Oops.

Last night was my older daughter's spring orchestra concert.  Our high school district is made up of two schools.  Each school has its own orchestra, but they also have a combined orchestra that rehearses on Wednesday evenings.  All orchestra students, sophomores through seniors, are required to be in the combined orchestra.  It's a big commitment.

But worth it.

The concert started with three concertos, each featuring a different soloist.  Following the intermission we heard a percussion ensemble, two pieces from the entire orchestra.  Even though Molly only played in the two pieces, I soaked in the entire experience.

I thought about how lucky we are.  Molly is lucky to have attended elementary and high school districts that value the fine and performing arts.  She is lucky to have access to amazing teachers who work hard to help the kids reach their full potential.  I am lucky to be able to watch my daughters (and current and former students) find outlets for their creativity and passion for music. 

So this is the long way of saying that I missed my slice yesterday.  By the time we got home from the concert, I was lost in my own head and completely forgot about writing.

It's okay.  It was worth it.

Exhausted

It's Sunday evening, and instead of grading papers or getting ready for a new school week, I am crashed on my couch reading.

I am completely exhausted.

This weekend was a whirlwind.  Starting Thursday afternoon when I went to the grocery store to prepare for my weekend guests, I was either preparing food, cleaning my kitchen, attending a performance, or talking with friends and family.

I am not complaining.  All of the effort was completely worth it.  I loved sharing my weekend with friends and family who gathered together to see the play and then celebrate after.  I love having my house full of people - loud with talk and laughter.

But when I'm completely honest, the introvert side of me was happy to have time today to read.  I finished The Great Alone (finally).  I made myself keep reading, even thought I was incredibly nervous about the plot.  I re-read A Long Walk to Water and then I read The Wild Robot Escapes.  I needed this time to get lost in some books and recharge my batteries.

So no... my grading didn't get finished, but I'll just use my prep time tomorrow to take care of that.  And the laundry isn't finished.  And I didn't get to the grocery store. 

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Her Biggest Fan

I've spent much of my weekend in our junior high gym watching my daughter play Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, Jr.  It was a great performance... one of the best musicals the school has put in since my OTHER daughter played Genie in Aladdin, Jr. three years ago.

I love watching my daughters perform, to be fully engaged in doing something they love.  They both dance and play musical instruments.  They are both involved in theater in one way or another. 

This weekend, though, was eye-opening for me in that I had no idea how good Abby would be in this role.  I don't often get to hear her sing.  Most of the time, she sings in her room with her door closed while she plays her ukelele.  To see this side of her talent was absolutely amazing.

I'm so proud of my girl and the other cast members.  I'm thankful for the teachers who put in hours and hours of work to make sure the kids were able to shine.  And I'm thankful to be a parent and teacher in a school district that understands the importance of the fine and performing arts.

Today Was a Good Day

If you visited this spot yesterday, you saw that I was driving the struggle bus in a major way.  I am happy to report that today was 100% better than Tuesday!

I'm not sure what made the difference... I still had to drop Abby off at school before I headed to Greenbriar.  Maybe it was the sun shining that helped start my day in a positive mood.

Or maybe it was just me, decided that I control the weather in my head.  I could choose to be annoyed and grumpy and out of sorts, or I could decide to find the positive in the world around me.

Here are some things that made me happy today:

• I felt rested when I woke up this morning.  I made myself turn out my light before 11:00 last night, and I slept straight through to my alarm.  This doesn't always happen.
• Dan made coffee before I came down for breakfast.  He's been doing this for several months now, and I really appreciate that there's one less thing to do before I head out the door.
• I enjoyed lunch with my colleagues - lots of great conversations happen around that lunch table!
• I heard that Abby did a super job during the first performance of Guys & Dolls, Jr. this afternoon.  The first performance is always during the school day for the district's fifth graders, so I didn't get to go.
• I'm going to have a house full of people this weekend, all here because they are coming to see Abby perform.  I love having my extended family around.

And since I am going to have a house full of people, I'd better make that grocery list! 

