Mini me

I have been off gallivanting in the warmer climes of the Northern American continent, and yes, I had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. I hope you did too. No, I didn't send out Christmas cards this year- and I'm not gonna feel guilty, so stop tryin!

For the first time since the monkey hit this planet's oxygenated atmosphere, I have been employed for a stretch longer than two weeks. I don't know how all you 9-5 working moms do it... Between the never-seeing-the-baby-guilt, the oh-my-god-I'm-so-tired-so-why-don't-we-eat-dry-cheerios-for-dinner-guilt, and the if-my-hubby-hasn't-had-an-affair-yet-from-lack-of-sex-yet-then-thank-god-for-internet-porn-guilt, I bow to you, oh working mom. I am pooped. I love my work, and it's mostly on evenings and weekends, but it's really tiring and takes up all my evenings and weekends. Weird how that works, eh? Anyway, I'm sending a Ellen DeGeneres-esque "HOLLA!" to the full-time working moms out there. ( of course if you're a working mom without TIVO, you probably don't get the Ellen reference, but oh well.

I am told that tonightwhilst I toiled away, my Monkey threw an all-out cookie-monster fit. She didn't want the Crackers, Graham cracker sticks, or the honey-nut-cheerios (all of which are referred to as "COOKIE!!!) but tearfully demanded nothing less than the contents of the giant bag of bite-sized candy-bars- apparently now also called COOOOOKKKKKKKIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! I'm not sure if we should go ahead and count this as her first raging PMS craving or not. I think the PMS cravings will last longer than a half-hour (God Help us!) and for now, I'd prefer to have the PMS market cornered in this house.

Calling Julia

Sigh of relief #1: Son the Older is back in school today. School lasts until 3pm. Momma like school.

Sigh of relief #2: Son the Younger will return to Korean preschool tomorrow. I pick him up on the way back from picking up the Older. He even gets a hot lunch there, all for 1/3 of the price American daycare costs. Korean preschool rocks.

HOWEVER, all is not well, being as we have on the horizon a...

Crisis requiring immediate attention: what the heck is for dinner?

See, we came back from Hong Kong on Saturday night (oh yes, Hong Kong was terrific) and ordered pizza. Sunday night we went out to a nearby Korean restaurant. Then Monday and Tuesday I made use of the meager remaining contents of my pantry to compose some reliable, yet simple, favorites.

So now it is Wednesday. Because I am spoiled with the childcare options outlined above, I have been waiting till the munchkins are out of my hair to make my first foray to the supermarket since coming back from vacation. Go ahead, call me a wimp; words will never harm me - just the melee that ensues when I try to take both boys to the supermarket.

Alas, pizza night isn't till tomorrow. Hence, the only dinner options I have right now are pretty much plain pasta, Eggo waffles, or a buffet of sidedishes: instant mashed potatoes, broccoli, boxed herb rice and kimchi.

(Several different varieties of kimchi are pungently perfuming the fridge right now, which seem to have been bestowed upon us during our vacation absence by Hubby's generous aunt, oblivious to the fact that I don't see a blue moon coming on the calendar when we would be pulling it out to consume. So for now, it's just making me think twice before holding the fridge door open for too long.)

So I need Julia Child. Or that Surprise chef from that show where they show up at your house and make a luscious dinner with just what's in your cupboard. (I'd like to see 'em TRY.) Or, actually, my cleaning lady. She can always seem to whip up a soup and several sidedishes from thin air. HELP.

Well, it's off to stare at my cupboard again, since I can't bring myself to experience the Angry Fighting Kimchi smells in my fridge. Anyone up for Betty Crocker box cake for dinner? Why must men always demand meat? Ugh. Bye.