So as I was scrounging through my pantry looking for something to make for dinner, I had a brilliant idea...
(And if this is already something they have done, ignore my post and move on please...)
What if the Food Channel had a show entitled "Iron Chef Joe Shmoe" (or the equivalent). It would be a series where two people who have absolutely ZERO training in the culinary skills compete against each other for an hour long battle.
No actual Iron Chefs would be used...the series would be for a set number of weeks and the winner of the night would move on to the next week to face another challenger. OR, they could run it like a tournament and have winners compete against winners until there is an ultimate Iron Chef Joe Shmoe for that season.
One of the keys here would be that the items available for their use would be everyday items a normal (read non-cordon bleu chef) would have in their cupboards...canned vegetables, boxed mac and cheese, Velveeta...you get the idea. Don't forget the microwave as a must-have. A grill to barbecue with--not the grill on the range, because what fun is it in that?, maybe a dutch oven or two...
The only thing the contestant couldn't do that you would normally see in an everyday situation, is order pizza or other take-out items and have them delivered to the studio. Trust me. That one has to be in the contract or someone will pull that one.
I think it would be a hilarious show. Can you imagine the faces on the judges when they get some mystery meat placed in front of them? Or the shudders as they try something no sane human would put near their mouth? Of course, there would also be the hugely surprised look as they bite into something green and unidentifiable and find it tastes quite good.
And speaking of the judges...they couldn't be actual food critics. The Joe Shmoes know they aren't top chefs and don't need some snooty person telling them that while they admire their ingenuity, they couldn't possibly score higher than a 1 because those spices were never meant to be in the same dish. Blah, blah, blah.
Nope. The judges should be 3 fold--the first guy (or gal) should be some (un)lucky passer-by in the street or in the studio audience...the second person should be any celebrity that is crazy enough to accept the job, likable, and is preferably a bit larger around the middle--someone like Kevin James. Not a health conscious type. That would be just as bad as a food critic. You need someone who will actually EAT the food. The third person could be a viewer who won the opportunity to taste potentially lethal food on tv.
I think it would be a big hit. I would watch it. I love watching Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, and sometimes think it would be fun to try some of their dishes...but seriously. Who in everyday-America uses fois gras to feed their family?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Tagged! A Closer Look...
Okay. I knew I shouldn't have looked at Danyelle's site. She even warned me that she tagged me...
1. My Kitchen Sink
Okay, I admit to more cheating here...this is my closet, and on the floor is my laundry pile. I refuse to take a photo of the laundry pile in my laundry room. I have a door to my laundry room for the express purpose of being able to shut it and not have anyone see it. :) If you don't let this pass go, I'll take a photo of the laundry room on Tuesday after I've had a couple more days to find the floor....:) For those of you who I tag at the end of this...go to Danyelle's site and see the way it is supposed to look...
The top photo is of the three littles running through the front sprinklers--which I actually was unaware was happening until I took the camera and went looking for them.
Sort of another cheat. I like my living room. I like my new main light we just put in above the entry there. I like the dark (brick) red paint we painted that wall, and the white trim. It is a comfortable room. However, this room is the 'catch-all' after our trip and I haven't put everything away yet, so showing you the rest of the room--couches, coffee table, etc.--is out of the question. Seriously. I'm not even sure you could find the couch at this point....
Now--I get to tag :) This is the fun part.
I choose Cindy, Stacey, and Aimee :)
1. My Kitchen Sink
We just finished dinner, and I am totally out of dish washing detergent--so if I waited until tomorrow morning it would look even worse than this...
2. Inside My Fridge
Not a lot to look at. I need to go grocery shopping too, but we just got back in town late last night and I haven't had a chance to restock. Note the KFC bucket though. I figure that makes a nice, colorful touch...
3. My Favorite Shoes
If Danyelle can choose more than one pair, so can I...The shoes on the left aren't much to look at--just scuffed worn black loafers, but I got them on my mission and they are both comfortable and sentimental. The middle are my newest addition, and the shoes on the right are my indoor soccer shoes.
