I realized while making cookies last night that today was Thursday. I still needed to make a grocery run, and hadn't drafted my Thurs post. I haven't gotten into a set grocery schedule for this school year. I want a devoted day for groceries not a panic-list-last-minute-race-to-the-store-run when we realize that (even though it's less than a week since I shopped) we're out of things.
So, rapid fire style:
1. Cookie caper: I bake when it's cool out, when I have time. I store bags of my cookies in my freezers. I gift them to people who help us out, or I make a plate when we go to a party, etc. I date the bags, so I can rotate them.
Last week: two bags in the basement freezer dated Aug. 1 held 6 and 10 cookies each. What??? (normal is @36/each). We grilled Kay about my disappearing cookie inventory and her answer went from nope, to I ate a couple, to MANY. She woofed down *dozens* of cookies right before tailgate season. Grrr.
2. No! Germs!: My throat started hurting Sunday. I took Emergen-C, went to bed early-ish. Monday evening my head felt like it weighted 100 lbs. I bought decongestants, more Emergen-C, and Zicam - a friend who swears by this stuff urged me to buy it.
I'm gonna buy this for
all the grown and
flown/college kids.
I think it worked
wonders for me.
I took the Ziacam Monday and Tuesday along with Emergen-C and I was still tired Wednesday but I think I've basically kicked whatever it was. I was expecting horrible cold symptoms - but nope. Coach is struggling with the same symptoms, but is a day behind me.
3. Daunted and down: Maybe feeling sluggish while fighting off this germ contributed, but Tuesday I felt downtrodden. Everything felt daunting. I'm usually energetic and focused on getting things accomplished on my to-do list.
Me: WHO CARES? A FEW MORE THINGS ARE JUST GONNA BE ADDED TO THE LIST ANYWAY.
I felt beaten and unmotivated. I told Coach I wonder if part of it stems from living with a child that is difficult to like, hard to spend time with, annoying. The exhaustion comes in waves. I felt better Wednesday. I need to reach out to the other adoptive moms I know who can share their FAKE IT TO YOU MAKE IT tactics.
BTW - Coach's take: I think we need a vacation. He's funny.
 |
| Unrelated but I bought these, thinking they looked good. I'm always looking for 0 sugar/GF/high protein stuff. Coach said they're terrible, so I won't bother. The name though: THINK ABOUT EATING SOMETHING ELSE. |
On the way home, I told her that I was thinking about her, and how I know it's hard to be her sometimes. I explained what it means to persevere.
Me: I notice that despite everything in your life that hasn't been easy - you persevere. Different schools, a new family, landing in trouble- you get right back up and keep trying. You're persevering, and I'm proud of you.
I texted Coach while at a light, and told him I had a good chat with Kay. We do this, tell each other about our efforts to celebrate these moments, urge each other to try. (We also vent about stuff that drives us bonkers, which is sort of important too).
*****
OK, not as rapid as I envisioned. Have you tried Zicam? Any early onset cold remedies you swear by? Anyone else freeze their desserts for later use? Anyone else feel daunted lately? Anyone need to vent?
Oh, poor you! Hit by a bug with all those other things at the same time. You could use a vacation for real.
ReplyDeleteI have a cold that's had me up since 11:30 pm Every time I start to doze,coughing wakes me up again. So complete sympathy for you!
To be fair to Kay, frozen cookies are completely addictive- and your cookies always look delicious. I can understand the temptation!. Maybe you should enlist her help to bake replacements?
I am completely daunted by some stuff dealing with my kids- for example, having to pull hs senior out of one class and add another homeschool class. He needs to not fail anything but his brain gets off track easily in the hs. I never know if I'm doing the right thing with him.
mbmom11 - I could use a vacation for real, but that's not happening. I'm pleased that I beat my germ and it didn't interfere with my sleep - sorry you are dealing with something too.
