I'm pathetic

Every other Sunday I cook for the next 2 weeks. I’ve been doing this for about 6-8 months and it works well for our family. I spend one full day (with lots of Donn’s help) cooking to have great home cooked meals for the next two weeks. Some are casseroles and are frozen, some are just chopped veggies and seared meats and sauces or broths that are combined into 1 bag then frozen until the day they get put into the crock pot. Whatever the meal is, it totally works for our family. There is no standing around the night of “what do you want for dinner?” We buy meat when it’s on sale and tailor the menu around what we have or what works for the budget that 2 week period. SUPER SYSTEM for our family.

All that said, this Sunday was a “cooking day”. We woke up and I told Owen that he was going to cook with us. He didn’t argue (yeah!) and we got started. He opened seasoning packets and measured out sauces. Then he did some stirring. We were on recipe 3 (out of 12) and I told him that for each recipe that he helped complete I would pay him an allowance. He asked how much and I told him I would tell him at the end of the day. I wanted to keep him motivated but if it wasn’t enough I didn’t want him to quit. I then walked over to Donn and whispered “YES, I’m paying him to hang out with me” I walked to the sink and said “Yeah, I’m pathetic.” Owen heard the ‘I’m pathetic’ comment and loudly said “NO YOU’RE NOT!” It made me very happy that he defended me.

About 30 minutes later a friends mom called and he was invited to have a playdate (second of the weekend – I’m bragging) so I let him off of kitchen duty. He had a great time on his play date and I loved getting to spend the time with him that I did.

Cost per meal:
Ingredients: $10.00 (approximately)
Labor: $1.00 (cost to have it prepped with Owen)
Time spent with family having home cooked meal each night: PRICELESS!

Hair Cut

So Donn gets mad that Brooklynn is a rag-a-muffin. Me, not so much. I was a total rag-a-muffin as a kid and rocked the sloppy look. Some days Brooklynn spends the time to put her hair in a pony tail but some days she halfway combs it and rolls out the door. DONN HATES THIS! She leaves without tangles but because she has a funky little curl in front on both sides she looks sloppy. I have let her keep her hair long because that is what she wanted, but Monday he said he wanted her to get a hair cut and she agreed so I CUT IT!!! YES I (ME) (SARAH) Cut her hair. I think I did a pretty good job. She lost about 9-10 inches.

iCarly

Donn: (calling me at work) "hey, I share a birthday with iCarly"

Me: "really that's cool"

Donn: "I heard it on Disney Radio on my to work this morning"

Me: "you shouldn't admit that you listen to Disney radio in the car by yourself"

I figured this was a better forum to blab that information. So next time he says he listens to the NFL channel in the morning.... Know it is really Disney Radio.

Homemade Cards

So Owen went to a birthday party today. And call me cheap but we rarely by cards we have the kids make them. Here is what Owen came up with. I laughed so hard!

Brooklynn is so Funny

This morning Brooklynn came into our room all proud of herself that she woke up to my alarm. Donn was still sleeping mad at the world because my alarm is so loud. Brooklynn offered to Donn:

"Do you want to trade rooms? You can put all your stuff in my room and I'll share a room with mommy"

Donn's response "negative".

Importance of friends

Per Owen: Having friends will prevent stress. Stress can lead to health problems. So having a friend can keep you healthy.

Art Fair

Last Night was the BTE Art Fair. This has always been one of my favorite school events and this year was no different. This year, like last, I played a different role, FACE PAINTER. I have lots of fun, mostly because I interact in some small way with about half of the BTE students. It is great because I get to see them all and say hi. I just love my girl scouts! My face just lights up when I see them. Angel paints faces with me. Yesterday was her first day at a new job so she was a trooper for doing it.

Brooklynn had lot of fun running around school talking to her friends and playing. Owen huddled in a corner with 2 friends playing a game (fine by me since he was with people!).

Here is my face painted, I thought my mustache would inspire others and it did!:

Here is Brooklynn’s art work:

I do not have a photo of Owen’s work. By the time I was done painting I could barely make it to the car I was so hungry.

"Fix Him"

I have a friend that continues to mention a “treatment” that they think I should try on Owen. They think it will “fix him”. It takes every ounce of composer I have not to, well, RIP THEIR FACE OFF. I think the first time it was mentioned I politely explained “there is nothing to fix” my job as his mom is to give him the tools to work with what he has (or find those that can) and I feel that I am doing that. I explained I do not feel that aspergers is a “disease” that needs to be cured.

It has been mentioned about 4 times since that first time. All with a hint of “it’s your job as his parent”. So much of me wants to unleash an arsenal of profanity. I haven’t yet (please, all be very proud, but also note the YET!)

*GIANT CAVEAT – This does not mean that I think I am above parenting advice or advice in general. BUT if it is to “CURE” something that I don’t think needs curing, keep that to yourself.

Thanks for letting me vent.