4. My Closet--and 5. My Laundry Pile
Okay, I admit to more cheating here...this is my closet, and on the floor is my laundry pile. I refuse to take a photo of the laundry pile in my laundry room. I have a door to my laundry room for the express purpose of being able to shut it and not have anyone see it. :) If you don't let this pass go, I'll take a photo of the laundry room on Tuesday after I've had a couple more days to find the floor....:) For those of you who I tag at the end of this...go to Danyelle's site and see the way it is supposed to look...6. What My Kids Are Doing Right Now
The top photo is of the three littles running through the front sprinklers--which I actually was unaware was happening until I took the camera and went looking for them. The bottom photo is the rest of the gang--including my husband on the one couch, and one of the poodles on the back of the chair. They are all watching "I Am Legend".
7.My Favorite Room
Sort of another cheat. I like my living room. I like my new main light we just put in above the entry there. I like the dark (brick) red paint we painted that wall, and the white trim. It is a comfortable room. However, this room is the 'catch-all' after our trip and I haven't put everything away yet, so showing you the rest of the room--couches, coffee table, etc.--is out of the question. Seriously. I'm not even sure you could find the couch at this point....8. My Recent Purchase
This is in my outside fridge. We bought a case of water on the way home from our trip yesterday.
9. My Fantasy Vacation
WITH kids, I'd take them back to DisneyWorld for two weeks this time, and throw in the Disney Cruise. We LOVE DisneyWorld.
With just my hubby, we've talked about going to Iceland...warm water springs, Icelandic horses, geysers, beautiful scenery...and you don't hear about a ton of people going there. They DO go there...but it isn't the typical vacation spot for most people I know.
10. A Self-Portrait
Now--I get to tag :) This is the fun part.
I choose Cindy, Stacey, and Aimee :)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
What We Perceive
I'm getting my haircut today. I will be leaving in a short while to drive 45 minutes to get my haircut by a nice Argentine man named Oscar, because 1. Oscar is a most excellent hairdresser, and 2. My mom is tired enough of looking at my mess of a current hairstyle that she is willing to pay Oscar's outrageous prices for me. (Which is why I haven't cut my hair for over a year--I don't trust a lot of stylists, but I can't justify Oscar's pricing very often--and my hair hasn't bugged my mom enough until now for her to volunteer. :) )
My whole build-up for this blog is to reflect a bit on what we perceive as reality, and what actually IS.
For example, today I am fully optimistic that Oscar will take me into his skilled hands and work miracles with his scissors. I will come out looking younger and thinner. And that is him just working on my hair--no scissor work anywhere else. ;)
In reality, I will come out of his overpriced salon with my mom poorer and my head lighter. I might lose weight in there, but it will be because of the volume of hair he removes. NOT because I would be in need of a new wardrobe to fit my now-svelte body. If Oscar could really make people look younger and thinner with a haircut, he could charge ten times what he does and still have a line around the block with women wanting to sit in his chair.
Have you ever looked in the mirror after going to a little extra trouble with your makeup and clothing and thought "Man, I look good." Maybe fought the urge to give yourself the 'gun' and a wink...?
I have. Okay, maybe not the gun and the wink part--but certainly a turning of the head to catch different angles and make sure I wasn't missing something.
And then, have you had someone take your photo and you see it and suddenly you wonder if you have trick mirrors in your bathroom because you are certain you didn't look like that 5 minutes ago when you had your finger on the trigger and were forcing back the wink that you are fairly sure would have looked more like a twitch if the photo is anything to go by?
Where did that extra weight come from? Someone let me leave the house wearing THAT?
Gun, shmun...someone shoot me now.
Not only do I get caught thinking that I'm more attractive than reality would show, but I also have a youth complex.
I see someone who is younger than I am and I am sure I don't look that old.
