Let’s start with flowers…

Mimi of The Bloomin’ Blog sent me this photo of an Indian Paintbrush–a favorite summertime wildflower in Montana to brighten our February. I’ve never been to Montana. I think I should add it to my long places-to-visit list.

Many people buy flowers for Valentine’s Day, right?

And chocolate too.

How about wine?

Strawberries anyone?

I don’t mean to ruin the party which has just begun, but let’s face it, strawberries are not what they used to be. They look better than they taste, right?! Even though, I still find them hard to resist. I’m so tempted to buy them, although their season is spring, when they taste a lot better. When I was a kid, I used to look forward to spring (and spring break) and strawberries with anticipation. They were a special treat, cut and tossed with sugar, served with a dollop of sour cream, or on very rare occasions, whipped cream.

Well, to our current days’ strawberries, some sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract help a little.

Strawberries and berries are indeed eye-catching, irresistible, even sexy. They do make everything look better, peak season or not.

I love strawberries and whipped cream. Add sweet dough to it… I’m speechless. This makes strawberry shortcake one of my favorite desserts.

Berries dotted pancakes aren’t bad either…

But home grown tomatoes are a different story. We had big success last summer with tall and bountiful tomato plants. Beautiful, natural red jewelry shrubs. (‘Sweet 100’ cherry, Sungold, and Early Girl varieties.) We were eating while picking and had more than we could eat so we shared bags of tomatoes with friends and teachers. I loved that. It had a feeling of an old-days experience when you grow your own food and give to other people. Hopefully, more people in the future will do this and then we an swap our home grown crops.

I didn’t like the idea of cooking the tomatoes since eating them as is was so heavenly, sweet juice bursting at the slightest bite… I used them in wraps, pastas, salads, soups. Boy, I can’t wait for summer to arrive…

Look what I found. A photo from October 2008!, pre-DSL camera, pre-tripod, pre any knowledge about food photography (not that I know too much now). Not the best photo, not sexy food but very family friendly, no? And now at least I know what we’re gonna eat this week.

Of course there’s lots and lots of red food, so let’s move on to something else.

See this little cutie?

I bought it for a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day 10 years ago. Silly gift. But what do you buy for someone who doesn’t want anything? Well, besides expansive electronic, high-tech, computer-y gadgets and toys which I know nothing about?

The boyfriend turned into a husband who brings home flowers (like the ones at the top) whenever I send him to the grocery store. He vacuums too and throws the trash, but don’t get all excited, he is now behind bars. Forever. I don’t think he suffers though… He is mine.

So is this lil’ bottom. Mine.

And this lil’ baker. Mine.

Searching in my photo archives, I found this photo I took about 10 years ago, on a trip with my then-boyfriend now husband (Yeah, if you’re good at math you probably got it right. We didn’t date for long before we got married. Funny, I now recall, that my father asked me why we were in such rush do get married? He asked if I was pregnant… Oh, fathers… I was furious about this question at the time. It was insulting in a way. I was an educated, independent, strong woman and I didn’t like that question. It seemed to me so old-fashioned. And nosy. My husband and I were in our late 20s, both with academic degrees, careers, and we were serious about each other, it didn’t make any sense not to get married. And besides, you know I love a good party!) So, anyway, we had a wonderful trip in sunny, warm, laid-back Cyprus, where life seemed to be more down to earth then it is here and the food tastes like food, good food, and the sea is blue, and the sun is shining in the winter. And you drive on the right side of the car (That’s scary). I love the Mediterranean.

I can’t wait until our children grow and we can start taking longer flights to remote parts of the globe and explore the world together…

Back to the present, let’s move on to cakes.

This is an amazing cake made by Amanda from i am baker blog. How gorgeous is that? Truly a labor of love, isn’t it? She wrote a tutorial on how to make it, if you want to give it a try.

I’m not so talented or have the patience to create such a masterpiece, so I use fruits (or candy for birthday cakes) instead, like in this Berries cheesecake.

But for this Valentine’s Day I’ll be making my adult’s’ only Cognac-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake (which can be turned into individual mini Cognac-soaked chocolate cakes). We’ll have friends over.

Maybe I’ll prepare a platter of cheeses and serve wine.

… with all the booze, we might be able to kick their butts in Pictionary.

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? Going out or stay in? Spending quality time with yourself, friends, or a spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend?

Whatever you do, have a good time.

xo,

Nurit

Routines.

Just by saying this word a need to inhale deeply emerges as if an invisible cigarette was stuck in my mouth. (Yes, I used to be a smoker. I don’t miss it.)

