Super Saturday #4

Here at the "Awesome Ranch" we're all hibernating.  Seriously... the weather forecast was for occassional snow that would not accumulate.  It's not a  blizzard outside, though I'm guessing someone who has never lived in North Dakota might claim it is one.  It's cold, windy, and snowing with a smidgelet of accumulation. 

I have to admit... the house is a bit trashed.  My kids have been playing and there's kid stuff all over.  As much as I'd love to have my house look like one of those organized beauties from an issue of a magazine.  The reality is... today, we're busy living in our house.

So... my goals are minor this Super Saturday... get the dishwasher cleaned out and have a nice family dinner together.  I know I can manage to delegate both those tasks.  In fact, it's my son's job to clean out the dishwasher.  I also "outsourced" dinner to my husband.  I believe he's planning to make spaghetti with garlic bread and a salad.  That's fine with me. 

In addition, my husband is busy doing some work on the basement and I'm playing "keep an eye on the kids animals."

How are you making your weekend a special time for your family?

Super Saturday #3

Kinda late on Super Saturday... I know... unlike me right?  Hah, not this week.

And I needed today to be more Super than Awesome.  It's been a draining week. We're fully back in the swing of school and after school activities.  I've seen the inside of my van more than my house this week... whew... I'm feeling OVERCOMMITTED to my kids activities.  And it's bitterly cold out the last few days... the urge to eat fattening foods and hibernate for a month or two is pretty strong.

On my agenda for Super Saturday: 

-- Volunteer at the kids' school's Monthly Fundraiser (which I'm training to be the co-chair...). 

-- Stop in my favorite store and browse

-- Stop at the grocery store and pick up cat food.

-- Laundry mountain!

My reality for Super Saturday:

-- Volunteer at fundraiser... pretty sure I was the worst co-chair trainee today.  Honestly... I wanted to sleep in today

-- Stop in at my favorite store and browse... my daughter had a stinking meltdown because she needed $12.95 to buy a book and she only had $6.  Sorry... babe... do some extra chores and you'll have that money in NO time.  She did not like that at all.  But her pouting and tears made me want to help her out even less.

-- grocery store... ugh... it was too close to noon to have been a nice calm visit.  Again, I don't like shopping on Saturdays and I did it AGAIN this weekend.  Will I never learn?

-- Laundry mountain... I got the pile folded, but it's not put away and there's the "waiting in the wings" batch that needs to be washed, dried, and folded... Soothing Sunday is going to suffer a bit!

There's only one way to have a Super Saturday... that's to stay on task during the week to keep on top of things so weekend work is minimal.  This week, that wasn't a possiblity for me, because I had some personal emergancies to tend to (well, okay... that sounds bad, but visiting someone in the ER trumps laundry any day!  So it was someone else's emergancy that I [without question] had to assist with and that person is okay.).  Things didn't go according to my plans this week and that, frankly, makes me GRUMPY.  So here I am on Saturday evening, feeling more tired because I'm grumpy at all the things that have piled up. 

Yep, I'm human... but since I'm awesome, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and dig in.  The reality is... it's all a pile of minor stuff and if I just make a list and tackle it... Soothing Sunday is still possible.  So I'm going to champion early Mass attendance so I can get my shizzle done before noon.  So my daughter and I can finally watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  And yes, I own the DVD!

 

Super Saturday #2

Okay... I admit it, it's Saturday and I'm not feeling awesome or super. 

It happens.

I think a nap is about the only thing that's going to restore my pep today. 

Frankly, today, I feel a bit like I'm in the middle of a game of Monkey in the Middle.  Perhaps, if I hadn't had the urge to buy K-Cups (for the Keurig coffee machine hubba-hubba-Hubbie got for Christmas) at Sam's Club on a Saturday morning after 11 am... I'd probably not feel like the life was sucked out of me.  Or maybe it was the fruitless trip to Office Max. Or the over indulgent trip to Michael's.  Or the trip to the grocery store for 3 items, when it turns out I needed a fourth. 

But what is that to you? An admission that I'm not always awesome, means... it's okay if you're not always at the top of your game.  I guess there's the lesson for the day... if you want to relax on the weekend, don't spend Saturday morning running errands unless you absolutely must.  I didn't and now I'm, well, resentful. 

Well... are you looking for some inspiration now?  Because I certainly am!

Last weekend, I cleaned out my spice cabinet and it felt great... so I had intended (and still intend) to spread the love in the kitchen a little more.  My Lazy Susan cabinet is really looking like there might be a miniture crazy hermit living in there.  It's supposed to have neatly organized mixing bowls, pyrex measuring cups, the hand blender and the frequently used cooking oils.  Uhm... there's definitely some odd ball stuff in there and it's all shoved in like there's an animal nesting in there.  There's another cabinet that's suffering from the same "Shove it in there" disease that also needs some love. 

