This or that...

So I knew going into this whole parenting thing that I would have to reprioritize my life, make different choices and possibly give some things up...all for the benefit of my son. Who rocks. Hard.

When I came to this realization, I thought it would mostly involve things like:

• purchasing more reasonably priced shoes instead of fancy designer shoes
• eating at Fuddrucker's instead of Outback
• a night out involves taking your child to the home of another couple with a young child, where the children will sit in one room and the adults will drink in another room while playing a semi-inappropriate board game

For those of you that are contemplating having children, you will have to make these changes. However, what nobody told me is that you also have to make the following choices:

• Your son will be asleep for less than 1/2 hour. Do you take a shower, or eat something besides a Nutrigrain bar?
• Your son is in a good mood. Do you run errands knowing he won't start crying in the store, or do you play with him in your living room, even though you're sick of the inside of your home?
• Your dogs have not been outside since last night and are still locked up downstairs. Your son is screaming because he's starving. Do you feed your child and ignore your dogs, or do you run down and let the dogs out and let your son wait an extra 30 seconds to eat?
• It's 2am and your son just woke up to eat. You REALLY have to go to the bathroom. Do you let him cry for a bit longer and go to the bathroom, do you feed him first while you uncomfortably move around, or do you pick him up, manage to go to the bathroom while holding him and then feed him?

Fact - In the last two months, I have had to choose one of the above options to every fact pattern presented.

Additional fact - I've chosen EVERY answer to each fact pattern (except the last set of questions...since there are three options...and I'm not telling you if I did the last thing or not).

The reality is that these are issues that come up daily.

Having to choose between the lesser of two evils led me to the next questions - What would a good mom do? Am I choosing the right or wrong answer?

The reality is that a good mom would answer either way, and neither answer is the wrong answer.

I've quickly come to the realization that being a good mom isn't about finding the right answer...it's about getting through the day...making sure your child is fed, dry, happy and involved. My son has reached all his milestones so far. He has smiled at me almost every day since he started smiling. He stops crying within a minute or two of starting.

What does that mean? Well to me that means I've chosen the correct answer each time. The correct answer changes daily, and will never remain the only option.

Moral of the story - go with the flow and don't stress about the small stuff. Some days you need to stay dirty a little bit longer because gosh darn it...you deserve the eggs and bacon.

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Eating: I had a sausage and mushroom egg white omelette with wheat toast. I still haven't showered. I feel divine!

Listening to/Watching: Regis and Kelly. Meh.

Annoyed at: Kelly Ripa's body.

Shopping for: A diet/exercise plan that can make me look like Kelly Ripa.

Sidenote of the Day: It took me a good day and a half to type this blog entry.

Taco Lasagna

I'm all about fusion foods. I was a huge fan of Chino Latino before it was crazy packed all the time. So I bring to you a Midwest Italian Mexican easy to make masterpiece. Mexican, because of the flavoring. Italian, because of the pasta. Midwest, because of the cheese and sour cream.

This is definitely what I would call a "weekend recipe," because it has to go into the oven for 1 1/2 hours. That being said, the preparation portion is extremely easy and will not take that much time.

Taco Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup water
Package of Taco Seasoning (1 1/4 oz)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups salsa or picante sauce
2 cups sour cream
1 (2.2 oz) can sliced black olives
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 - 3/4 green onions, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

1. Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Place four uncooked lasagna noodles in bottom of 9x13 pan. spread half of beef mixture over the strips. Place four more noodles on top of the mixture and then spread the remaining half of the beef mixture over the strips. Top the remaining mixture with the last four noodles.
3. Combine salsa/picante sauce with the 2 1/2 cups of water. Pour mixture over top of casserole. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Combine sour cream, onions, olives and tomatos in small mixing bowl. Spoon over the top of the casserole after it's done baking. Top with the shredded cheese and return the pan to the oven for 5 - 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Tips from Sarah

• I used whole wheat pasta, and you couldn't tell the taste difference. I hid the pasta box and my husband never even mentioned anything. Yes, I have to hide healthy substitutes from him, or he swears the food doesn't taste as good.
• If you're not super noodley (I just created that word), you can omit the last layer of noodles.
• The shredded cheese can really be whatever type of cheese you enjoy, but I used a Mexican mix.
• It will look like you don't have enough meat when you spread it on the noodles, but it evens out.
• I used light sour cream and could not tell.