How do you feel, what do you think, when this word, “routine”, pops up?

For me, that depends. Some days, “routine” makes me light and happy, some days “routine” makes me heavy and tired.

It’s the sort of experience you can describe as “can’t live with it, can’t live without it”, you know what I mean?

It’s like traveling, only you travel at the same place, at the same pace, all the time. Wouldn’t it drive you nuts?

I’m ambiguous about routines. I know them from both sides. They have a comforting effect. They promise safety. You know where you’re going and what lies ahead…On the other hand, routines can be gray and boring and drive me crazy. They can make me fantasize about running away as far as I can and living a more adventurous life. But I stay. Because, I know. I know that no matter where I go, they will follow. Maybe in a different shape or form, but they will follow.

That’s what life is all about, isn’t it? We all need some sort of routine. It has the power to make us feel cozy and warm like a safety blanket, but a blanket can also choke you as well in your sleep.

About 15 years ago, when my life seemed to be in chaos, I craved for a routine. For something fixed in my life. I tried to adopt little habits, like eating the same salad for dinner, or a yogurt for an afternoon snack, whatever it was, just as long as I have a routine where I can find myself doing the same thing at the same time at the same place each day. Something I can expect and look forward to. A sure thing I can rely on. None of those little habits lasted more than 3-4 days. I ended up adopting a street cat.

Routine is a commitment. Whether you like or not. It can be an anchor when everything around is stormy. It makes you accountable to do something for yourself or for someone else. It is there, waiting for you. Like a pet. Like a child. Like a spouse. Like home.

So, you might as well choose your routines and make yours happy and colorful ones.

Like our morning routines, which go like this;

I wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, (most of times) comb my hair, then I go to the kitchen. I turn the lights on, open the faucet and let water run for a few seconds while I take the milk out of the fridge. The same thought runs in my head, I always hope the kids will still be sleeping so I could have a few minutes of quietness to make each one’s drink. I pray to be able to take my first sip of hot (instant) coffee before the kids jump out of bed and start their non-stop chatter. They are so energetic.

Each of us has their own preference for a morning drink. I use the same cups to make warm chocolate milk for the little one but my boy changes his mind about his drink every day – he’s not a routine kind of guy, I guess – I make tea for the husb, and coffee for me (unless I’m sick, a non-routine, then it’s tea).

While waiting for the water to boil, I clear the dishwasher from ah, the dishes, we used for last night’s dinner. I open the fridge once again and take a peek, starting to plan the day’s lunch boxes. Then the guys come to the kitchen for breakfast.

I used to declare myself a non breakfast maker. Even to guests. Although I felt rude and inhospitable, I’d say I only make lunches and dinners but not breakfasts, each person is on their own. But here I am, each morning, standing in my PJ, making breakfasts and packing lunch boxes. The children ask for this or that. They command me. But I do encourage independency whenever possible. I feel like a helicopter in the kitchen. My head starts spinning and I need to sit for a minute.

After breakfast they fiiiiinnally leave.

Now, wouldn’t this drive you crazy?

Yes. And, no.

Because, just before they walk out the door I get kisses and hugs and it makes all this craziness worthwhile. Priceless.

It makes me fall crazy in love with my family.

We hug and kiss each other each and every morning, at the same time, at the same place, almost in the same way, every day.

It’s our morning routine.

(PS – This is a “Happy” post but I can’t even keep up with the title. I get bored after a while…)

It all started with a cupcake.

This cupcake.

After eating it, I was so happy that I started seeing pink, pink, pink everywhere I looked. Do you see everything in pink too or is it just me?

Seriously now. One thing led to another…

A new idea was born.

It started a few weeks ago when I was feeling blue. (Here’s that post.) It was one of those days, you know, when you wake up in the morning feeling drained and your energies are low… So I did this little exercise of walking around and observing what’s around me, the camera’s lens as my window to the world. I snapped some pics, then downloaded and examined them all. I found that it has lifted my spirit and put me back on track.

Last week I was supposed to meet a friend for coffee at a cupcake store. When I got there I found out they have no places to sit. No tables, no chairs. Only a stunning display of cupcakes. I left and called my friend to suggest another place to meet but I knew I will be back to buy some before I head back home. And so, that Friday, I did not bake a cake for the weekend! Instead I brought home lovely fluffy cupcakes in different frostings and flavors, securely packaged in their beautiful Tiffany-blue colored box. (Needless to say, I had to sample one to make sure it was good enough for my family.)