Hint to those with teenagers....DON'T ask them if you look older or younger than someone you think must look older. You'll actually get the truth. Well, if you have my daughter you will get a deer-in-the-headlights look as she wonders frantically if telling you the truth will dock her allowance or get her grounded...but the result is the same.
So you see why I am now convinced that I will go into Oscar's chair with too high of expectations and come out briefly thinking that I have gained what all vain women want--youth and beauty--I will think people are checking me out. Wishing that they looked this good.
Then I will get home to reality, where the best comment will be "Your hair is shorter". I will try my hardest to remember to let it go at that and not press for more data.
I like my fantasy.
Reality pops up frequently enough to keep me humble and a bit cranky, but in another flash of dreaming I will just chalk the crankiness up to 'unpredictable' or 'mysterious' and then stay away from mirrors and cameras--and 15 year old daughters--for the rest of the day.
My whole build-up for this blog is to reflect a bit on what we perceive as reality, and what actually IS.
For example, today I am fully optimistic that Oscar will take me into his skilled hands and work miracles with his scissors. I will come out looking younger and thinner. And that is him just working on my hair--no scissor work anywhere else. ;)
In reality, I will come out of his overpriced salon with my mom poorer and my head lighter. I might lose weight in there, but it will be because of the volume of hair he removes. NOT because I would be in need of a new wardrobe to fit my now-svelte body. If Oscar could really make people look younger and thinner with a haircut, he could charge ten times what he does and still have a line around the block with women wanting to sit in his chair.
Have you ever looked in the mirror after going to a little extra trouble with your makeup and clothing and thought "Man, I look good." Maybe fought the urge to give yourself the 'gun' and a wink...?
I have. Okay, maybe not the gun and the wink part--but certainly a turning of the head to catch different angles and make sure I wasn't missing something.
And then, have you had someone take your photo and you see it and suddenly you wonder if you have trick mirrors in your bathroom because you are certain you didn't look like that 5 minutes ago when you had your finger on the trigger and were forcing back the wink that you are fairly sure would have looked more like a twitch if the photo is anything to go by?
Where did that extra weight come from? Someone let me leave the house wearing THAT?
Gun, shmun...someone shoot me now.
Not only do I get caught thinking that I'm more attractive than reality would show, but I also have a youth complex.
I see someone who is younger than I am and I am sure I don't look that old.
Hint to those with teenagers....DON'T ask them if you look older or younger than someone you think must look older. You'll actually get the truth. Well, if you have my daughter you will get a deer-in-the-headlights look as she wonders frantically if telling you the truth will dock her allowance or get her grounded...but the result is the same.
So you see why I am now convinced that I will go into Oscar's chair with too high of expectations and come out briefly thinking that I have gained what all vain women want--youth and beauty--I will think people are checking me out. Wishing that they looked this good.
Then I will get home to reality, where the best comment will be "Your hair is shorter". I will try my hardest to remember to let it go at that and not press for more data.
I like my fantasy.
Reality pops up frequently enough to keep me humble and a bit cranky, but in another flash of dreaming I will just chalk the crankiness up to 'unpredictable' or 'mysterious' and then stay away from mirrors and cameras--and 15 year old daughters--for the rest of the day.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Jinx of the 'Know-It-All' Parent
You know what I'm talking about, don't you?
The jinx where, when you are young and have no children you are quick to judge a person's parenting ability--"When I have kids, MY child will NEVER behave like that", or "Did you see what they are feeding their kid?? Don't they care at all about health and nutrition?".
And then, suddenly you find yourself married with children. Sitting in a church pew trying to look nonchalant as your out-of-control (or, rambunctious if you prefer...and I think I do) child is climbing over the back, making faces at the congregation behind you and throwing crayons 12 rows back--while you shove the 4th dum-dum sucker into the mouth of the crying baby and vow to never say anything bad about the parenting skills of others ever, ever again.
From that point on, you still judge. It is human nature. You just do it less vocally and hope (pray) that the jinx won't come back to haunt you.
