The Perfect Pizza

Shortly after Herm and I were married, I invited my family over for dinner. I learned to cook and bake at a very young age - by nine or ten I knew how to make yeast bread and not too long after that yogurt. It wasn't uncommon for me to make supper for our family of seven. But hosting people in my own home seemed much different than simply cooking a meal at my parents home, where the pantry is fully stocked, unlike my very minimal pantry at the time. My sister volunteered to come over for the afternoon to help prepare the meal. She suggested that we make pizza.

I had never made pizza before, and was never really that impressed with the homemade pizzas that I had tried. The crust was always lacking, I thought. The recipe Kate shared with me was from The Pioneer Women's cookbook, so even though I wasn't too keen on homemade pizza I knew this was worth the effort, because be honest, when was the last time that Ree Drummond failed you? Um, never. Exactly.

The meal that evening was a success, and the pizza was surprisingly simple to make. In fact, it is now one of my go-to ideas for a simple but delicious meal. I've made it so many times that I no longer need to pull out the recipe, it's just filed away in my brain. I also use the same dough recipe for Stromboli.

I tweaked the recipe a bit; I add a few seasoning for extra flavor, and just a bit of sugar, which makes the dough soft and chewy. Sometimes I will experiment with different kinds of flour too, like fresh ground whole wheat or oat. But for the sake of simplicity, I am sharing the basic recipe and will let you experiment with it however you please.

The dough can be refrigerated for up to a week, which I often do if we are hosting guests, so that when it's time to make supper, all I need to do is pull out the dough and let is rise a bit before rolling it out and adding toppings.

Okay, enough with me gushing about this pizza. I'll just share the recipe and let you discover it for yourself.

It might be a life-changer.

The Perfect Pizza

DOUGH: (adapted from the Pioneer Woman's recipe)

• 3/4 cup Warm Water
• 1 teaspoon Instant or Active Dry Yeast
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In mixer, combine flour, salt, granulated garlic, Italian seasoning, and sugar. With mixer running on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast and water mixture until combined.

Cover mixing bowl with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise for an hour, or store in fridge until you need it.

When you are ready to make the pizza, preheat the oven to 450*. Punch the dough down into a nice, tight ball, then roll it out thin with a rolling pin.  When the crust is nice and thin, lay it onto an oiled stone or pan. (I always use a pizza stone, and dust it with cornmeal after oiling it.) Bake the dough for about 7 minutes, then pull it out and put your favorite toppings on it. Place the pizza back into the oven for 10 more minutes.

TOPPINGS:

• 1/3 cup Pizza Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Mayo
• Handful of Spinach
• 1/2 cup Caramelized Onion
• Hot Peppers to taste
• 1 cup cooked, shredded Chicken
• 1 cup Cheese of choice
• Hot Sauce

Mix pizza sauce and mayo together, spread over crust. Layer spinach, caramelized onions, hot peppers, chicken and cheese on top. Sprinkle with a hint of hot sauce, and finish baking as directed.

Hey Momma Don't Lose Yourself

Can I be completely honest for a second? Not to say I haven't been in all of the other posts, I have. This just isn't something I've talked about to anyone, really, other than Herm.

Being a stay at home mom isn't my dream job.

Don't get me wrong, I feel so blessed to be able to stay home and raise Carson, blessed to be able to survive, even thrive, on a single income. Blessed by how hard Herm works to provide for our family and how he completely supports me as I stay home.

I love being able to witness most of the firsts for Carson, like the first time he rolled over, the first time he sat up be himself, his first words and first steps. I love being a mom and I love where I am at in life.

But almost daily I need to remind myself of that.

In the culture that I was raised in, as a mom, staying at home is celebrated and expected. It is completely normal.

When the pregnancy test showed that, yes, our family of two would be expanding we were shocked and thrilled and knew immediately that my career would be changing, there was no question about it. It was going to be a big change, certainly, but we would roll with it.

The adjustment, however, hasn't been as easy or smooth as I thought it would be. In many ways it feels at though I have surrendered my dreams and desires and passions to stay at home and live a mundane, almost boring, life.

Friends and even complete strangers, none knowing my discontentment, often reassure me that mothering is one of the most important vocations there is, but still the inner turmoil and unrest remains.

Finding fulfillment with this new phase in life has been a constant struggle, one I fight daily.

