"Cold" Day?!

I had just got it into my head to post about how hard it is to balance a full-time job while pursuing my creative dreams on this blog.   I have so many ideas and projects in my head and yet that little thing called “real” work tends to get in the way of pursuing my ideas.  Frustrating, and yet . . .

The universe must have heard my struggle because -  SLAM! - school was cancelled today. (Actually, a "cold" day if you can believe it! Really?  minus 2, cold?  These people don’t hail from Minnesota as I do.)  

Talk about trying to balance!  Apparently, I needed to be reminded of my true priorities.   When I first heard the announcement, all I could do was to think about how will I do this??  How will I get all my work done and do the post that I wanted to do and make the valentines hearts I had designed (hopefully coming soon) and take care of the kids.  I have, on occasion, tried to do all these things at once by distracting them with movies, audio books, new books, coloring pages, etc. and it just ain’t that successful.  I end up getting annoyed, frustrated and angry – yes, mama-yelling ensues. 

Hmmm – I don’t like mama-yelling.  Nothing replaces a totally focused, present mama.  I decided to embrace it – why fight it?  Work will still be there tomorrow.  What could we do together?  What about some family baking?  There is no cold day that a tin of fresh-baked muffins can’t warm up. 

Allie thinks all good things come from the mixer . . . I might just agree.

Lemon poppy seed muffins were on tap. I love the muffin recipe from Cook's Illustrated The New Best Recipe (the recipe isn't available online - phooey, but the cookbook really is amazing)  I think the secret ingredient is the added 1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt - so moist!.  Even with a series of botched recipe mistakes: 1 T of baking soda, instead of 1 t; sugar into the flour; dropping the eggs before creaming the butter and sugar! Seriously, maybe I wasn't as present as I thought.  BUT - they turned out great - and I had a super helper, too.  Yes, that is a hand knit Debbie Bliss sweater from when she was 3! and a homemade tie dye t-shirt which are a blast to make with the kiddos!  I adore that she still loves that sweater. It doesn't look THAT small! - well at least that is what I tell myself.

There goes the tablespoon of baking soda - oops!

Patiently waiting kiddos  . . .

 And, enjoy!

 We spent the rest of the day just hanging out, reading a Harry Potter novel, shoveling (see - not too cold!),

finger knitting (we've graduated to two colors!), embroidering socks (why not? - so much fun to experiment), 

taking self-portraits with mama's camera,

and lots of floor hockey (yes, tasting the muffin batter while playing hockey! - a very talented boy). 

 I even got some knitting done!  (Yes, that is me in my pjs!) Thanks to my kiddos and the weather for such a great day!