I am wiped out!

Today was a super busy day.  We just stayed home all day, but man, we worked hard.   Harder than any usual workday.   And I am pooped.  It started early this morning, when I took the easy road and gave Andrew a cup a cereal to watch during Sesame Street (which to him is edible gold).    Then I made some chocolate peppermint bark, started split pea soup and made 4 mini loaves from banana bread.   Oh, and I did the dishes and made myself a bagel.    

This was my first attempt at making split pea soup and let me tell you.  It’s practically an all day affair.   It took 5+ hours from start to finish.  I was a little leery as I was making it since I don’t remember ever having it before and thought it would stink if I put all this effort into it and didn’t like it.   Turns out, that it really is good soup.  A little thinner than I expected, but still really good.  Which is good, since I have enough to last me until next year when I acquire my next ham bone.  I took me a while to figure out what to do with it all and how to divide it up for my freezer.  But I now have seven 2-cup portions of soup ready for quick lunches.  (Plus one 2-cup portion in the fridge that I’ll have Monday).

Then, while Andrew napped, Marc and I cleaned the main floor, did some laundry, went through Andrew’s toys and paired them down a bit and moved some furniture items around to make room for our Christmas tree.   For anyone who is interested, we do NOT need any toys for this new baby.   We have more toys than we know what to do with now.  (Of course, I know that I am talking to the wind as I say this right before Christmas).  

Then, back with toddler in tow, Marc and I put up our Christmas tree (yea!) and lights in the window.   Our tree is still pretty naked.  Just lights and garland right now…but it’s still pretty.    Finally, we finished our Christmas decorating for the day, by putting up the train around the tree.   Man, Andrew was fixated.   “Choo-Choo” was all we heard over and over.  It took every fiber in his little body to obey us and not touch it.  (Unfortunately, it is a delicate train, not a play train.   It was bought our first Christmas together before we ever gave a thought to childproofing and tiny fingers and toddler curiosity.)    

So we get all this done just in time for Geoff to come over with his two (yes, two) puppies for the evening to play with Marc.  I had bourbon chicken thawed in the fridge that really needed to be cooked today, so for dinner, I made us all a nice dinner of chicken, buttered noodles, salad & cornbread.  (Homemade cornbread – not a mix…I’m proud of that one).  For dessert…some no bake cookies.   Man, after a day like today…. slap an apron on me and call me Betty.

Now Andrew is in bed (he had a rough night…. the two puppies freaked him out a bit, so he got to watch Monsters Inc. for a little while in the dining area with the puppies blocked by baby gates).  Marc and Geoff are playing video games, and I am getting ready to head up to bed.  I may read or watch TV a bit before knocking off for the night, but either way, I am relaxing the rest of the evening.    Have a great night

You’re Truly,

Ms. Crocker.