Gearing Up for the Week Ahead

Oh, Sunday night.  The weekend draws to a close and I begin preparing for the week ahead.  In a house with two teenage girls, our weeks are rarely quiet.  This week promises to be incredibly busy.

• Tomorrow I have to remember to buy tickets to the Glenbrook High Schools spring production of The Little Mermaid.  This year, since the show is at North this year, Molly will work on set construction and will be on the crew for the performances.  We'll go at least one night.  I also have to remember to buy tickets to the Northbrook Junior High performances of Guys & Dolls, Jr.  Abby is one of the leads, so Dan and I will see all three shows.  Molly and other family will join us on Saturday.  That's a lot of Guys and their Dolls.
• Tuesday I have to remember to register molly for summer school.  She still has to get her consumer ed credit, and she'd rather take it in summer school than give up an elective for it during her senior year.  Molly and I will also go to yoga class on Tuesday night.
• Wednesday I am taking the evening for myself.  I plan to do absolutely nothing after I cook dinner, and I will not feel guilty about it!
• Thursday I will go to Costco after school to get stocked up for my sister Lindsey and her husband's visit for the weekend.  She has specifically requested crepes for breakfast, so I have to make sure I have plenty of eggs and fruit!  We will also go to the opening night of Guys & Dolls.
• Friday Lindsey and Thomas will arrive.  Hopefully Molly's room will be clean and I'll be able to change the sheets on her bed after school.  Dan and I will see Guys & Dolls.  Again.  :-)
• Saturday Family will convene for the closing show and afterward we'll gather at the house for drinks and dinner and laughs and fun.

Holy cow!  That makes me tired just writing it all out.  But it will be worth every minute of busy-ness.

Yoga Tuesday

For the past year or so, I've been working on health - eating better, moving more.  Most of the time, my main form of exercise has been walking, either on the treadmill or outside when the weather is good.

Lately, though, I've been wanting to do something more, something that will increase my strength and improve my flexibility.  I decided to go back to yoga.  Keep in mind, I haven't practiced in about six or seven years, so my memory of poses is sketchy at best.  But I did remember how calm and centered I felt after each session.  So I found a beginner class at the Y.

And then I didn't go.

I put off going to that Tuesday evening beginner yoga class for weeks and weeks.  It was always something - the weather, parent/teacher conferences, something good on TV.  Finally, I decided I'd ask Molly if she'd like to take a class with me.  And she said yes!

Tonight was our first yoga class.  Given that she is 16 and a dancer, she is far more flexible than I am.  But she stayed there next to me, giving me reassuring smiles and encouraging me to keep going. 

I'm going to be seven kinds of sore tomorrow, but I must say.... I'm looking forward to next Tuesday's class.

A Little Love on Your Plate

I was raised in a family that believes feeding the people you love is the way to show your love.  As a result, I cook the same way.  I cook for my family pretty much every night.  I bake for their birthdays and the holidays.  I believe if I don't have leftovers, then someone left my table hungry, and that simply will not do.

For the past year or so, I have been making a concerted effort to eat healthier foods.  I eat A LOT of fruits and veg. Chicken.  Fish. Beans. Lentils.

I have pretty much given up bread.

Over the past year of my healthy eating journey, I have also been posting pictures of my healthy (and sometimes my not-so-healthy splurge meals) on Instagram.  I'm not sure why I started doing this.  Maybe it's another way to share my love of cooking and my new-found appreciation for pretty, healthy food with others.  Maybe it's for the likes.  Who knows?

Want so see what I've been cooking?  Take a peek!

 

Dinner tonight: Chicken Tostada Salad

Huevos!

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Corn with Avocado Salad

Let me know when you want to come over for dinner.  I promise... you won't go away hungry.

A Low-Key Saturday Night

Last night, Dan's parents came over to spend some time with us.  We haven't really been able to spend much time together since Christmas, so I was thrilled when they said they were available.  Marty and Nancy are awesome people.  They accepted me into their family whole-heartedly when Dan and I started dating when we were both attending Bradley University.  Later, she told me that she knew I was the one he would marry as soon as she met me. :-)

I always enjoy the time we get to spend together.  We talk about interesting things,  we enjoy good food and drink, and they love being with the kids.  Last night was no different.