Why? Because now that you are a young mother you focus your attention to parents with teenagers. In your mind you see the boy who refuses to go to scout camps or youth conferences and you wonder why the parent won't insist--because you know that those activities will undoubtedly have experiences that will strengthen the testimony of that boy. Or you see the parent who is thrilled that their fifteen year old daughter has a boyfriend, and you vow--in your head as you look frantically around for wood to knock--that YOUR daughter will not be serious with a boy until she is 25. And if by some jinxed reason she does fall madly in love at 17 and thinks she is old enough to be married, you swear you will be more likely to lock her in her room until said age of 25 instead of welcoming the idea with a genuine smile.
I watch happenings around me...parenting issues of people I know and those of strangers...and I get genuinely frightened of the future.
Not because I don't think my kids will make correct choices--I always give them the benefit of the doubt, and while I know mistakes will be made I am mostly confident that they will prevail--But because I have thought the opposite and am terrified that I have just jinxed them all to a life of horrible mistakes that will come back to haunt me.
And because I will probably end up giving younger mothers a whole truckload of something to jinx their own children with. :)
The jinx where, when you are young and have no children you are quick to judge a person's parenting ability--"When I have kids, MY child will NEVER behave like that", or "Did you see what they are feeding their kid?? Don't they care at all about health and nutrition?".
And then, suddenly you find yourself married with children. Sitting in a church pew trying to look nonchalant as your out-of-control (or, rambunctious if you prefer...and I think I do) child is climbing over the back, making faces at the congregation behind you and throwing crayons 12 rows back--while you shove the 4th dum-dum sucker into the mouth of the crying baby and vow to never say anything bad about the parenting skills of others ever, ever again.
From that point on, you still judge. It is human nature. You just do it less vocally and hope (pray) that the jinx won't come back to haunt you.
Why? Because now that you are a young mother you focus your attention to parents with teenagers. In your mind you see the boy who refuses to go to scout camps or youth conferences and you wonder why the parent won't insist--because you know that those activities will undoubtedly have experiences that will strengthen the testimony of that boy. Or you see the parent who is thrilled that their fifteen year old daughter has a boyfriend, and you vow--in your head as you look frantically around for wood to knock--that YOUR daughter will not be serious with a boy until she is 25. And if by some jinxed reason she does fall madly in love at 17 and thinks she is old enough to be married, you swear you will be more likely to lock her in her room until said age of 25 instead of welcoming the idea with a genuine smile.
I watch happenings around me...parenting issues of people I know and those of strangers...and I get genuinely frightened of the future.
Not because I don't think my kids will make correct choices--I always give them the benefit of the doubt, and while I know mistakes will be made I am mostly confident that they will prevail--But because I have thought the opposite and am terrified that I have just jinxed them all to a life of horrible mistakes that will come back to haunt me.
And because I will probably end up giving younger mothers a whole truckload of something to jinx their own children with. :)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Officially Summer Break
Summer vacation. It was my favorite time of year when I was a kid, and not much has changed. It is one of the weird reasons why I am not a fan of year-round school...kids don't get a 'normal' summer break. Every kid should get summers off. It must be some sort of rite of passage, right?
I like not having school. Not having to wake kids up and drag them out of bed to get ready. Not having to worry about homework getting done, or signing notes, or getting calls from teachers because my 8 y.o. son is a talker who forgets to raise his hand, and my 10 y.o. daughter has enough of a sarcastic sense of humor and timing that she makes the kids in class laugh and not pay attention to the teacher.
Speaking of which, one would assume that it would be the boy who "innocently" rips out a huge belch in the middle of a math test and then without so much as a smirk says "Oh, sorry." But no. It was the girl. She thought she was hilarious, and apparently so did all other students within three zip codes who heard the sooo unlady-like sound. The teacher? Not so much.
I like kids sleeping in.
I like watching them run through the sprinklers in the yard.
I like them staying out later because the sun is still up at 9 p.m.
I like supplying the neighborhood with flavored ice pops.
I like sitting in the shade after working in the yard..the smell of fresh cut lawn, and lemonade.
