Updated Tale of Desperation from Mom in Moses Lake

Tess;  Another story from another story of my life:

Well times change don’t they, people change, fads change, one thing hasn’t changed for me though….I still can’t cook

I am long done with school, tried out the whole working thing to my disliking so now I am a SAHM who volunteers her time and takes random jobs. And yet, after 10 years, I have not figured out that dinner is something that needs to be done EVERY single day, imagine that! Each day it is a new surprise around 4:00, when I glance at the clock and let out a string of profanities, either I forget to get stuff out of the freezer or forgot to buy the items I need for a meal I actually planned, it never fails. Most nights we have to leave around 4:30 right when Ross gets home from work (starving to death), and the girls and I don’t get home until 7 or 8 depending on the night …what should I do? Am I an awful mom for pulling out a tuna casserole from the box, with added veggies of course?? Heating up those ever faithful dino nuggets, with natural honey of course J ? Or telling my husband there is cheese in the fridge and running out the door, stuffing the girls with healthy snacks and promising them they can have cereal or something when they get home….

Oh and I must add - I can no longer drink (my sanity was hanging by a thread with my wine, now I need a straight jacket). Yes…you may pity me now J

 I need help, I am not above asking, so here is our situation - We do not have the budget for organic, although that fad is much over-rated, our theory is that fresh & whole is the best, so we just try to stay away from the processed crap as much as we can and spend our limited funds on bananas and organic meats & milk. I can make a nice lasagna, tacos and BBQ when necessary. I am also quite good at baking but only when I hear the calling; it does not come on command. But, my list ends there. We love cereal and we have our weaknesses when it comes to chips and crackers. Pizza is a monthly staple but I try to limit it there. And we don’t eat fast food. So if I could ignore Ross’ plea for variety or we could somehow live permanently in the summer with whole fruits & veggies available daily then we would be healthy, wealthy and happy! But alas winter is here (forever it seems), and the BBQ just doesn’t work with ice on it.

Update-I came across something called a broiling pan; it is like BBQing inside!!! Genius!

Desperate Mom in Republic, Wa

Stephanie:  Dinner!? You mean after all day of teaching middle schoolers, coaching teenage girls, chasing my almost junior high age boys around to have them complete their homework, and trying to fit in finishing my degree, that I am supposed to continue to serve others? Oh that's right, someone has to feed the male population that lives in my house. It is now 6 pm, and I am wandering the kitchen, trying to see what leftovers I can turn into a magnificent meal that earns praise, only to discover that is how I got through the last two dinners. 

This is about the time my husband walks in the door and the kids are now, again, off task. My husband wants my undivided attention, and the boys want his undivided attention. Now everyone wants to know what is for dinner! Don't get me wrong, he does ask what he can do to help, but really all I want is for someone to call me to the dinner table and say, "Dinner is served!" This is where the dream allows me to enjoy a wonderfully prepared, healthy, and delicious meal that I did not have to cook.

I am really not sure when I started to feel this way about cooking. I have always loved to be in my kitchen preparing healthy and appealing meals for my family. I also love canning all the things that I can pack into our pantry so we can consume healthy options throughout the winter as well. It probably has something to do with the fact that I am too busy to enjoy these tasks that I now see as menial. They have become the have to do's instead of the get to do's.

No leftovers left...and small town living, or the pocketbook, does not have many healthy restaurant options. Just pour a glass of wine and rummage the pantry to see what canned goods can be turned into a relatively healthy faire. Making a mental note; don't forget to schedule in time over the weekend to make really big healthy meals, so that there are leftovers in the fridge to get us partway through the next week.

DESPERATE MOTHER OF ADULTS IN SNOHOMISH, WA…

Teresa: I should know better, mature and sage mother of two adult children, ex nurse, potter, gardener from Snohomish WA

Father's day....the pressure is on to produce that elusive perfect meringue for lemon meringue pie.  The white stuff was high and peaky....a picture of perfection.  Into the oven....nothing stopping me now.....except......(expletive deleted)...I looked away for a minute.  Well, it is sort of like the delightful burned marshmallow on the campfire...but still not perfect.  So the black was scraped off and snacked on.  There's always next year.  Arghhhhhhhhhh....Teresa

FROM A DESPERATE MOM IN GOLDENDALE, WA

Sommer: I was getting myself all dolled up for my 8th anniversary date with my prince charming.  I preheated the oven for the kids nuggets & fries. Then I attempted to iron, it had been so long since I had ironed it smelled like it was burning something, but it kept getting worse.  By the time I ventured out the entire house was filled with smoke.  One of my little angels had put a nerf/plastic soccerball in the oven and it was well done.  At that moment I realized I was late to pick up my daughter from art class and ran out of the house with the kids leaving everything open to air out.  When my mother-in-law arrived she saw everything open, a remnant of a ball in the oven & the kids and I gone.  She thought I had blown my top and we would be the next media story, when I arrived back home.  The kids went home with grandma and I went with my husband for a margarita!

FROM A DESPERATE MOM IN EVERETT, WA

 Jodina: I love to cook - it's the one time of the day my husband watches 

the kids on his own.  Yes, I am the typical SAHM that without some alone time I Would go crazy!  So, cooking has become a way to escape for me.  The thought of cooking dinner keeps me going through the day.  So, my time has come, I pour a glass of wine, put on my apron and create something special .  If I have just enough wine while cooking it doesn't even bug me when I hear my my oldest son yelling he needs his butt wiped; my youngest pulling at my leg begging to be picked up, my husband asking for help because he can't get the laptop to work, and the dog barking at the solicitors knocking on our door.  

This is when I take a deep breath, pour another glass of wine, come

 back to reality and realize that dinner won't be on the table anytime 

soon.

DESPERATE MOM/ MILITARY WIFE CURRENTLY OF CALIFORNIA, PREVIOUSLY OF GUAM, PREVIOUSLY OF NEW YORK, PREVIOUSLY OF LAKE STEVENS, WA, PREVIOUSLY OF HAWAII…….

Mary: I have been studying all day and it dawns on me that I have nothing to make for dinner.  I decide I will make spaghetti.  My husband loves spaghetti and the kids hate it.  Lucky for them they are at their cousins house for a couple of nights. I pull out some ground turkey (trying to eat healthier) and leave it in the sink to partially thaw(I kind of forget about it). My husband comes home and asks what’s for dinner?  “Its your favorite.  Spaghetti,” I answer.  (I don’t mention the ground turkey, he isn’t as concerned about eating healthier).  As I start cooking the ground turkey it seems to be drying out, right in front of my eyes.  I start thinking that he isn’t going to like dry mystery meat covered with spaghetti sauce.  I cook the meat as planned and remember that I have some turkey sausage in the freezer.  I start to microwave the meat.  I pull the ground turkey aside and start making the turkey sausage, it stays nice and moist.  I add some sauce, this will be perfect.  It turned out alright for a last minute change meat sauce spaghetti.   

What happened to the ground turkey?  I decide that our dog is going to have a special treat for dinner, dog food mixed with ground turkey. He loved his dinner.