Normally when they come over, I cook a meal.  With the College Colloquium taking up most of my day yesterday, I knew I just didn't have it in me to cook a whole meal.  Instead, I baked a cake for dessert and we went out for dinner to a little sushi place that has quickly become our favorite.  There was much laughter around the table as Molly and Abby told tales about school and friends; they are entertaining children.

When we came back to the house, Molly decided her grandma needed to learn to use Instagram.  I left to grab something from another room, and when I came back, I found this:

How many Renches fit on my sofa?  Even the dog is there!

At first glance, it may seem like this should not be happening while the grandparents are visiting.  But what you can't see is that Molly is teaching her grandma all about Instagram - getting her set up with an account, finding people to follow, and showing her how to post pictures.  Her dad is letting us know when people accept Nan's follow requests.  Abby and her grandfather are looking at memes and things.  While it looks like each person is engrossed in his or her own device is in fact the opposite.

I loved sitting off to the side in my red chair, watching and listening as my girls laughed with their grandparents.  We're so lucky they live close enough that we can just decide to get together on a random Saturday night.

 These are the nights in which memories are made.

Almost forgot!

Today was a mishmash kind of day.  I had a meeting to attend this morning, then this afternoon the whole family headed out to Old Orchard mall to get shoes for Dan and the girls.  We did some shopping, had an early dinner and then came home.  Since I bought tickets for the girls and me to see Beauty & the Beast tomorrow morning, Dan and I did the grocery shopping this evening.

This change to my weekend schedule threw me off a bit.  I almost forgot to write my post!

There was a time when I loved to go shopping.  I could spend hours wandering in and out of stores at the mall, browsing, maybe buying something I didn't really need, maybe not.  Lately, though, I've HATED shopping in an actual mall.  The girls are not fans of shopping, either.  I have to say, though, it was kind of pleasant this afternoon.

We started at the Vans store (of course... those are pretty much the only shoes Dan, Abby, and Molly will wear right now), hit Macy's for a couple of things, and ended up at Barnes & Noble.  I nearly fainted when Abby asked me if she could buy a book she's "already read but wants to read over and over again."  This, from the kid who doesn't really read!  Of course I'm going to buy her that book (You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan), only not from B & N, since they didn't have it in stock.

I think dinner at Shake Shack was my favorite part of the day, though.  Both girls were in great moods, and we laughed and talked and generally enjoyed being together. Now we're back home, Dan and I are hanging on the couch and the girls have retreated to their rooms.

Back to a typical Saturday night.

Almost Forgot

It is 9:44pm on Saturday night, and I am about to head to bed.  I was closing the lid on my laptop when I realized I hadn't written tonight's slice.

So here I am.  Writing.  Now.
My kids are at a Panic! At the Disco concert.  One will be coming home afterwards; the other is spending the night at a friend's house.  My husband is dozing at the other end of the couch.  The dog is squeezed in next to me.

It is 9:46 pm.  The friends we had over for dinner have already left.  The slight buzz I had from my margarita is worn off, and all I feel is tired.  And thirsty.  I have written the grocery list.

What a glamorous life I lead, sitting on my couch at 9:50 pm, Saturday Night Live rerun on, trying to stay awake long enough to write a blog post so I don't lose my streak.

So I did it.  I wrote.  It's not good, but it's written.

Time to hit "Publish" and head on up to bed.  For real this time.

Friday Fun

Tonight I went to see the junior high production of Shrek, Jr.  What a fun way to spend a Friday evening.  The kids did a great job of putting on the show, but of course, I had a favorite actor!

Abby was cast as the Pied Piper, but at the last minute, she was tapped to take over the role of one of the Three Little Pigs, since the girl playing the role was sick.  Abby found out at 3:35 yesterday afternoon that she would be taking over for the first performance, and she reprised the role again tonight.  This, on top of her regular role!

What a proud mom I was.  The directors knew Abby would be able to slip into this role, learning the couple of lines, yes, but also singing the songs and quickly picking up choreography.  She rose to the challenge, just like they (and I) knew she would.