I like the sounds of the ice cream truck.
I like water skiing--but not snow skiing, which is weird since I live in Utah near ski resorts.
I'm a fan of camping and fishing. But not the scout snow cave camping, so summer is fine.
(Apparently I'm not a fan of cold weather...)
I like not having carpools to school.
I like not having to feel guilty because I don't go volunteer in the classroom like I wish I could
I like not having to say the phrase "Go ask your Dad" when asked if I can help with math homework
There is a lot to like about summer break. Loved it as a kid, and I love it now.
And two months from now I might be singing a different tune...looking forward to sending them back to school.
But I don't think so. :)
I like not having school. Not having to wake kids up and drag them out of bed to get ready. Not having to worry about homework getting done, or signing notes, or getting calls from teachers because my 8 y.o. son is a talker who forgets to raise his hand, and my 10 y.o. daughter has enough of a sarcastic sense of humor and timing that she makes the kids in class laugh and not pay attention to the teacher.
Speaking of which, one would assume that it would be the boy who "innocently" rips out a huge belch in the middle of a math test and then without so much as a smirk says "Oh, sorry." But no. It was the girl. She thought she was hilarious, and apparently so did all other students within three zip codes who heard the sooo unlady-like sound. The teacher? Not so much.
I like kids sleeping in.
I like watching them run through the sprinklers in the yard.
I like them staying out later because the sun is still up at 9 p.m.
I like supplying the neighborhood with flavored ice pops.
I like sitting in the shade after working in the yard..the smell of fresh cut lawn, and lemonade.
I like the sounds of the ice cream truck.
I like water skiing--but not snow skiing, which is weird since I live in Utah near ski resorts.
I'm a fan of camping and fishing. But not the scout snow cave camping, so summer is fine.
(Apparently I'm not a fan of cold weather...)
I like not having carpools to school.
I like not having to feel guilty because I don't go volunteer in the classroom like I wish I could
I like not having to say the phrase "Go ask your Dad" when asked if I can help with math homework
There is a lot to like about summer break. Loved it as a kid, and I love it now.
And two months from now I might be singing a different tune...looking forward to sending them back to school.
But I don't think so. :)
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Are You an Eight Cow Wife?
I've been thinking about this lately.
Most of you know the story of Johnny Lingo...how he paid 8 cows for his bride, when 2-3 was good, 4-5 was for a super wife, and most of the tribe found his bride plain and not worth even the 2 or 3 cows that was more typical. They laughed at him, and thought he was crazy to give that much for her...but ultimately the laugh was on them when he brought her back a few months later to visit the village and she was breathtakingly beautiful. A wife any one of them would have been proud to have, and they all changed their tunes and realized Johnny must really be some kind of genius.
When asked about it later he said that the reason why he paid 8 cows for her was because he loved her. But more than that, he wanted an eight cow wife. How we treat others--how we let them see how much we appreciate or love them--seriously affects their treatment or reaction to us, or to those around them.
Here are some questions I've been knocking around:
Are you an eight cow wife/husband/human? For ease of writing, I'll stick to having this be about married couples...go ahead and adjust it to your own situation since it is relevant to many different relationships.
What does it take to be an eight cow wife? (And don't say a husband who actually HAS 8 cows to begin with...work with me here).
What does it take to become an eight cow wife if you aren't there yet?
Why would you even want to BE an eight cow wife?
Only you can answer that first question, so go ahead and think about it. But in order to assess that, you have to know more about what an eight cow wife is. This is probably personal to each of you too, so in MY opinion, an eight cow wife is someone who is secure in her relationship with her spouse. She knows he loves her and cherishes her. Knows that her opinion matters to him and that he will stand by her through adversity, sickness, health, richer--poorer--you get the idea there.
Do you see that in your relationship? Hold that thought for later...
