. 

And then the day, miraculously, got even better.  A friend suggested I drop the kids off at Pump It Up for a couple of hours.  They were having a Mother's Day event. 

The kids were so excited to finally go to the mystical Pump It Up, paradise of jumpy things and climbing walls, and I found myself leisurely strolling the aisles of the Whole Foods flagship store. 

The kids has two hours of good, clean jumpin' fun and the free time was a luxury for me. 

This Mother's day is shaping up!   

Staying Sane...

Baseball season is here and those twice a week practices and weekly games really put my schedule into high gear.  Making sure the kids still go to their other after school activities, get fed something decent (sometimes not!) along with all the other demand's of a mom's life can be daunting at times.  I know, I am one among millions with this daily juggle.  My husband is in full speed at our new start up company, Heat Armor http://www.heat-armor.com/ and he is gone 24/7.  So, it's up to me to keep it all together and on a tight budget.  One way to keep me sane and to feel a teensy bit in control is to meal plan each week.  This way, I know what's for dinner each night, I can plan ahead a little bit the night before, the grocery bill is more manageable and there is less food waste.  Easier said than done at times, when I am tired or out of ideas.  Overall, though, it works very well.  Some of my friends have glimpsed my weekly "menus" and have asked for me to share them, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what you all think.  PLEASE provide your comments, as I have no way of knowing, otherwise....  I will provide the menu, recipes and grocery list.  Our house is dairy free, so I'll provide the dairy and non dairy options where needed.

Week of May 9th
SUNDAY:   It's Mother's Day!  If your spouse or kids don't make or take you to dinner, go on STRIKE!

MONDAY:                        Baked Chicken w/ Honey Mustard Sauce
                                          Broccoli
                                          Applesauce
                                          Brownies

TUESDAY:                        Good Old Fashioned Burgers
                                          French Fries
                                          Baked Beans
                                          Sliced Apples
                                         

WEDNESDAY:                Chinese Night!  Chicken Fried Rice
                                          Potstickers
                                          Edemame
                                          Fortune Cookies

THURSDAY:                    Emeril's Chicken Patty Pita Pockets
                                         Strawberries
                                        Pudding Parfaits

FRIDAY:                         Roast Pork Wraps
                                        Chips
                                        Bananas
                                       Cookies

SATURDAY:                 Grilled Morrocan Chicken
                                      Couscous salad with dates
                                      Pineapple
                                      Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips


Monday:  The baked chicken recipe comes from Lucinda Scala Quinn's new book, Mad Hungry  http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Hungry-Feeding-Men-Boys/dp/1579653561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273329724&sr=8-1  It's on page 122.  This cookbook is the BEST!

Here's the recipe: 

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs
1/2 C olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Salt & pepper to taste
Some fresh herbs, if you have them

Glaze:
1T whole grain mustard ( plus maple mustard & dijon)
1 or 2 T honey
a little olive oil
a little salt & pepper

Marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, salt pepper and herbs, for at least one hour and up to a day.  preheat oven to 375degrees.  Rub big baking pan with olive oil or butter, place thighs, skin side down.

Bake fr 20-25 minutes and turn skin side up.  Bake for 10 minutes more.  To make glaze, add mustard, honey and oil in a blow in that order, whicsk, add salt and pepper, wisk some more.  Apply glaze with brush and broil for 5 min.

Take out and let rest for a second and make sure you save all those delicious, lemony chickeny juices that collected in the pan.  This chicken rocks!
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For dessert, make or buy some brownies.  I like the Fudge brownie mix from Trader Joe's.....yum!