So just in case you have some miniature pack rat living in your kitchen, your mission for today is to clean out that mixing bowl/baking supply area in your kitchen which was destroyed by all the crazy holiday baking.   And in case you're having trouble letting go of the Christmas holiday... today's a really good day to finally get that tree down and all the decorations packed away. 

Yes, I'm guilty of this too... my tree is on it's way to the storage area.

Super Saturday -- the Late Edition (or Part Deux)

So... just so you all don't think I'm all talk and no action [because it's easy to sound awesome and much harder to actually be awesome], here are the results of my Super Saturday effort.  It's been a "spicy" morning.

Firstly, we attended my son's first basketball game and although he seemed a bit confused this morning... he did make a free throw! It was awesome.  He actually improved during the course of the game.  It was kind of an "aha" moment for me.  You don't have to wait until you're good to get in the game... you can only get better by playing the game.  Practice is important, but it's not everything.  Are you "in the game"?

Secondly... I came home and cleaned out my spice cabinet.  And I don't think you'd really grasp it without seeing the before, during and after pictures (with commentary, of course).  And you'll see signs of real people living here... my life isn't perfect.  It's Awesome!

So at the start... this is what I had to contend with:

At first glance, this may not seem like such a bad situation... but let me explain... that box up top-- I never use it and I didn't even know what was in it.  I don't know what spices I really have or how many and I definitely have stuff in there I don't use.  There are also several canisters of spices from Sam's Club on the counter.  So it seemed to me the most logical solution was to take it ALL out.

To be honest... wow... that's a lot of spice.  And I'd like to point out that a few minutes later I knocked over my cup of tea and had a major mess on my hands.   At this point, I tried to figure out what I have and what I still need.

Here's a prime example... two jars of Carribbean Jerk Seasoning.  [As well as 4 different types of garlic: garlic salt, garlic powder, granulated garlic, minced garlic; 3 jars of ground cinnamon; 2 jars of cinnamon sticks; and 2 cans of Old Bay Seasoning] How's this for gross:  the one on the left expired in 2004-- when my 7 year old was born-- and had never been openned!  I think I have a spice problem!

After tossing out about 14 jars of expired, dried out, unopened, will never be used and "I have no idea what this even is" spices... I had a lot more room in my spice cabinet for those I do use and do love the flavor.  [Yes, I did keep the Caribbean Jerk "Perfect Pinch" and I've committed to making something-- who knows what-- with it.]   I started putting it all back in with great results.  Without going into extreme details, there is a rhyme and reason (seasoning spices together, frequently used spices in the center, and baking spices on the left, for example).

I don't know how you feel about the end result... but I feel awesome.  I can see all my spices and can easily figure out what I need for a new recipe.  Frankly, peeps, I love to cook!  So yes, I do use these spices. 

I'd like to end this with my hubba-hubba-Hubbie's response.

Me: Did you see the spice cabinet?

Him: Yeah it looks great.

Me:  Dude, you didn't even open the door and you're looking in the sink.

Him: {sigh} Just a sec...

Him:  {walks across kitchen, opens door 4 inches) Ahhhh [angelic type sound-- like you imagine you'd hear in a movie. He then quickly slams the door... opens it again, all the way] Ahhh!  So is there like a system here?  Organized by color?

Me: [aside] Good call... now I can talk about it.

Me: Well, you see... [5 minute explanation that he kindly listened to while acting interested].

This my friends is why he was first named "Capt Awesome," because he is!

Super Saturday-- the Early Edition

I thought I'd get a jump on Super Saturday... the day I plan to make SUPER because I accomplish a few of those nagging tasks, spend time with my family and sneak in a nap. 

The key to a really "Super" Saturday is to not even attempt to overschedule.  If you have more than 1 activity for each child (and have more than 2 kids)... you're just going to be hoping to get through!  I know, it's hockey season and basketball season and I'm sure a couple dozen other seasons of things I'm not even aware have seasons.  If you've been running all week, you're going to have a hard time feeling super... which is a stepping stone to being awesome.

Wait, what... Saturday is not AWESOME?  Nope... it's super... it's a stepping stone down off the awesome level to work on rejuvenation.  That's what the weekend is for in my book. 

So this Super Saturday... I'm giving you an assignment (and myself too).

Clean out your spice cabinet/drawer/shelf.

 Yeah, that's it.  But you'll feel so great about it.  Really.  And if you find a spice that you're not even sure what it's for or the last time you've used it.  Toss it.  It's probably lost it's potency and you can use the space for something you really need in there.  I know I have a jar of lemon pepper seasoning in mine and I find that combination disgusting.  It's definitely finding a new home in a landfill.  (And yes, I'm pretty sure I've had it since before I had my first child.). 

Okay, I lied... I'm giving you a second assignment...

Take a shower or bath... just to be alone. 

Yeah, I admit it, I do it and it feels super.  If you want extra credit...

Take a little nap.

Those are all on my agenda for Super Saturday... because I'm all caught up with the laundry!