You know you’re cool when you come up with the perfect solution for an ongoing problem. My girls have been destroying my kitchen table with their painting and coloring projects. Dents, paint, and marker marks are all over it! I finally went to Home Goods and spent $1 on a plastic Halloween table cloth to throw on when they are ready to create. It is decorated with cats and witches and ghosts and is completely hideous. My girls love it. And so do I. No more scrubbing the table! And for that price I can buy a new one for every holiday/season.
You know you’re cool when you volunteer in your daughter’s Kindergarten class and when you walk in the room her face completely lights up and she introduces you by saying “this is my mom” with an overwhelming sense of happiness and pride. I couldn’t have felt cooler if I was Julia Roberts walking down the red carpet. It was one of those mom moments I wish I could bottle up and pull out later for when I’m feeling not so Julia Robertsish.
You know you’re cool when you are pregnant and feeling an array of emotions that go from giddy happiness to raging mad to lightheaded and anxious to sad and emotional and you are able to completely control them and act calm and collected at all times. Yeah….that’s not really happening around here. I’m not that cool.
You know you’re cool when you make your mom’s banana bread and FINALLY get it right. I usually don’t cook it long enough and have a doughy middle or I cook it too long and burn the top. I avoided both of these outcomes this time by using my cupcake/muffin tins and wa-la! Banana bread muffins that turned out great! Plus I got to use my cute Halloween cupcake holders and plus I didn’t have to deal with the messy crumbs from the banana bread loaf all over my counter and plus the muffins didn’t have a doughy middle or a burned top. A lot of pluses were discovered and a photo was taken.
You know you’re NOT cool when you attempt to make rolls and completely screw things up. Twice. First I cooked Pillsbury Crescent rolls which didn’t raise and looked like rolls better suited for mice.
Puzzled, I read the back and realized that I had frozen them and they were supposed to just stay in the fridge prior to baking. Kenny made some nice comments about how reading the package always helps. I said some choice words back since I was feeling hormonal and not in the mood for his sarcasm. I then pulled out some other Rhodes rolls I’d had for a while and laid them out to raise and cooked them a few hours later. Attempt #2:
Not looking much better. I couldn’t understand why they didn’t look as big and fluffy as the last time I made them so I read the package and realized that the last time I made them was about a year ago and they have been expired since May. Once again – Kenny added some more comments about reading the package and once again I offered up some comments of my own.
A few lessons were learned:
1) Quit while you’re ahead. Given my track record in the kitchen it was completely amazing that I produced edible banana bread muffins and I should have just stopped there.
2) Although I hate to admit it – reading the package (or in my case packages) might help. A little. But not having to deal with hormones and a smug, annoyingly right husband would help even more.
3) There is no shame in store bought rolls. Which we will be enjoying next Sunday. And the Sunday after that.
4) Coolness comes and goes. Bask in it while you can.
Your muffins look so yummy. I love the cupcake idea. It is a mess to have the loaf crumbs all over…and I love the plastic tablecloth idea too. Sometimes I used plastic placemats when you and Carly got real creative. Mats work great for playdough.
We will perfect the Rhodes dough when I come down. :)
We need Jen to come down with me again and give us a lesson in roll making….hers are perfect!
I love your blog… you make me laugh. I actually had quite a positive weekend for baking – made a cake, cookies AND dinner. I’m sure this week I’ll burn something or leave an important ingredient out somewhere. Let’s just blame pregnancy:) I don’t know what excuse I’ll use in a couple weeks…
You’re so nice..thank you!
And I’m going out today and buying myself a hideous tablecloth too…
Hilarious and very good ideas too. Think I am going to invest in those tablecloths.
Oh Erin! You just made my day! Again. I am loving your Halloween table cloth, I should have thought of that 5 years ago, then my table wouldn’t be ruined. Great job on the banana bread muffins. (I just discovered a new tasty trick with banana bread, I’ll have to e-mail you about it) And I totally agree, bask in the coolness while you can. Can’t really remember the last time I was cool. And just so you know, you are definitely the coolest friend I have! For real. I only wish I was as cool as Erin. Even for a day.
HAHA!!!! Nice!!! BTW, I buy new table cloths for every season!!!! It adds to the holiday decorations at our house!!!!
HAHA!!!! Nice!!! BTW, I buy new table cloths for every season!!!! It adds to the holiday decorations at our house!!!!
Oh Erin, stop, I’m blushing. You know you are cool, because you are Erin. I too feel like I know you too, even though we have never met. Truth be told, the S’more Brownies I made this weekend were yucky. Baking is a tricky thing.
I love the uglyseasonalkidswillloveit table cloth idea!
Your posts are always so fun to read. The muffins look way yummy. Jeff would have given me crap about reading the instructions too, so don’t feel too bad. I have one of those tablecloths for projects. Love them!
Oh man, your tablecloth is way cuter than mine. Mine is so frigin ugly and has marker, paint, etc. all over it. But at least it’s not on my table. :)
I’m just thinking you’re so cool because you made those muffins and you can’t even eat them!
Dang cool wife and mom I tell ya.
Fabulous tip! My mom used to buy oil cloth for every season. I hated it to death but her kitchen table is still in tact 35 years later.
You know you’re hormonal when…in the same day…heck in the same hour you feel cool and humbled. (And I’m not even pregnant:)