The 2nd question is personal too. But there are probably some basics that can put all of us on the path to bovine bounty. Think about these questions for this subject:
How are you treating your spouse? Can you expect him to be thrilled to see you when he comes home from work if the minute he walks in you are scowling and complaining? Do you stay positive and supportive? Do you tell him that you appreciate him? Love him? Do you take time for any type of affection? Even if it is holding hands in the car, or sneaking a kiss in the kitchen? Do you really listen to your spouse?
Honestly, how responsive would you be if you came home to Queen-of-the-Porcupines and then were expected to be loving and kind towards her? I'd be avoiding that area of the house until the flames coming out the ears were only steam blasts...but I am not sure I'd want to test it very often to see if the fire was out yet.. Scathing remarks, simply a bad attitude, expecting perfection...those are all things that would make the cow count go down. And that is not what we are looking for here.
The 3rd question ties into that one. What do you do to become an eight cow wife if you aren't there yet?
Well, don't hate me, but you know those silly e-mails you get that tell you how women in the '50's were taught to be wives and mothers? You know the one--the one that says you should freshen up before your husband comes home, have dinner on the table, don't talk about your awful day because he has had a hard day too, clean up the kids so they look nice for him--remember that one? I know people mock that, but there are some truths there. Even if you live in a two-income family.
I'm not saying you have to go June Cleaver on me here. What I am saying is that if we put more effort into looking nice for each other, speaking kindly to one another, trying not to complain about every little thing that has happened to you that day, listening to each other, trying to keep the house picked up a bit so that your atmosphere isn't sucking the life out of any good mood that is trying to exist (and if you know me, you'll know that that last one isn't easy for me even a little...I'm not the world's best housekeeper, but the feeling in our house is calmer when I've taken the time to straighten up a little...granted, I have to do that late at night when the kids are in bed so that I don't completely lose it when the littles destroy my efforts in 5 seconds...), if we try to do all that, then I know our spouses will respond positively. And when they are happy and positive they are more free with their praises and compliments which in turn makes us feel more happy and positive--we begin to feel wanted and loved and that, my friends, increases our cow potential.
4th--again, this can only be answered by you--do you want to BE an 8 cow wife? If you say no, then I sincerely hope it is because you are shooting for a ten cow wife.
Why wouldn't you want to be an eight cow wife? It won't matter how you look, how you talk, how you cook, how you merge onto the freeway during rush hour. Your spouse will love you and cherish you. And all because you have shown love and caring towards him. Funny thing that. You can become an eight--or nine--or ten--cow wife, simply by letting your husband know he is important to you. By showing consideration, love, gratitude...it makes him an eight cow husband and he won't even know it. He will simply return the favor in kind, because it is seriously hard to belittle, dislike, or ignore someone who genuinely cares for you.
So go back to that first question...the part I told you to hold for later...well, it is later and I hope that one makes more sense to you now. I hope you see things in your relationship that lead toward the eight cow scenario instead of the corner butcher shop.
The good news is that if you are in a two cow relationship, you have the ability to turn it into a whole herd of fun by being a good person. By treating your spouse in exactly the same way you hope to be treated.
So here is to all you eight cow people--and you potential eight cow people.
May you bless those around you with good humor, positive attitude, and kitchen kisses.
Most of you know the story of Johnny Lingo...how he paid 8 cows for his bride, when 2-3 was good, 4-5 was for a super wife, and most of the tribe found his bride plain and not worth even the 2 or 3 cows that was more typical. They laughed at him, and thought he was crazy to give that much for her...but ultimately the laugh was on them when he brought her back a few months later to visit the village and she was breathtakingly beautiful. A wife any one of them would have been proud to have, and they all changed their tunes and realized Johnny must really be some kind of genius.
When asked about it later he said that the reason why he paid 8 cows for her was because he loved her. But more than that, he wanted an eight cow wife. How we treat others--how we let them see how much we appreciate or love them--seriously affects their treatment or reaction to us, or to those around them.
Here are some questions I've been knocking around:
Are you an eight cow wife/husband/human? For ease of writing, I'll stick to having this be about married couples...go ahead and adjust it to your own situation since it is relevant to many different relationships.