These gorgeous cupcakes made me start noticing pink things. Of course it’s not about the “things” it’s about what these things represent, their meaning and what they symbolize, right?! Like comfy fluffy fleece sweatshirts you change into when you get back home after work or running errands all day because all you want is to feel homey and snuggle in a soft blanket but it’s not time yet to go to bed ‘cause you still need to make dinner and do million other things, so you reach for the fleece and… mine is pink.

This one’s not mine. That’s where I draw the line, no hearts on my shirts!

And there are other pinks I notice. Like diaries with secrets and stories that will never be published

A little farewell gift I gave to my father after a trip we had about 10 years ago. I was still single then. We had good time together, took a few road trips and had fun. When it was time to go back home, I left it at his house where it sat on a bookshelf under his TV at the same spot I left it for years and now, after he died, it’s back with me at my home.

Lots of pink in kiddies’ stuff.

Kids can drive you nuts sometimes and make you tired in so many ways, but they are so cute and adorable, and unconditionally love you. Every day is a new beginning with little kids. You get a fresh start. There are lots of hearts involved.

on little PJs and blankets

But you’ll have to search hard to find anything pink in a boy’s room. Our society considers it a very unmanly color and doesn’t make pink boys’ stuff. But I didn’t give in. (There are some cute pink worms on the comforter cover too.) It was hard to find. Thank you, Ikea!

Of course, with little girls it’s easy to find pink. Pink, pink, pink is everywhere. Unlike with boys, with girls stuff it’s very difficult to avoid pink. Not that my little one is asking for it (yet?) as much as it is simply everywhere!

I used to intensely dislike pink. I couldn’t stand it for being what seemed to me to be so cheerful and…cute…. and so… optimistic… and fairy-tale like. And way too girly. As far as I was concerned, pink was a color of weakness and fluffiness. I considered myself too tough for that. An iron woman. Serious. And tough. Beyond cuteness and pinkness. I never even imagined using the word “cute”. But I’ve changed.

Now that I’m a mother I’ve changed my mind about pink.

It doesn’t mean that you will catch me walking around wearing pink. OK, maybe occasionally. I admit it, I own a pink T-shirt, and that cozy fleecy pink sweatshirt.

And I don’t feel so strongly against pink as I used to.

I have softened.

I now enjoy cute pink cupcakes without making any excuses.

***

Two more things:

1. This post was also submitted as a guest post on The Pink Apron blog. Kelly writes the The Pink Apron blog, which she considers a marriage of from-scratch techniques and modern flavors.  She loves looking for the stories behind the meal that make even the most ordinary of meals feel special. I love Kelly’s blog, go check it out.

2. I would like to turn these color themed “Happy” posts into a series with all the colors and I would like you to join me. Try it. Walk around, observe, reflect on the people and the things that make you happy. I find that it makes me slow down and notice what I might be ignoring or taking for granted, the many joys that life has to offer.

You can also join me by sending me a photo with the chosen color of the month and I will include it in my next post. (If you’re a blogger, I’ll add your link to the post).

Taking photos of pink things made me realize there are lots of hearts involved. Then I realized that next month is February which means… Valentine’s Day! So let’s make it red. Send me a photo with something red by Monday, 2/8, to be included in the next “Happy: Red” post. Will you join me? E-mail me to nurit AT familyfriendlyfood DOT com

I don’t feel like posting recipes lately. Do you mind at all? I wonder… Please do tell me. Because my head seems to be more into daily family stuff, writing or photographing whatever is around me than posting new recipes that I cooked or baked. I feel more excited telling you about Saturday then the slowly braised beef brisket and creamy potato gratin I made a few days ago. Although now, when I think about it, I do want to share those with you… Oh, they were lovely. But Saturday… Saturday was my kind of day. It started with an amazing 7 am sunrise and turned into a sunny, relatively warm winter day, quiet, blue sky, a few feather white clouds here and there. A perfect day for a little stroll in the neighborhood before lunch time. The air was fresh, clean, and crisp, and we wanted to taste it as well as shake some of the dust and the rust in our bones.

We went to the playground. Although it’s been only a week since the last time we went to the park, it feels as if it was a long time ago. I miss it so. In summer we go almost every day.

On our way to the park we walk through patches of green and mini forests with a water creek that runs through. The water is cold and so clear.

Beautiful trees.

We pass a few office buildings and then I notice the sparkling drops of rain still hanging onto the branches and leaves, shining like diamonds in the sun

Finally, we’re at the park. The little one goes straight to the swing. She’s been swing deprived for a while now and can’t have enough of it.