I love seeing my kids do the things they love.  Whether playing in the band or orchestra, performing in a play, or dancing in a recital, their passion and dedication shows.  I also love that they share these activities as well.  These two have a bond that is growing as they get older.

I can't wait to see what's next.

Playing Hooky

I took the day off today.  It's not something I do on a whim, as I know it's better for my students if I am at school.  And honestly, writing sub plans is a drag.  I'm lucky that my teaching assistant subs for me whenever I am out, so I don't have to write as detailed a plan as I would if a stranger were subbing.  I knew my class was in good hands.

I decided to take the day because I wanted to spend some time with my guy.  Dan was off this week since he's starting a new job on Monday, and I thought it would be nice to do something just the two of us.  We don't get to do this often, since we are, after all, parents.

We are nerds, so we decided to go to the Chicago History Museum.  Neither of us had ever been before, and it is a great little museum (if you ignore the swarms of kids there on field trips).  My favorite exhibit took me through Chicago's history from Fort Dearborn to modern day - though they have yet to update the section on the Chicago Cubs to reflect the World Series win.  The exhibits don't gloss over the grittier parts of Chicago's history, either, such as the Haymarket bombing or the race riot of 1919.  It was thought-provoking, and I learned so much.

This is Chicago's very first L car!  The real thing!

We wandered the museum, talking about the things that we found interesting or intriguing, and then strolled leisurely to a nearby restaurant for lunch.  We talked about stuff.  We ate.  We just enjoyed being together without rushing to drive a kid somewhere.

I'm so glad I decided to take today off.  Between being a mom and being a teacher, my emotions and energy are often completely tapped out.  Days like today remind me that I need to slow down, take a break, and just spend time with my husband, since one day in the not-too-distant future, we'll be on our own again.  We need to still like each other when that day comes.  We need to still feel connected, to remember who we are.  As we were walking back to our car after lunch, Dan mentioned that he thinks he should schedule a week of vacation where he can just do a bunch of nothing too taxing every year.  I think he's right.  I also think when he takes that week, I'll take a personal day so we can do a bunch of nothing together.

Because sometimes, a bunch of nothing is really something.

Healthy Eating

For most of the past fifteen years, I have made a concentrated effort to cook healthy meals for my family most nights of the week.  I buy lots of fresh produce and lean meats.  I cook from scratch.  My knife skills are pretty good for an amateur.

Most nights our meals look like this:

I spend time on Friday evenings going through cookbooks and Pinterest pins to plan my meals for the week, then head to the grocery store on Saturday or Sunday.  I find that if I invest this time over the weekend, I'm more likely to cook throughout the week.

I won't lie; there are still nights when I throw frozen chicken Kievs in the oven and call it a night.  Or I'll make Polish sausage and pierogi and maybe a veg.  There are nights when we call for Thai delivery.

But most of the time I find myself in the kitchen at 6pm, wielding my knives and my skillets, making dinner for my family.

I don't mind it, really.  I find cooking relaxing most of the time, especially if I know I have all of the ingredients on hand.  Chopping vegetables for sauteeing or steaming is kind of like meditating for me.  I sometimes have music on or the news in the background (no TV in my kitchen), but this is time when I let my mind wander and think about my day.  Sometimes the recipes bring back memories of family dinners past, when my girls were little and they ate pretty much anything I cooked because they wanted dessert later. Sometimes the memories are even older, when I was little and my grandfather would make ribs or a beef tenderloin on his giant Weber kettle while my grandma made salad and twice-baked potatoes in the kitchen.

I think about her, too, when I make meatloaf WITH ketchup on it.  But I don't burn the bottom.

For me, food is wrapped up in emotion and memories, as I suspect it is for many people.  So many traditions have food at their center, and ours are no different:  cinnamon rolls on Easter morning; coffee cake on Christmas morning; a chocolate-frosted lamb cake for Easter dinner at my in-laws.  I look forward to seeing what traditions my girls carry on with them when they have families of their own.

But the best part of making dinner?  If I cook, the other three clean up!

Pizza Night

Tonight was pizza night at the Rench Ranch.

