I'm actually cooking. Seriously!

Once again I disappeared from my blog for a long chunk of time.  I have all the same excuses of travel and being busy and all that . . . and they are valid.  A big part of it, though, is that once you've stayed away for a while there's this feeling of pressure to write something really great, and with all that's been going on, I just haven't had the time or energy to sit down and think through a good, comprehensive blog post.  

So what you are getting is a mish-mash, much like several of my last posts- but I do promise this won't last forever.  Just bear with me a little longer.

I do have a few things that I'm aching to blog about, but I'm unable to at this time.  Some of it is family related, and I don't want to write anything that could stand as an indelible brand of hurt down the line, as mad or hurt or bewildered as I might feel by current family events.  Also, I know my mom would kill me!  I also have some good stuff to blog about, but I'm not quite ready to lay it down here.  It will come soon, don't worry.  I cannot keep a secret.

I didn't make New Year's Resolutions officially this year, but there are a number of things that I've been focused on for some time now, and will continue to work on through 2009.  One big change for me is that I have made an ACTUAL budget, instead of just guessing- and I plan on both J and I sticking to it.  To be more frugal, and to make sure I eat more healthy (more protein, Mom- I'm doing really good, I promise!) I am trying to plan meals out in advance and cook much, much more often (previously I was cooking maybe once in a blue moon, so this is pretty big for me).  In the past three days, I have cooked dinner twice (versus microwaving . . . my own food . . .  and leaving J up to his own devices).  Two nights ago it was tacos, and tonight it was pasta (with shrimp and alfredo sauce and mushrooms for J, and oil and salt and pepper for me- we have very different tastes).  

I even did the dishes after dinner.  Well most of them.  But I think it should count as all since I had already done an entire load and a half earlier in the day.  Listen, I know there are millions and millions of women out there who do this every day: they cook in ways not involving the microwave, they clean up, they make it seem effortless, and they don't expect or get a thank you.  But let me tell you: if I am going to keep this up, I will need a thank you.  I will probably need more then that:  I'll need some rewards.  Maybe an old-school sticker chart.  Possibly a trophy.  Being domestic is really tough.