But the boys like to fool around. They got so much energy locked inside that needs to be released…

And here she goes to the swing, again, for a second round

We fuel up with a little snack and water

Fool around and munch on crackers some more

… and swing, again…

And before you know it, it’s time to go home before we get too hungry and tired. On the way back, more trees and a bird house (Who bothered to climb so high and nail a bird house to this tree?)

A small pond and a handful of ducks. This guy looks a little pissed off, doesn’t he?! Scary.

OK, and now to the part I dislike about giveaways which is announcing the “winner”. Why? Because only one person gets a gift.

And you are all winners to me.

Maybe we can rename it the “gift receiver” instead of a “winner”. It sounds somewhat better, no?

So, the gift receiver of the cookie scoop giveaway iiiiiiiiiiisss… Grace.

Grace, please send me an e-mail to nurit AT familyfriendlyfood DOT com with your address so I can send you your gift.

I woke up this morning totally not wanting write about food. I was feeling blue.

Maybe because I was tired.

Maybe because my throat is a bit soar. I drank tea, not coffee, which is always a sign that I’m not feeling well.

My energy levels were down.

We woke around 7 am, then I went to the kitchen to put water in the kettle for tea and make warm chocolate milk for the kids. Later, we sat at the table for breakfast. My husband and children ate the banana bread I baked last night silently. But not for long.

It amazes me how children wake up so energized, always happy, loud, and playful. I love it. Most of the time their joy is contagious, but on a morning like this… not so much.

I felt a bit disconnected from the commotion the kids made in the kitchen.

I sat with my head down, but in the middle of all of this I noticed from the corner of my eye the morning’s blue light sneaking in through the blinds, reflecting its color on the white window frame.

I love this blue light.

It calms me down. It makes me feel good. It is peaceful and reassuring.

This blue light is a constant reminder of the life that I now have. A life that I love.

A few days ago when most people were happily tweeting around Christmas time, I tweeted to someone saying I’m feeling a bit blue. Her response was “Best of luck with that blue thing…look at it as a color for healing perhaps!”

Hmm, well… you know what happens when the negative self-dialogue takes place, right?! My first thought was, “I’m feeling down, I want to feel sad, but other people just can’t take it! These people always put a pressure on others to be constantly happy and put a smile on their faces only because they cannot contain it.” La la la la la…. You know how it goes.

There is something about holding on to feeling sad, isn’t it?

Well, that time the blue-liness went away with the help of this and we had a fun day.

This morning, when it was a teeny tiny feeling of blueliness, something about it felt right, and cozy. It made me want to hang on to it for a while and reflect on it, examine it, try to understand it.

I took my camera and went outside to take photos of the trees and the blue morning light. I had to!

After that, I went back inside and walked around the house and snapped photos of blue things that make me feel good.

It was a good exercise and it made me feel great at the end.

Here’s what I saw…

Holiday decorations

The husb and kids left the house but I’m still in my PJ. Can you see me?

And, from other days…

I always love to see a man with a vacuum

Hello…

Gosh, there are so many people and things that I love, not only blue. All I need is just to look around me and see them all.

OK, I’m feeling much bluer now. In a much better way. Time to go and get dressed and get back to work. I love my blue jeans.

I could sum it up this way: play, cook, eat, clean, play, cook, eat, clean. But…

It started with a lazy morning

watching TV

The Wiggles…

Then, some kitchen time/putting the kid to work

and cleaning up a little

or watching the others clean up

More play time

and more play time

I knew it reminded me of something… The little mermaid versus the little girl and the frog

It was a bit cold and icy, especially where the sun didn’t hit

so we didn’t stay for more than an hour.

Back home to cook. We invited friends for dinner. And I had a crazy craving for doughnuts

Yeast dough. And fried. Need I say more?!

and then it was over

everyone went back home

and we had some more cleaning up to do

This was my kind of day! A lot of fun day!

Good night.

As I’m writing this post, I am thinking about someone I know. She never reads my blog. For the benefit of the doubt, I’d say she rarely reads my blog. There are things I want to say and I wish she would listen to me. She probably won’t, but you will?

I spoke with a few friends in the past few days and this topic kept coming up again and again. It’s about where I come from and the lessons I learned in life. I’d like to pass them along and share them with others. They are always helpful for me to think about when I feel down and maybe they will be helpful for you as well.