DeleteI can understand the temptation too, but we caught her sneaking one in early August and I can't believe she would do it again knowing how upset we were. I would use her to help me remake them, but I'm very particular about my cookies. They are small works of art and I do not let kids help with that. Instead Kay is making other stuff like my protein wedges and a spinach dip in order to gift me back the time I needed to spend baking new cookies.
Pulling a senior out of school and juggling his classes so he doesn't fail anything sounds like a lot. Good luck.
Maybe she has to replace the ones she ate? Also, solidarity sister because I cannot let cookies go either, so I get the temptation. Glad you feel better
ReplyDeleteSarah - She has to make other stuff that's easier and not something I'm gifting to people or presenting at a tailgate. She has yet to meet an impulse she hasn't acted on. Honestly big picture - it's scary. thanks, I'm glad I didn't totally go down with this.
DeleteMaggie went through a phase where she would sneak food (sweets) when she was in middle school...I'm wondering now if it was hormonally/growth spurt related? It definitely didn't last long and she felt really bad about it and would turn herself in. I also sneak frozen cookies, so I can relate! Phil definitely believes Zicam works, or even just takes Zinc when he feels symptoms coming on. I try to drink an EmergenC every day through the winter months as a preventative.
ReplyDeleteColleen - If this was the only thing she ever snuck then maybe your theory would make sense. She sneaks other stuff too, like ace bandages so she can fake an injury and get attention at school. Ugh. I'm laughing that Maggie would turn herself in. We are def not experiencing that. Good to know another Zicam believer is out there and this wasn't just a one off. I don't mink EmergenC, I mean heck - I drink 2 glasses of Miralax a day, so I can stomach Emergen C - that's a good habit.
DeleteIt seems like everyone everywhere is getting this early fall cold/sinus crud. My sons spent last weekend together, and now they have it, along with Theo and his mom. I'm being so careful not to get it. I'm glad you're turning the corner and feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to have cookies in the house except for occasions because both Rick and I cannot be trusted. That doesn't excuse Kay for sneak-eating, but I certainly can understand. I'm sorry that her adjustment has been so hard. Yours is a very busy family. Does she feel a bit lost along the way sometimes despite your best efforts? It's so hard to know, and so hard to maybe do things differently after raising so many already.
Nance - I have a few tots who seem to always have a cold. The parents were heating up the breastmilk in the microwave and I was like, no - that kills the good germ fighting qualities. I'm glad you've not gotten this germ. I'm thrilled that I mostly avoided the worst of it.
DeleteWe used to always have store bought cookies in the house, but dang - the little girls would eat an entire package in one sitting. We do have some treats some of the time, but we are trying to teach moderation. There are plenty of foods to eat, granola bars and yogurts and graham crackers and goldfish. Etc,. etc. I don't think she feels lost, I think she wants what she wants and isn't used to having parents or rules - she was raised like a feral cat.
That's so true. Raised in an environment with no rules and just grabbing whatever whenever is a tough habit to break. If she feels that rules are inherent judgments of her and her previous "parent", that makes this a whole rebellion behaviour as well. I don't envy you. Instant gratification is a hard thing to fight against.
DeleteHaving sampled a couple of your baked goods, I can say for certain they are very delicious and raiding the freezer would be very tempting.
ReplyDeleteI rarely bake, but I do typically buy and freeze about 18-20 boxes of Girl Scout cookies each year to eat throughout the year.
I don't know if daunted is the right word, but I am feeling over-committed right now. I have two homecomings (high school and college) to attend in October, plus a couple Saturday volunteering commitments, and the usual piano and community band hobbies. I'd really like to get back into knitting - recently pulled out a project abandoned 11 years ago to finish. Oh! And I want to do a sewing project. I guess mowing the lawn will be ending soon, so that will free up 45 minutes a week.
Haven't tried Zicam but it seems like it would be worth keeping on hand, don't need to be knocked down for a week with a cold.
That was me. I logged out of Google while trying to register for a Chili cook-off. Probably not the best idea since I am at capacity for doing stuff right now, but I once tied for 1st* in a Chili cook-off and want to defend my title.
