jenn.nu

Written on August 19 2007, and filed under General

I’d like to say that I spent this quiet, uneventful Saturday at home, catching up on work that I would like to turn in by Monday morning. But, sadly, and unfortunately for me and my sleep, that is not true. I was at home, but did I work? No. Instead, when I did have my bit of free time, I was busy making the rounds on those I have linked, those who have commented, and my own list of bookmarks. I made more comments today than I have in the past two weeks. Very sad, but very true. Would it make you guys feel any better to know that I do, at the very least, *read* your blogs, even if I don’t often comment? I try to remain logged into MyBlogLog, so that for those of you who have the widget on your site, you can see that I’ve been by.

I also searched and collected a bunch of videos of Alyssa and Ryan that I want to edit (basically to remove excess) and then upload to Vimeo. YouTube is okay, but it’s cluttered and annoying. Vimeo looks much cooler. I saw it in action at jayesel.net, and decided to give it a whirl.

Alyssa follows me around like a little puppy dog. For that matter, so does Ryan. The only difference is that Ryan has always been on me like white on rice, whereas until recently Alyssa could care less if I existed, so long as she was provided with food, drinks, clean diapers and toys. I’m constantly tripping over one or both of them. With Alyssa, it’s continual questions and information. What you doing Mommy? Where you Mommy? Whats dat Mommy? Mommy, Mommy – what’s dat?! Mommy, look at Wyan! Daddy is working. Mommy, in car go Garget pwease? With Ryan, it’s just a need to keep me within sight at all times. I can’t even take a shower in peace. Despite getting bathed every night, Alyssa will rip her clothes off and throw herself into the tub with me if I don’t lock the bathroom door. Ryan winds up getting half bathed as well, as he pulls back the shower curtain and leans in to watch me. I try to shower in the morning, before they’re awake, or after Dan is awake and can keep them out of my hair and out of the tub for the ten or so minutes I’m in there.

I fail at being a wife. At least, when it comes to planning meals. I know how to cook. I know what’s healthy and what tastes good. But I am so unimaginative with coming up with varying combinations of meat, vegetables and a light side. Plus, out of a seven day week, Dan is only home in the evenings maybe two of those days… so a lot of the time I’m cooking for maybe one and a half people. It is a pain to construct a meal that is healthy and filling without making too much of it and having to toss leftovers (we don’t dig leftovers).
This is all very frustrating for me. So frustrating, in fact, that I feel like giving up and… I don’t know… living off of TV dinners. But TV dinners suck. They make for a great meal for the few times we’re out late and need food, or sometimes for lunch, especially when I don’t feel like having what the kids are having. But TV dinners are expensive. And the better ones, as well as the low fat ones that I usually buy for myself, are still crappy. And nothing beats an actual meal.
So, I have decided to follow the suggested meal plans listed at myalli.com. I have already filled out my profile to reflect that I am also cooking to feed two small children, so the suggestions are nutritious, yet delicious and not scrimping on calories. I’m following – or at least, following myalli.com’s suggestion – an 1800 calorie meal plan per day. As soon as I finish writing this blog entry, I’m going to check out the recommended meal plans, and actually follow them. I’m going to print them out, print out the shopping list, go shopping for the stuff and actually make it.

Anyway, I suppose I’ll wrap this up and head back to myalli.com, as I am very sleepy and want to get this done so I can go to bed!

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, on August 8 2007 at 3:27am:

Lol, I know you commented on my site but MyBlogLog says nada. It must not work sometimes.

Making meals was the hardest thing for me, even just for a month in the apartment with Dan. Every recipe seems to be for 5-6 people… And not worth it. I’m going to suck at cooking in the future, lol. Good luck sticking to the Alli mealplan! And with work.

, on August 8 2007 at 5:38am:

I know the feeling, Jenn. I never know what to cook, and we end up having a takeaway. I ought to do something like this, plan meals out and actually buy the ingredients!

, on August 8 2007 at 10:19am:

I can totally relate to trying to come up with meal ideas. Mike is picky and won’t eat a lot of things so that’s what makes it hard for me.

Good luck with your meal plan!

, on August 8 2007 at 10:21am:

i started making a list of ideas for dinner when i make a list for grocery shopping- it really helped! it’s hard to think of different things to cook every night, i have a few things i like to make that i rotate :p ravioli, spaghetti, cheese & spinach pie, stir-fry veggies with udon, soup & scones, mashed potatoes… i’m a vegetarian which makes it harder too, since it’s much easier to get a steak or something and then base a meal around it.

, on August 8 2007 at 10:37am:

Are you taking Alli? Or just following the plan? You can get some good recipe ideas from allrecipes.com. They have the amount of calories and fat that they have in them, too. And they make it so that you can adjust the servings you’re going to make.

, on August 8 2007 at 1:29pm:

I’ve used some WW recipes in the past, but like you said, many recipes you use are for 4 of more people. James and I save the left overs, but only half of the time they get eaten…the rest of the time they stay in the fridge until we throw them out…

I’ve been thinking about trying the Alli plan, but I want to research it more first…the thought of it being so new scares me…

, on August 8 2007 at 2:51pm:

I don’t mind that you don’t comment.. I’m not too good at it either, though I read your blog along with many others pretty much daily. I’m trying to do better.

The meal thing I totally understand, and I don’t even have a kid yet. I have4 or 5 meals that I’m good at cooking.. and any other meals we have are usually variations of those. As soon as my husband gets back, I’m going to try to do a lot better.. especially since we’ll have a young baby that we need to leave a good impression on.

, on August 8 2007 at 4:40pm:

I’m a health food freak but loves to eat her junk food when she can….. I’m normally always on the run so I’m normally grabbing food though a drive thru mixed with some food from home that doesn’t spoil or so if left in a cooler until I head into work.. the days when I’m not running around like a chicken with its head cut off.. I’m planning for the days I can’t really have a sit down meal as well eatting very health.

Food planning is always hard, good luck

, on August 8 2007 at 5:32pm:

I am always stuck on what to make for dinner. Then I always resort to my “safety” meals. The ones I can make with my eyes closed, and pretty much eat every week.

I have tried to make myself and boyfriend a meal plan, at least have it be something simple. On fridays I have decided I don’t want to cook, we will order in Pizza that night or eat left overs (as yucky as some of them are) …

I am currently getting most of my new recipes from “kraftcanada.com” though I am sure there is an american equivalent (kraftfoods.com), as the site is great for simple meals, as well as variations for children’s meals and adult meals but involve the same ingredients though I do change a lot of ingredients so they are a healthier version (cut back o butter, substitute ingredients etc…) Not to mention they have a FREE magazine with great meal ideas and recipes!

, on August 8 2007 at 6:23pm:

I think it’s cute that Alyssa says Garget – Why does she want to go there? Isn’t it some kind of mall?

Congratulation on your weight loss progress!!!

, on August 8 2007 at 6:25pm:

Wow, Jenn yet another amazing layout here! I am been without internet pretty much my whole vacation and it sucked! I tried to view your website through my cell phone and tried to comment, but it wouldn’t let me I hope all is good, family is doing well.