Overload
At the church where my son’s Hebrew school meets, there’s a poster on a wall that says something like: "It’s October — are you feeling overloaded yet?" Well, it’s November, and I’m feeling overloaded.
This week we have a PTA event at the school, the end of season dinner for D’s soccer team, and parent teacher conferences. Some people from my office are going out for post-election drinks tomorrow evening. I’m going to try to join them, as I’m sure a cranberry-tini will make me appreciate Math Night all the more.
I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is next week. I’ve got people coming to my house, and have done nothing to prepare yet. The last time I hosted, I made the turkey using a non-conventional recipe that called for a short cooking time at a high heat. It came out great and I’d like to do it again — but I have absolutely no idea what I did with the recipe. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries. What else should I make? My son the ridiculously picky eater won’t taste any of this — should I be kind to him and make biscuits as well? Gack.
Hanukah is on the early side this year — mid-December — so we need to figure out what we’re getting the boys. Basically D would like the entire lego catalog. I think the rule this year is that all presents have to fit inside a shoe box.
I’m feeling somewhat out of control at work. I’m much better at coming up with ideas for things that I’d like to do than I am at following through, especially when there’s no deadline. (I’m very good with deadlines.)
Today my CASA case had a review hearing. The protective order was dismissed, which means that my CASA assignment to that case is over. I think it was probably the right decision even though the family still has lots of issues, since I don’t think any of them rise to the level of requiring the courts or the child welfare agency to be involved. I do think the kids are going to be safe. I just wish I were more hopeful that they are going to get from the adults in their lives what they need to succeed.
November 13th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
I feel ya–I came back from my time working on the election to a huge backlog of work and a boss who says things like, “aren’t you glad to be back to your real work?” Uh, not if you have that attitude!
Plus, the ridiculous amount of time our schools are closed in November is very hard to plan for.
November 14th, 2006 at 9:20 am
My kids will be having the usual warmed-over pasta for Thanksgiving dinner. They won’t even try any of the desserts, I’m sure. Sigh.
D. does have good taste on the gift list, though! I wouldn’t mind getting the Lego catalog for Hanukah myself.
November 14th, 2006 at 9:33 am
Elizabeth, I’ve made the turkey recipe from this NYTimes article several years now, and it always works. Actually I do it without brining the turkey beforehand, and it still works. It does smoke up my kitchen, but that’s because I don’t clean my oven beforehand. (Hmm, note to self..) this is a Times Select article so if the link doesn’t work email me and I’ll send it along. It was the Times Magazine, March 19, 2000 and the author is Jonathan Reynolds if that helps…
http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FA0E10F93B5F0C7A8DDDAA0894D8404482
November 14th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Does D like applesauce? We always had a bowl of applesauce (with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top) on the table for holidays, mostly for kids.
Real Simple for November has some great ideas for ‘regional additions’ to the Thanksgiving table, including homemade mac-n-cheese. We’ll do stuffing and mashed potatoes, too, but mac-n-cheese would be a good substitute for either.
November 14th, 2006 at 11:08 am
My question is do you feel more overloaded now that D is in kindergarten or less? My daughter entering kindergarten has upped my overload significantly.
No ideas for cooking. The one thanksgiving meal I cooked (with my husband) was in 1988, and our guests (my family) were vegetarian.
bj
November 14th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I highly recommend outsourcing. A few years back I was pregnant and on bed rest for Thanksgiving. My husband doesn’t cook at all, and we were hosting a couple who had a baby the week before. Thank God for Mancini’s in Del Ray. We ordered everything but the turkey and it was delicious. (The turkey my husband made while I shouted instructions from the couch.) If I recall correctly, the prices weren’t too outragous and the pies were especially good!
November 14th, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Kindergarten definitely has far more evening parent activities than pre-school did. Pre-school asked for more of our time during the day, but I felt guiltless about passing on 95% of those requests. And we’ve gone from having one in preschool to having one in kindergarten AND one in kindergarten, so that’s definitely an increase in the load.
And all this is with D doing only two non-school activities — soccer and Hebrew school — and N doing none. This soccer league is much cheaper than the classes at the Fairfax rec centers, but also asks more of our time, and less predictably so (because the games aren’t all at the same time, and rainouts get rescheduled). I can’t imagine what it will be like when they’re both in school.
November 15th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Hang in, Elizabeth! Your good health is important to everyone! How about outsourcing the holiday housecleaning?
Re the meal, I’ll put in a vote for applesauce, corn pone, and berry pies with rich vanilla ice cream to get some holiday nutrition / fiber into MasterPickyEater. Have you ever tried tossing cooked baby carrots in an orange marmalade/ginger sauce? One year, my choosy one ventured out with that although come to think of it, I don’t think that’s been replicated.
For sure, extracurriculars involve more and more parental time as the kid ages. And I contend with the rural driving associated with meetings, dinners, practices, games, school nights, dances, etc. as well. Although I have to say that frequently the last several months, the conversations my son and I have had in the car have been the most meaningful.
Best of luck to everyone this holiday season! May yours be happy and healthy!
November 15th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
I have finally stepped up to the plate and am hosting a family Thanksgiving meal for 22 people (it almost were 27, but a few declined -whew!). We are having buffet style and eveyone is bringing about 2 dishes – a side and dessert. With a toddler I can only wish she were in kindergarten so I may prepare in peace. The biggest battle, which I have lost, was in trying to eliminate some side dishes that no one eats, but the older generation insists on seeing on the table. Sprinkle a little Italian family drama and I feel like I am in a holiday family saga. Aaaaahhhhh!!!!! Needless to say, I am looking forward to a quiet Christmas and praying for enough snow so eveyone stays home!
November 16th, 2006 at 11:04 am
D won’t eat mac and cheese or carrots with any sauce. I’ll try the applesauce, since it just means opening a jar, although I think he’ll say it’s too mushy. N will eat it, though.
I think the pumpkin muffins are my only hope of getting actual nutrients into him.