ENJOY!!!!

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Eating: Cinnamon rolls. Woot for Sunday!

Listening to/Watching: America's Next Top Model marathon. Tyra Banks is so ridiculously overdramatic. Loves it.

Annoyed at: Nada.

Shopping for: I still need that perfect pair of shoes.

Sidenote of the Day: My son smiled at me this morning. I never realized that something so simple could make me so over the moon excited.

Wait? I said I'd never do that...

When I was just a wee lass...and completely judgmental on The Peg's parenting techniques...I made a promise to myself that I would NEVER do things my mother did. Well, I've already broken several of those promises:

• Using overdramatic facial expressions to make my point.
• Obnoxious singing to make my child forget why he's crying, and instead focus on mom.
• Licking my finger and then wiping something off of my son's face.
• Continually singing the same song to my child when I'm changing him or rocking him. Peg's song of choice - Camptown Races. My song of choice - Bad Romance.

Things that The Peg has done that I will STILL never do*:

• Give my son a bucket of water and a paintbrush and tell him to go paint the entire driveway. Yes, she did this...to Chris.
• Dressing my children in replica Little House on the Prairie outfits (No, it was not in style, Mom)
• Leash my child. Yes, she did this to me...and apparently I deserved it.
• Enter my son into baby cage fighting matches. Okay, so Peg didn't do that with Chris, but I wanted to Google "baby cage fight". I also wanted to Google "Angry Hitler Baby". And "dramatic prairie dog". Finally, I wanted to google "Nunchuck Fail". You're welcome.

So to wrap it up...

Yes, the lists are somewhat in jest, but you get my point. It's amazing how similar my parenting behavior is to that of my parents. Moral of the story - there are way more circles than the circle of violence or the circle of abuse. There can also be the Circle of Nurturing or the Circle of Crazy in a Good Way. My Circle of Crazy in a Good Way has given me tons of fun stories, but also prepared me to be a good parent and to raise a good kid. Acknowledge your circle. Break it if it sucks, but walk it if it rocks. I'm walking my circle.

S

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Eating: The hubby was off work today, so we ate like old people - Tomato Soup with Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Watching/Listening to: The dishwasher running and a husband that has said, "He sleeps a lot" about 10 times in the last hour.

Annoyed at: My son, for sleeping most of the day, thus tricking my husband into believing that I have tons of free time on my hands when he's at work.

Shopping for: Free housekeeping

Sidenote of the Day: I had to return my 6-Layer Dip to the grocery store this morning because it had mold on it. (Sidenote on the Sidenote: Seriously? Seriously!) Such a disappointment. Now I have chips and no dip.

* For now

Caramel Apple Pizza

(actual photo of Sarah's Caramel Apple Pizza...holler!!)

I made this dessert pizza a few nights ago. It was very easy to make, and INCREDIBLY delicious. I took the photo moments before my husband and I attacked the pizza like it was our job.

Caramel Apple Pizza

1 package (16-18 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1/2 cup nuts (peanuts or walnuts), chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape cookie dough into a ball and place in center of a large round pizza stone; flatten slightly. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a circle about 1/4 inches thick. Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Carefully loosen cookie from baking stone using a large bread knife. Cool completely on baking stone.


2. Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, peanut butter and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; mix well. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cookie.


3. Peel, core and slice apples. Cut apple slices in half and arrange evenly over cream cheese mixture.


4. Microwave ice cream topping on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until warm; drizzle evenly over apples. Chop nuts and sprinkle over apples. Cut pie into wedges.

Yield: 16 servings (yeah right)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Bake Time: 16-18 minutes

Cool Time: About an hour

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Tips from Sarah:

• Don't roll the cookie dough out to the edge of the baking stone. I rolled it out until about 1/4 inch away from the edge, and I had pieces of the cookie drop off and go to the bottom of the oven. That smelled good. Roll the circle out to about 1/2 inch from the edge of the stone.


• I used walnuts instead of peanuts, mainly because I thought I had peanuts and I didn't. I liked the walnuts.


• I used apple slices and chopped up pieces of apple. I had a lot of apple slices left over and I didn't want to overlap too much on the pizza. When I make it again, I may try chopping up all the apple slices.