Delete*Full disclosure: there were three entries.
jenny in WV - I'm chuckling at your 'I've sampled the goods' - bah ha ha. It sounds like you have a full plate. Getting back into knitting sounds like a great plan. I've often thought that I'd like to learn how to knit. I think that's a hobby I'd really enjoy. Hooray for lawn mowing winding down. I cracked up at your full disclosure about three entries. I think the chili-off sounds fun.
DeleteI believe in drowning colds. The second I start feeling symptoms, I start chugging water and fluids. I can't do Zicam. I get a bad reaction to too much zinc, and it's worse than suffering through a cold. I will say, once I am sick, I do like Theraflu to feel better.
ReplyDeleteI pick one day in the fall and make it Pie Day. I'll make 6-10 apple pies (but not bake them) and freeze them to be used during the holiday season (or to give to neighbors during the holidays). Freeze them, and once they're frozen, put them into gallon freezer bags. It works really well. I also like an emergency cake. I'll buy a Costco cake, and then cut and freeze it into individual portions. Because sometimes you just need emergency cake- it solves a lot of problems.
Kara - Ah, I like that angle, drowning colds. Yikes, I never would've thought someone could have a bad reaction to too much zinc, but it seems like it's possible.
DeleteI'm not a pie person, like I enjoy pie, but that's not a go-to in my baking repertoire. Having a pie day sounds like a good plan. I had no idea you could freeze a prepared pie prior to the baking part. What a plan. Freezing ermergency cake - also brilliant. I freeze pumpkin bread sometimes but my kids prefer it to be fresh. Baking good snobs that they are.
I immediately looked up Zicam and can't seem to get it in Canada, but maybe something similar. My allergies have been off the charts horrible this year and I am SO over it.
ReplyDeleteMy mom always has dozens of frozen cookies in her freezer. Thankfully, I'm not super tempted, but she would get cross if I ate them behind her back. Like Colleen mentioned above, I wonder if some of it is hormonal and/or a sense of control. I definitely used to sneak food around the age; ice cream, chocolate, whole milk, and ironically these pre-cooked sausages I'd heat up in the microwave. They'd make the whole house smell of sausage, but then I'd deny it when people came home and there were sausages missing.
Elisabeth - Bummer you can't get zicam in Canada. Sorry to hear that your allergies are so bad. No joke, allergy season used to feel like I was not gonna survive. I started doing allergy shots in like 2022 and it was a game changer. I literally have no seasonal allergy symptoms anymore. Have you done the scratch test, etc and met with an allergist? I would put hard cereal in my mouth to itch the roof of my mouth until it bled.
DeleteI'm cracking up at the house smelling of sausage and you shrugging your shoulders, Huh? Not me, I don't even smell sausage.
I feel for Kay about the cookies! Who could resist? I have felt just awful because I ate all the frozen cookies - more than once. I agree with the others - have her help you bake some replacements. Maybe it could end up being some fun bonding time? Being sick will definitely make a person feel daunted. I remember when Zicam was on a little swab that you rubbed in your nostrils! It worked SO WELL! And then they banned it. I'm still cranky about it. I should try the tablets. And apparently I should not try the protein bars! Good to know that! I'm howling with laughter about your new name for the product!
ReplyDeleteMichelle - I do understand the temptation, but dang - she knows the system. I count on those being available for times when we need them. Four dozen cookies is a LOT of cookies. I'm having her make other things in the kitchen. My cookies are my pride and joy and I'm not interested in having a kid 'help' with that. My older kids were never invited to help me with them either. Nope. She made a spinach dip yesterday and my protein balls today. Stuff that she can't mess up.
DeleteIt's a wonder your immune system isn't fully functioning. You guys are doing such good things and it's mostly ALL THE HARD things. I applaud you. I'm honestly exhausted just thinking bout it. Putting in effort when someone doesn't always deserve it (at the moment) but you know it's what you gotta do.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those Think (about eating something else) bars are not good, not good at all.