Tuesdays are super busy after school, so I need to make a quick easy dinner.  Omaha Steaks have great premade burgers, but use what you like.  I dress 'em up with a little Montreal Steak Seasoning and warm up the buns, slice some apples, and throw some frozen french fries into the oven.  My baked beans are easy:

Mix one can of your favorite pork and beans, 3 T of catsup, 1 T of mustard, 1/4 tsp of Liquid Smoke, 1/8 C of brown sugar,  a few shakes of dried onion, salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
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Wednesday will be Chinese Night, aka, Thank God for Trader Joes!  I buy the frozen chicken fried rice, the frozen potstickers and the frozen edamame and cook them all according to their directions.  If I have some leftover roasted chicken and an egg or two, I add them to the rice, too.  So easy and tasty!!!  Toss the kids a couple of fortune cookies after the meal and it's a done deal!
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Thursday...heading to the home stretch!  Emeril's chicken patty pita pockets are easy and really good.  My husband likes most of the meals I make, but he raved over this one.  Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/emerils-chicken-patty-pockets
Slice some lovely juicy red strawberries and make a little puddin' for dessert.  We like Dr. Oetker's, since it's dairy free, but good old Jello brand is great.  I sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top and chill in the fridge until dessert is served.
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TGIF!  Thursday night I'll toss a pork roast in the oven.  You can use any type you like, pre-marinated or marinated on your own.  Once it's baked and in the fridge overnight then you can slice or shred it for a quick easy meal on the go.  Friday night means baseball practice at our house, so we are eating in the car or on the baseball field.  The food's gotta be portable!    In the wraps I add julienned carrots, thinly sliced lettuce and a little dairy free ranch dressing.  Voila!  Toss in a bag of chips, a banana and a couple of cookies you like.  Friday's done, except for the post game Budweiser at home......
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Saturday we don't do date nights these days, given Tom's crazy work life and our general destitute condition.  So, we might as well eat like kings at home!  This Morrocan chicken and couscous recipe is good enough for entertaining.  See the link for the recipes:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Couscous-Salad-with-Dates-and-Almonds-108233
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Chicken-Moroccan-Style-108244
Slice up a pineapple, and if you want to gild the lily, make these scrumptious cupcakes...
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Chip-Zucchini-Cupcakes-355032

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Whew!  So here is your grocery list for the week:
(Amounts are for 2 adults, 2 kids) I am going to, maybe wrongly, assume you have some staples in your pantry such as olive oil, flour, sugar, eggs, etc.  If not, check the recipes to make sure you have everything.)
broccoli (1 lg)
apples(3)
pineapple (1)
strawberries
zucchini (1)
lemon (2)
lime (1)
mint
fresh dates (5)
cilantro
green onions
flat leaf parsley
cucumber (1)
lettuce
tomatoes (1)
carrots (1)
chicken thighs (8)
ground chicken or turkey (1lb)
hamburger patties (5)
1 roast pork tenderloin
1/2 cut up chicken
applesauce
1 can baked beans
pita pockets
hamburger buns
frozen french fries
frozen chicken fried rice
frozen edamame
frozen potstickers
pudding mix
whole grain mustard
honey
red wine vinegar
milk
plain yogurt
slivered almonds
ground cardamom
1 box couscous
tortillas
chips
cookies
chocolate chips
cocoa powder

Ok, so this is what the Herlihy's are having next week for dinner, barring any unforseen changes to the schedule or whatever the fates throw at us!  If you give all or a portion of my plan a try, let me know how it goes!  Have a happy, tasty and healthy week!!

Hope

Hope springs eternal......

I love that phrase

Those little green buds swelling in the trees, the optimistic crocus pushing through the wet snow give me hope for a pretty and warm spring. 

But spring also opens the door for hopes of other things, too..... 

Hope that my disaster of a foundation will soon become a basement,

Hope that my yard that is plywood tacky in all its glory and bonafide Chernobyl in the back yard will someday reemerge to the botanical paradise I called my own,

Hope that my husband's business will tip to the side of black instead of start up panic,

Hope that my little Mac & Fitz line will receive my full attention and will realize its potential,

Hope that this summer will be the best ever with family & good friends. 

It's good to hope......

Tea & Slime Party

Spring in Chicago tests your patience. 

One day it can be 70 degrees and all of us hibernators flood the streets with joy.  The next day will be 40 degrees with sideways rain. 

Just when you think warm weather is here to stay, Mother Nature kicks you in the shins with a couple of inches of wet snow. 

Such was this past weekend.  The sun shone, but it was too cold to play outdoors.....