• Remember to refrigerate any leftovers. (Duh)


• The leftovers don't keep all that well...on the second day, the cookie had gotten somewhat soggy because of the juice from the apples and the cream cheese mixture. That being said, it was still flipping delicious...just not as pretty as a piece of the pizza on the first day.

ENJOY!!!

(Recipe adapted from Pampered Chef Taffy Apple Pizza)

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Eating: Crap...I forgot to eat breakfast...again. No wonder some moms lose weight. Before I had a baby, I never forgot to eat a meal.

Watching/Listening To: The Today Show...1/2 hour until Hoda and Kathie Lee...who are exactly like the SNL impersonations.

Annoyed At: Political Ads on both sides in this State and all others. I wish we had more than two major parties in this country...then maybe candidates would focus on the issues instead of focusing on attacking the other side. If there were more options in each race, maybe we would actually learn what the candidate would do if elected, rather than what the other person did/does/would do in a negative light. Not all candidates are running negative campaigns, so snaps to those candidates.

Shopping for: Mama needs a new pair of shoes.

Sidenote of the Day: The Hoff got the first boot on Dancing With the Stars. What a blow to his giant ego! Germany is crying right now. Hasselhoff is drunkenly mourning his loss over a delicious cheeseburger. Nom nom nom.

Look what I've become...

So when I found out I was pregnant, I contemplated starting up my blog again. Yes, again.

About six years ago, I started a blog on this website (originally called the "Blog of Skog"). The blog was random, and definitely written by a single woman. It was about my social life, my friends, my thoughts and my feelings. The blog, in its entirety, was a lot like me. It was random and quirky. At times it was funny, and at other times it was very serious. Hopefully, the reborn blog, now entitled "Anti Mom Jeans" will still be random and quirky, and will range from funny to serious. But hopefully it will have also evolved much like how I've evolved. I don't want to define how that will be...I will just have to keep you posted.

How have I evolved? Well now I'm a happily married mother of three - two wonderful stepchildren and one new baby boy. I have been at the same job for almost five years, and I absolutely adore my job and my co-workers. I'm older, wiser and hopefully a bit more mature. That being said, I will always be me...no matter what age. Maturity does not mean laughter stops...it just gets a bit more appropriate (at times). Fart noise. What?

So this blog will be different, but it will still be created by me.

Therefore, I want to give a nod back to the Blog of Skog and present you with a list...a list of similarities and differences between the Blog of Skog and Anti Mom Jeans. A list full of ridiculous links, again a nod back to the Blog of Skog:
1. Similarity - Both blogs will continue my love of the random links. What will I be staring at if I click this word? What about this word?
2. Difference - The Blog of Skog discussed where I went to dinner with friends, because that's what we did all the time. Anti Mom Jeans will share recipes and dinner ideas that I've tried at home.
3. Similarity - I will still try to make readers laugh by poking fun at myself and some of my friends.
4. Difference - Anti Mom Jeans will not devote an entire entry into mocking Joey Lore. Oh who am I kidding?
5. Similarity - I will always end each entry with a list of what I'm doing and how I'm feeling.
6. Difference - I won't be sharing pictures of my family on here, as Facebook has now created a perfect venue for sharing those...and I can control the security level much easier than on blogspot.
7. Similarity - it will still be a Blog by Skog
8. Difference - Skog got married

So enjoy Anti Mom Jeans. And remember...if you're wearing mom jeans with or without a seasonal vest, you may not enjoy reading this blog as much as others.

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Eating: I just ate a delicious Turkey Bacon Sandwich with chips and grapes on the side. The meal was very school lunch.

Watching or Listening to: I'm currently watching the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo. I can't believe I haven't watched this until now. I love people who are caricatures of themselves. I love how she over uses the word "major".

Annoyed at: My Maltese, who is still depressed about the new baby...six weeks after his birth.
Not only does the dog mope around the house, but she doesn't care about her appearance anymore. She looks like the canine version of Courtney Love.

Shopping for: Jeans that will fit perfectly and hopefully shrink with me as I lose this baby weight.
Sidenote of the Day: I hope The Situation gets booted off Dancing With the Stars. He's beyond annoying. I need to develop a new word to describe how annoying he is. The word: majorshankle