Uh oh, with the Cookie Monster in the basement. I hope this isn't a pattern....
I've been feeling like I'm getting sick ALL WEEK. It's hard to put my finger on it; I'm tired and achy, but not constantly. It's probably the end for me. I don't even need to Google or WebMD.
It's been fun!
But maybe I'll try Zicam instead of plan my funeral.
I don't bake. Period. So there is nothing in my freezer aside from meat and ice, and that's boring as hell.
Suz - We are hitting some walls lately and it is tiring. Thank you for the applause. I do know it's what I gotta do, and there just isn't enough time right now for me to do the things that I like to do AND say read with her, or connect with her, or bake with her. I'm relieved my cold symptoms subsided before they developed into much of anything.
DeleteI've not tried one of the Think bars - once Coach said they were awful, I was like - Oops, sorry.
Your comment about cookie monster reminds me that she dressed in my cookie monster costume last year. Foreshadowing much.
You are killing me. I'm team Zicam and let's hope that helps so there's no more talk of funeral planning.
Meat and ice in a freezer - well, we have that too. I also have 3 functioning freezers though, so I can store all my baked stuff. Maybe I need to get a lock on one of them. *sigh*
I LOVE your conversation with Kay! Well done Ernie. Sometimes it’s so hard to think of something positive when a child is being difficult. I bet she really appreciated hearing that.
ReplyDeletePat - Thank you. I don't always hit it out of the park, but I felt like that one was a good one.
DeleteI caught my daughter drinking Mrs. Butterworths once. I think kids want sugar. I know Kay has impulse control issues and wants what she wants, so I don’t know the answer. Probably best to not have food around that is off limits…like maybe make a bag and freeze them but put ‘OK to eat’ or something on the bag.
ReplyDeleteJulie - Drinking Mrs. Butterworths. Hilarious. It's hard to know how much of this is her testing the boundaries, not accustomed to rules, or just wanting to eat stuff that's off limits. We do keep other food and some sweets in the pantry. Maybe we have to add more options to the pantry, but we're trying to teach them to have some balance.
DeleteI don't freeze baked cookies, but I freeze a lot of dough. If my husband tells me we're invited to someone's house to watch the Packers play (*sigh* living in Wisconsin has drawbacks) the night before, I can easily just chuck a dozen cookies into the oven and bring freshly baked cookies with me. Easy peasy. But I have to admit that my cookie dough collection is slim right now and if I needed emergency cookies, I'd probably have to bake them from scratch!
ReplyDeleteEngie - I've never frozen the dough only. That might be a workaround for this situation, only I can imagine the times when I want to grab cookies from the freezer and having to thaw and bake isn't as fast - still, it would work some of the time - and then the cookies would be warm.
DeleteMelissa - Same thing here, so interesting. I have asthma that really only acts up if I get a germ, so I was super relieved that it sort of stopped before it took off into something worse.
ReplyDeleteOur oldest has ADHD and we've had our struggles with him. whoa man. I'm surprised I have any hair left after almost pulling it all out over the years. He claims to be taking some meds now, but he refused for years at the end of college and that was a very difficult time. He was over here a few months ago and I told him his clothes smelled musty. They were clean, but he forgot to take them out of the washing machine. Easily distracted and not able to stick with something - it's hard, but I was like, well, you can't wear clothes that smell like that to work. He's in sales, after all. Maybe getting married will work in his favor. I agree,, the driving around on those four wheeler things would make me nervous.
Kay takes meds for ADHD and one would think it would help with the impulsiveness, but she really has never seemingly had an impulse that she didn't act on. this frightens me for her future as we don't want her to end up as a teen mom.
We try to limit our sweets, so if I make something, I always freeze half of it for later. I've tried Zicam and it may have worked, but who knows??
ReplyDeleteBijoux - freezing treats is a lifesaver when events crop up and I can grab and go. Grrr. You're not wrong - who knows if it was Zicam that helped me, but I'd try it again.
ReplyDelete