Torture for kids, but more like a stint in a Turkish prison for parents. 

Cabin fever is at an all time high.....what to do with this can of worms in my house? 

Why a tea party, of course! 

Kate got a new breakable tea party set for her recent 4th birthday and we road tested it (and broke a teapot lid) in the process. 

"Tea", sandwiches and cherry topped desserts were on the menu... 

Kate was more into the dainty ceremony of tea;

Jack was ready for more manly pursuits - slime!

This is so flippin' easy to do and the gratification is instant! 

A couple of bowls of water, glue and borax are about all it takes. 

Note Kate's enjoyment of all things slimy...

Here is the link with the instructions: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/green-slime 

The kids loved it and all was peaceful for at least a good 20  minutes. 

Thank goodness for little miracles...

It's Good to be 4...

"What kind of party would you like this year?"  "A Cinderella party..."  What else would a typical four year old girl want?  Princesses, of course, LOTS of them....

So I asked mom friends for advice, Googled the heck out of princess parties.  Man, there are some crazy moms out there with TOO MUCH time on their hands.  Makes us average moms look like schleps.  I did glean some pretty cool ideas, though, and set to work to create a memorable party.  Not sure how much a four year old retains.  Sorry, mom, but I have no idea what you did for me on my 4th birthday! 

Princess cake:  I bought one last year and the dang thing cost $100.00!  Don't get me wrong...it tasted great and looked pretty good, but a hundred bucks?!  So I Googled doll cakes, and sure enough, they aren't too tricky.  A couple of round layers, a Pyrex bowl, a few cans of frosting and  voila!  Cindy in a cake!  Make sure to wrap the doll in plastic wrap to keep icing out of certain crevices.  She will like the wrap....might reduce cellulite!  Yeah, as if Barbie ever had those pesky bumps on her backside...Anyway...I added some roses and royal icing additions and my cake rivaled last years, hands down!

I am totally addicted to brownie pops!  Talk about bang for the buck!  They are so easy to make and your friends will think you went to some ridiculously over-priced bakery in a chic part of town to get them.  These I made to resemble the poison apple from Snow White.  For sure, the "poison" is sugar shock.  One bite of these and your little party guests will be taking off like a rocket.  They are pretty tasty, too....

So, the big day arrives and it is time to Cinderellify Kate.  That cartoon hairdo is no small task, given a fidgety toddler with super slippery hair.  Hot rollers must come into play, but how? 

So I tell her, "We are going to use "warm" rollers on your hair."  "Not the HOT rollers, Mom???!!!"  "Well, yeah, Kate, we need to use them if we want your hair to look like Cinderella."  "Will it hurt, Mom?!"  "Not too much....." I say.  After the rollers came out with little protest, I teased her hair up and it looked like a washed up Vegas show girl.   Then wrangled the mess to look like Cindy's do.  The results speak for themselves... The pouf in front strangely resembles the daily updo of certain strict Christian religions or Michelle Duggar, but I digress.   Once she donned the lovely acetate and practically carcinogenic plastic dress, she looked the picture of Cinderellic loveliness.  She felt pretty and I beamed!

So, the girlies arrived and were treated to instant makeovers of nail polish, face painting, "jewelry"

 and a paparazzi photo in front of a green screen. They sort of look like mug shots here, but the finished photos were really cool.   Tom generated their photo in front of Cinderella's castle.  Looks like we piled all the kids on a private jet and flew them to Disney for the party.  Tongues will be wagging for sure!  haha! 

Next were party games like "Freeze Dance" and "Pass the Slipper", which are pretty easy and fun for the PreK set.

"High Tea" was served in the castle drawing room....heart shaped sandwiches, strawberries dipped in pink whipped cream, carrots and pretzels....simple and non controversial.  Parents sipped mimosas and enjoyed lunch from Pompeii.

Then the Cake! 

 The best part of the day was when I tucked Kate into bed and she said the best part of her party was the cake....

You are only 4 once.  Might as well be the princess, I say!

Never Work with Kids & Animals...

