nothing to eat

For those of you needing some extra food inspiration, there is an amazing one day deal today. You will receive BOTH Martha Steward’s Everday Foods AND her Whole Living Magazines for an entire year for only $10. Don’t miss it!

Driving in the van this afternoon, our eldest son exclaimed first, that he was starving, and second, that I never feed him anymore. Considering that high school boys tend to enjoy a flare for the dramatic when it comes to their stomachs, I described at least five food options he could have made right before we left the house.
He declared that was the precise problem. For the last two weeks, he “always” has had to make it.
I pondered for a minute, got a little defensive, described the meals I HAD made, shared that I wasn’t his short order cook and that if breakfast is served and he missed it because he slept in that was his problem etc. etc. etc. But then I took a deep breath and admitted…there was truth to his statement.
Holidays has thrown any sense of  my meal planning out the window, and even though I feel like I have been in the kitchen continuously, I couldn’t convince him that the hundreds of chocolate chip cookies he consumed constituted as a full meal. (Have I taught him nothing? Chocolate (fruit), flour (grain), butter (dairy)  = meal, does it not? ;))
I acknowledged the element of truth, apologized for my part in it during the holidays, had him understand any role he played in that “starving” process, promised that I would do better,  then walked in the door, preheated the oven and proceeded to make two full 9×13 pans of stuffed shells (enough to last for a few meals, right?)

Stuffed Shells

Ahh…as I type this post at midnight, both pans have been licked clean.
And the problem? It starts all over again tomorrow. 🙂
Yes, in this joyous holiday home, I share this bit of bedlam reality because as much as I would love to have it all together, it just doesn’t always happen.
You know what? It’s OK.
Ladies, in these last few days before Christmas, take a breath and remember, leave some of the stress at the store. It’s OK if it doesn’t all get done. It’s OK if Martha isn’t going to feature you in her next issue.  It’s OK if you have to apologize to your children for “starving” them on chocolate chip cookies. It is really OK.
I just don’t think  Mary was too concerned what that manager looked like, nor the fare that she ate leading up to the birth of my Savior.  She was just in awe of the moment.  Remember, your family and friends just want to be with you. Enjoy these moments.
No more stress allowed! (ha…yes, I may be a dreamer.)
So since I have this confession off my chest, am I the only one who is struggling with their meal plan this month?

TastyTuesday200pix Welcome to my new home   Tasty Tuesday

Simple Rules for Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods – If you’re joining in with a recipe link, two simple requests. As always, please link directly to your recipe post and not your blog URL, so that everyone can find the recipe months from now.
Also, please link back to my site so that everyone can join in the fun. I don’t ask much in order to participate, but many of you are not linking back, and it’s just common courtesy of blog carnivals.

P.S. I want to give a “shout out to two of my sweet blogging friends.)

Lynn from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures has put together a  fun (and frugal because it’s free when you subscribe) E-book.  Lynn shares, “I wanted to help others during this busy time by sharing some quick and easy holiday recipes that contain regular everyday ingredients.  I put together a Free 23-page Holiday ebook that is full of my favorite recipes. These recipes are perfect for the holidays, but they will also work well anytime of year.”

My friend, Kate from Cooking During Stolen Moments (remember her from my 3 Moms, 3 Kitchens, 31 Days month?)  has a FREE Cookies for Christmas eBook available that can be printed and made into recipe cards also when you subscribe to her site.