I didn’t grow up in a happy home and being happy is something I struggle to be. It’s not easy to be happy when for years and years you absorb a perspective of the world as a cold place where things are either black or white, mostly black, and there’s a lot of sadness, bitterness, and anger in your environment. I still struggle to be happy. The good news? It’s getting easier as years go by but there are forces that keep pulling me back. I fight to move forward and away from them. One of the obstacles is what I call negative self-dialogue.

Considering where I’m coming from, up until about 9 years ago I used to be a negative, cynical, sarcastic person, seeing the world through dark glasses. When you insist to relate the world this way of course this becomes your reality because even if good things are happening to you, you won’t see them. Then you become the prisoner of your own dungeon. I scratched my way out of this place. Here is one technique that I learned and really opened my eyes.

About 10 years ago I participated in a few workshops, some for professional and some for personal development. The first one, as back then I was practicing organizational consultancy, was a course about facilitating groups dynamics. Our wonderful facilitator – her name is Michal and I will never forget her – talked about the internal dialogue she might have as a group facilitator when standing in front of a group. She described the following situation;

I’m standing in front of a group of people and talking. There’s a guy sitting in the room who constantly yawn in front of my face. I can tell my self, “Boy, I am so boring, I’m a terrible instructor because this guy can’t stop yawning. I’m wasting these people’s time. I must be such a bad facilitator”. Or, I can say to myself, “Wow, this guy is really tired. Poor guy. He keeps yawning. I must be very interesting because he is staying and making an effort to listen to me and participate. I must be a good instructor.”

Another example; I saw the following simulation at a very intense workshop I have participated in. A guy walks to another person and hands her a flower. Scene #1: The person looks at the flower, takes it, inspects it then says, “The stem of this flower is bent, the leaves look as if they are dying. Is this a fresh flower? You know, I don’t like these kinds of flowers anyway.” Scene #2: The receiver of the flower takes it and says, “This is a beautiful flower. Thank you for thinking of me and bringing me this lovely flower, it makes me happy. What a nice thing you did for me. Thank you!”.

Do you see my point?

OK, one more. Now this time it is me.

A friend invited us to come for brunch. I was very happy about the invitation. But, a few days before the actual brunch she called me and said her child had a cold and what do I choose to do – come over anyway or postpone to another time?

I was very stressed at that time and even a simple question such as this was too much for me. My reaction? I felt sad, disappointed, I had tears in eyes because the thoughts in my head were, “She is regretting inviting us over. She’s only saying her child is sick as an excuse to cancel brunch because she doesn’t really want to have us”.

A few days later I came back to my senses and realized she was only being considerate. My way of thinking changed to “How sweet of her. Yes, I wouldn’t want my children to get sick because they played with a sick child. I do prefer that we meet some other time. How thoughtful of her! She’s a good friend.”

The positive self-dialogue versus the negative self-dialogue helps switch places. Instead of being sad, it helps me be  happy. Instead of a victim, a strong person.

It helps to break free from the prison of negative thoughts. It’s a better choice to go out to the world, interact with people, say nice things to them and to yourself. “It’s not always easy, but do it!”, I keep telling myself.

Bad old habits are addictive, but every day it does become easier and easier. The world is what we construct it to be. It’s our choice. We do have a choice. I have a choice! You have a choice!

One more thing I learned this year “Assume good intention“. Think about it…

I hope your holiday is a happy one but if it’s not, make it one! Do something nice for yourself and make yourself happy.

I send you a virtual hug. XO.

I feel better already!

***

Why “Happy”? The first “Happy” post is here.

I have a friend. Let’s call her R. I’ve known her for about 8 years. But only about a year ago we became good friends. Sometimes, it takes the right moment for the spark that brings two people together to happen. Do you know what I mean? There’s someone next to you but you don’t really see him or her. You go on with your life not knowing that this person will be important to you one day. Then, this day arrives… and you become friends.

It started with a walk.

We met at friends house, nothing special happened. Then and I wanted to go for a walk with my baby in her stroller to try and put her to sleep. R was the only one who was interested to join me. As soon as we walked out the door, we had the most amazing conversation, very open, intimate, and honest about things that matter. Since then we put more efforts to stay in touch, to meet, to call, and recently… we started getting together once a week to write. She writes her second book, I started to work on mine.

We meet at a coffee shop

There she comes…

Pretty necklace

We sit across from one another, each one working on her laptop

With a cup of coffee or tea.

When it’s her turn, she chooses the coffee shop by atmosphere – she likes music in the background and cozy places, preferably with books around – while my first criterion is the quality of the coffee. I got to have good coffee! So we’re still looking for the best place that will work for both of us.