Finally.... spring skirts are blooming in my "state of the art" production facility (kitchen)!!  It's time to send them into the Etsy shop to meet the risk of a sale..

The Etsy gurus say a good shot is the most important element for a successful shop.  My photography skills are marginal at best, but I am willing to learn and practice.  Other bloggers recommend Photoshop, but it is expensive and my husband says it's a whole learning world unto itself. 

So, it's me, my humble camera and a low cost model, my daughter. 

I bribed her with some snacks and a promised trip to Dad's office and off we went on our Spring 2010 fashion shoot. 

My past involved plenty of fashion shows/shoots where I was behind the scenes more than in front of the camera.  Either way, you learn there is a lot of stuff that needs to go along to make the sesssion successful. 

 You need lots of clothing options, accessories, props, iron, snacks, music and good lighting. 

Kate was very cooperative and she had some fun dancing to Will Smith....We tossed fairy wings on Kate to accessorize the  Mac & Fitz lilac skirt. 

 She ran around the shop like she was Tinkerbelle or something....

 Next was the blue, chocolate and yellow Mac & Fitz daisy skirt.  There was just general hopping around and working the camera to my pleading..."Jump! Again! 

No, on the blue mark on the floor!" 

I felt like Austin Powers...."Yeah, Baby, Yeah!!"

How about this saucy hat I found in the dollar section at Target?  Awesome prop!  She ran in a sunny area of the shop and the colors of the Mac & Fitz fuschia and orange skirt popped!

Another great find at Target....cheesy plastic St. Patrick's Day hats!  The green looked wonderful with the bright blues and apple greens on my newest Mac & Fitz spring skirt.  The oversize navy rick rack trim is so cute, too. 

Kate is hamming it up next to Dad's big rig...What a prop!

Kate is striking a pose on the ever popular prop, a yellow forklift truck....

A  great background to the sugar & spice Mac & Fitz skirt she is modeling....

As long as the treats keep coming, the model will cooperate.  Kinda like working with animals...

Check out the new Mac & Fitz spring styles at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/macandfitz

Hike!

In this case, "Hike" means...."Get movin'!", in sled dog lingo...

The husband is still out of the country, foraging for new business and my kids had cabin fever in a BIG way.  About this time of year I wonder why in God's name did I choose to live in such a cold climate. 

A recent poll listed Chicago as number 10 of the top 20 most miserable places to live in the US.  Lovely distinction, but apt on a weekend such as last.  Cold, slushy and the damp chill just never left me. 

Back to my kids, we needed to get out and about so we headed over to Northerly Island for the park district's "Polar Adventure Days". 

Northerly Island is a lovely park on the lake that was created when Mayor Daley, in a bold midnight gesture, backhoe'd under the runways of Meigs Field.  Needless to say, Corporate Chicago did not think it was funny, however, the park IS nice. 

All along the museum campus the parking equals a mortgage, but the kind park district folks did not charge for parking. 

Once there we enjoyed the creative results of ice sculptures, volunteers holding menacing  birds of prey on their arms and one kind mom who brought snow block kits. 

That was the best since hordes of kids worked with each other to create this cute little igloo. 

How many kids can cram into a tiny igloo, anyway??

My kids were very into the block building process, although the engineering produced a very weak structure....

oh who cares, anyway?  It was fun! 

And about 20 husky sled dogs, were chained to an apparatus around a car.  The owner hooked the lead dog to a sled on wheels.  Once he was attached the rest of the dogs went crazy, like they were saying, "Pick me....Ohhhh....Pleeeease pick me to go, too!!!" 

Otherwise, the sled dogs really could have cared less about the kids, except for this white doggie, who wanted to lick my son.  Poor kid loves dogs and is allergic...

The temperatures hovered around 40 degrees, so the snow was very wet and there were great patches of mud. 

Hopefully that means spring is around the corner! 

So, we survived a Saturday outside, got a little fresh air and lost some of that cooped-in feeling. 

I do have beach on the brain, though....it would be nice to escape. 

Did I mention that my husband got sunburned in Dubai over the weekend?  I smell payback in a BIG way.....