What does it take to be an eight cow wife? (And don't say a husband who actually HAS 8 cows to begin with...work with me here).
What does it take to become an eight cow wife if you aren't there yet?
Why would you even want to BE an eight cow wife?
Only you can answer that first question, so go ahead and think about it. But in order to assess that, you have to know more about what an eight cow wife is. This is probably personal to each of you too, so in MY opinion, an eight cow wife is someone who is secure in her relationship with her spouse. She knows he loves her and cherishes her. Knows that her opinion matters to him and that he will stand by her through adversity, sickness, health, richer--poorer--you get the idea there.
Do you see that in your relationship? Hold that thought for later...
The 2nd question is personal too. But there are probably some basics that can put all of us on the path to bovine bounty. Think about these questions for this subject:
How are you treating your spouse? Can you expect him to be thrilled to see you when he comes home from work if the minute he walks in you are scowling and complaining? Do you stay positive and supportive? Do you tell him that you appreciate him? Love him? Do you take time for any type of affection? Even if it is holding hands in the car, or sneaking a kiss in the kitchen? Do you really listen to your spouse?
Honestly, how responsive would you be if you came home to Queen-of-the-Porcupines and then were expected to be loving and kind towards her? I'd be avoiding that area of the house until the flames coming out the ears were only steam blasts...but I am not sure I'd want to test it very often to see if the fire was out yet.. Scathing remarks, simply a bad attitude, expecting perfection...those are all things that would make the cow count go down. And that is not what we are looking for here.
The 3rd question ties into that one. What do you do to become an eight cow wife if you aren't there yet?
Well, don't hate me, but you know those silly e-mails you get that tell you how women in the '50's were taught to be wives and mothers? You know the one--the one that says you should freshen up before your husband comes home, have dinner on the table, don't talk about your awful day because he has had a hard day too, clean up the kids so they look nice for him--remember that one? I know people mock that, but there are some truths there. Even if you live in a two-income family.
I'm not saying you have to go June Cleaver on me here. What I am saying is that if we put more effort into looking nice for each other, speaking kindly to one another, trying not to complain about every little thing that has happened to you that day, listening to each other, trying to keep the house picked up a bit so that your atmosphere isn't sucking the life out of any good mood that is trying to exist (and if you know me, you'll know that that last one isn't easy for me even a little...I'm not the world's best housekeeper, but the feeling in our house is calmer when I've taken the time to straighten up a little...granted, I have to do that late at night when the kids are in bed so that I don't completely lose it when the littles destroy my efforts in 5 seconds...), if we try to do all that, then I know our spouses will respond positively. And when they are happy and positive they are more free with their praises and compliments which in turn makes us feel more happy and positive--we begin to feel wanted and loved and that, my friends, increases our cow potential.
4th--again, this can only be answered by you--do you want to BE an 8 cow wife? If you say no, then I sincerely hope it is because you are shooting for a ten cow wife.
Why wouldn't you want to be an eight cow wife? It won't matter how you look, how you talk, how you cook, how you merge onto the freeway during rush hour. Your spouse will love you and cherish you. And all because you have shown love and caring towards him. Funny thing that. You can become an eight--or nine--or ten--cow wife, simply by letting your husband know he is important to you. By showing consideration, love, gratitude...it makes him an eight cow husband and he won't even know it. He will simply return the favor in kind, because it is seriously hard to belittle, dislike, or ignore someone who genuinely cares for you.
So go back to that first question...the part I told you to hold for later...well, it is later and I hope that one makes more sense to you now. I hope you see things in your relationship that lead toward the eight cow scenario instead of the corner butcher shop.
The good news is that if you are in a two cow relationship, you have the ability to turn it into a whole herd of fun by being a good person. By treating your spouse in exactly the same way you hope to be treated.
So here is to all you eight cow people--and you potential eight cow people.
May you bless those around you with good humor, positive attitude, and kitchen kisses.
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