One day, I brought my camera… and when I needed a break from writing… I played a little…

She made me re-focus and go back to work.

But not before I begged her to take some photos of me because as the family photographer I don’t have too many good ones. I actually have a hard time being brave and looking at the camera in the eye. But I try, I try…

C’mon smile a little…

I wrote some more, then I got stuck, so I played some more. I felt good that day!

Lovely necklace

What is she typing there all the time?

I had to take a peek

A-ha! (She let me read some of it.)

Can you tell that I was stuck?

But I did figure out some key things since that day and made progress. I don’t bring the camera with me anymore on these days. But when we met at a coffee shop next to a book store, guess where did I go?

I love meeting R for writing. She provides support and insights. She says out loud words I’m afraid to write.

She provides perspective and she challenges me to open up and to write what I want to say.

I’m looking forward to many more writing Wednesdays 2010!

You people, you are something else!

I don’t know how this happened or exactly why (although I have a clue…), but almost out of the blue I started having thoughts and questions: What’s the point of this blog? Why should I continue writing? For who? Who cares? What do I have to say or contribute that matters? Bla bla bla… I felt a lack of purpose. Don’t get me wrong, I have lots to say and write about, I just wasn’t sure it was the kind of stuff anyone cared about.

And then, this morning I found a few e-mails and comments in my Inbox, Twitter, and Facebook.

A blogger from France e-mailed me and wrote she made my Pumpkin banana creamy dreamy dessert and sent me this photo;

The sister of a high school friend found out my blog and said she was going to make my chocolate cake.

Someone else commented on Facebook about the Pumpkin banana cream pie: “mmmmmmmm. I love everything you bake!”

I love hearing from you, dear readers. Your comments and questions (such as “Where can I buy halva?”) mean a lot to me. They make my day.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I’d like to say: Thank You!

Thank you for reading my blog, for commenting, e-mailing, Tweeting, Facebooking, thank you for interacting with me, for cooking or baking my recipes, for sending me photos of your creations.

***

And my sister made the Pumpkin banana cream pie as well and sent me photos.

My health conscious, marathon runner, smart, funny, beautiful sister said she made the long version nonetheless! Not the instant pudding shortcut version.

Needless to say this made me extremely happy!!!!!

She looks pretty happy too, doesn’t she?!

( Hey, where did you get that Starbucks logo?)

And she made it look pretty by putting little baby pumpkin around. How cute!

Ahemm… the dried banana chips are supposed to be crushed in the food processor to very small bits… I added an emphasis about that in the recipe.

Isn’t she the sweetest?

I’d marry her if I wasn’t married already and she wasn’t my sister… She’s a good one!

More holiday recipes:

Pumpkin banana creamy dreamy dessert

Apple, Cinnamon and Walnuts Cake

Thanksgiving-y Chicken Dinner

Holiday Food – Appetizers

Cranberry Cake

Cranberry apple relish

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Yesterday I hesitated before pressing the “publish” button for my first “Happy” post but I did.

Later that day I went out for a cooking class at Sur La Table with Mrs. Steamy Kitchen.

I haven’t seen my husband and my kids since that morning when they left for school and work. It felt weird to be at home all by myself, so quiet. It was a bit like when I was single, pre husband, pre kids. I was thinking how just the day before I felt I’m going to lose my mind when both kids were whining and crying about this or that for a whole frickin’ hour, including my little girl’s daily poopy episodes. Ohhhhhhhh, I wanted to run away from home.

But yesterday I had a break. A little vacation. My husband picked up the kids and I was hoping I will see them before I go to my class, but they did not return and I left the house.

When I came back home around 9:30 PM I checked my messages. There were a few lovely comments and e-mails from readers about the post. One of them was an e-mail from my 6 years old saying:

My husband says my little boy typed that on his own in his own words and my son says that his sister chose the colors.

Awwwwwwwwww… melts my heart.

So this morning I rewarded him with a treat. Cereals for breakfast (which normally we don’t eat daily and when we do it’s for a snack). Happily, he took out his TV tray and lined it up with breakfast food. (OK OK, I confess, the fridge was pretty empty and not too many choices for breakfast).

My conclusions?

1. For me, a home with kids, with all the joys and challenges, and sometimes stress to the point of exhaustion, is so much better then a quiet kid-free home.

2. A little break every now and then from the daily routine is very important! It re-energizes, it gives perspective, an opportunity to appreciate what I have in my life, and a chance miss my loved ones.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some grocery shopping to do…