I realized last night when I was making the grocery list that we had not made homemade pizzas since we moved into this house.  Boboli pizzas, yes.  Delivery, too often to mention.  But not for real made-from-scratch dough pizzas?  Nope.

One reason I've put off making pizzas is the fact that my kitchen is short on counter space.  In the old house, I had a huge island where I could roll dough and put out all of the toppings.  Not so in the new house, but I've learned how to make things work when I need to.

My kids certainly didn't mind standing at the stove to put the toppings on their pizzas.  Neither did I.

I love these nights when we are all in and out of the kitchen.  Dinner certainly isn't a chore when everyone is laughing, music is playing, and I have a nice glass of red at my elbow as I roll out pizza dough.  Even better, we each have our own pizza, so we can customize them as we please.

Here's mine:

Pepperoni, sausage, olives, and mushrooms.  All of my favorite toppings.

Saturday night dinners at our house are casual.  I don't go out of my way to make over-the-top dishes.  Sometimes we just have noodles and red sauce or waffles or scrambled eggs and bacon.  I figure I cook healthy, balanced meals at least five nights a week, so I can take it a bit easier on Saturday nights.

I also know that these Saturday nights when we are all four at home to share stories and laughter around the dinner table are numbered.  Molly is a sophomore, Abby a seventh grader.  Before I know it, they will be out of the house, making lives of their own.  I hope they will take some of these family traditions and recipes with them as they do.

And I hope they remember they will always have a place at my table.

Kitchen Lessons

"Mom?" Abby began one day.  "Can I help you make dinner?"

I looked down at my six year old little girl.  She barely could see over the counter, much less help me chop the veggies for the salad we would have that night.

"Sure... grab a stool & come on.'

Abby scrambled up on the barstool next to the kitchen island.  I handed her a cutting board and her knife.

Yes--a knife.  A real one.  A sharp one.

I've been teaching my girls to cook since they each turned five.  We started with simple things--helping to get ingredients out of the lower cabinets, adding the chocolate chips to the cookie batter, cutting soft foods like avocados with kid-safe knife.

But now we've moved on... the girls are learning to cut veggies and other foods with a real knife.  They know to keep their fingers curled under and they know a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one.

They're learning other things, though, too--

They're learning to be independent.  Soon enough the time will come when they'll own knives of their own.  They'll know how to dice and chop and julienne.  They'll know the satisfaction of feeding themselves and those they love.

They're learning to take risks.  Abby loves to put odd ingredients together to see how they taste (peanut butter and cheese anyone?).  Molly invented her own dessert--Ritz cracker smores.  By letting them experiment with noodles and sauces, I'm teaching them that sometimes we make mistakes, and that's okay.  They're also learning about the wonder of surprises, like pineapple popsicles.

They're learning to be confident. You have to believe you can flip that pancake and attack it with gusto.  Same thing with life; you have to face things head on and deal with whatever life throws at you.

The time I spend in the kitchen with my girls is time well spent. Cooking with them is not a chore; rather it is special time we have together to talk about our days or things that are on our minds.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Family Time

This past weekend, my husband and I packed up our daughters and drove four hours through Illinois corn and soybean fields to Otter Lake.  Meeting us there were my dad and stepmom, my sister Lindsey, my brother Brandon and his son, and my brother Kyle, his wife and two sons.  It was the first time our whole family had been together since my other brother Brent's funeral in December.

This was a weekend long in the making.  No family is without drama, even mine, but after Brent's sudden death just before Christmas, we all decided it was time to put differences in the past and bring our families together.  I'm so glad  we decided to do this.

My girls were loving being on the boats and in the water.  They got to fish with their Uncle Kyle and Grandpa Lou, and boy were the fish biting!  One after another, the bluegill popped out of the air, only to be removed from the hooks and (most of the time) released back into the water.  The fun was in the catching!

I reveled in the fact that we were all getting along, that laughter was ringing through the air, and that all of our kids were healthy and thriving.

Brent's absence was obvious, though as I thought about it, I realized that he was there in the smiles and laughter of his nieces and nephews.