Recently I was introduced to Shauna Niequist and her writing, and after reading this blog post on motherhood and calling, it felt like I finally got it, finally realized that even in motherhood I can still pursue my dreams and passions, those desires don't have to be put on hold, instead we can work out the logistics and practicalities so that as a stay at home mom I can still pursue what energizes me. While I certainly don't have forty hours per week to pour into creative work, I do have four hours per week, or even per month that can be devoted to awakening dreams.

"Everyone benefits when women tap into the passions and use the gifts that God has given them. The church benefits, families benefit, marriages benefit, businesses and non-profits benefit. Everyone wins when women discover and live out of the gifts and passions God gave them."

I wholeheartedly agreed! Shauna's words gave me hope and energy and reason embrace my passions - Even in motherhood, even when the logistics don't seem practical, even when it does take extra effort.

How will this change my life? Honestly, I don't know. But an idea has been planted, and Herm has been so encouraging and supporting of it. I'm excited to see where it goes, but even more so, I am excited to find freedom in the thought that, yes, motherhood is sacred and good and holy, but even in motherhood I can pursue what makes me come alive, because, that too, is sacred and good and holy.

Don't Eat the Caterpillar

Photo by Kate

We've eaten a few exotic things, Herm and I. We both traveled a good bit, and both lived abroad for different lengths of time before we met each other. And we tend to be adventurous when it comes to trying new things, so it should come as no surprise, the dog meat, chicken feet, rice wine, and goat brain.

I believe that until you actually try something, you shouldn't say you don't like it. The flavor and texture of a few of the things mentioned above really wasn't that bad. Honestly.

Have you ever read the children's book, A Very Hungry Caterpillar? If I were to rewrite it, I would probably title it The Very Hungry Boy Who Ate Caterpillar.

I guess Carson was feeling left out, not having experienced as many exotic dishes as us. I am assuming that is why he thought it would be a good idea to try caterpillar, and that if he ate it raw, not only would it be exotic, it would also be sushi.

It didn't end well for either of them, Carson or the caterpillar.

Laundry this morning was a slow go. Getting it started later than normal, after having slept in, didn't help. Neither did the few errands I had to run in town. By 11:30 am, I was switching the second load of laundry to the dryer, and putting the third load into the washer. Carson was in the basement with me, however, he was exploring and not helping.

In the middle of sorting out what needs to air dry and what gets thrown into the dryer, Carson came running to me, gagging and coughing and crying. What did you eat? Short whisker-like hairs were all around the outside of his mouth and sticking to his tongue. On the concrete floor near by lay a caterpillar, who was either just a baby or had been chomped in half by toddler teeth.

I rinsed out Carson's mouth and tried to give him something to drink, but he wouldn't stop gagging and crying. My arm started to tingle, which is when I realized what was really going on. Through Google we learned a few things: that kind of caterpillar is not toxic, however, it's bristly fur does have a chemical in it which causes an itchy tingling sensation.

I didn't want to overreact, nor did I want to under-react, so while Herm comforted Carson, I called my mom and asked her if I ever ate a caterpillar. I didn't. But she gave a few helpful ideas, such as ice cream to sooth his tongue, or perhaps oral-gel if ice cream didn't work. And maybe a tint roller would have enough stickiness that the bristles would adhere to it.

None of those ideas worked exactly, Carson wouldn't have anything to do with them. I found that reading Goodnight Moon and We're Going on a Bear Hunt helped get his mind off of the situation at hand. Sharp cheddar cheese also does wonders for caterpillar stings, at least that's what Carson thought.

I did call my aunt, who happens to be a nurse, to see if she ever dealt with anything like this. I didn't want to go to the emergency room, but certainly would if we needed to. She told me to watch for a rash or swelling of any sort, and to try to get him to eat something, which would hopefully remove any remaining prickly bristles.

So our afternoon consisted of reading books and playing puppy and romping outside, anything to get his mind off of caterpillar. We were watching videos on my iPhone, which was just great until we came across one from this past summer where he was playing with a centipede. When Carson saw that caterpillar like creature, he screamed and started crying again. Poor boy.

I am quite sure he won't be trying more exotic dishes of that sort in the near future.

What about you: What is the most exotic dish you tried? Was it caterpillar?

The Day I Gave Blood

I was secretly wishing that something drastic would have happened, perhaps I would have passed out when my finger was pricked, or maybe my veins would have been impossible to find, leaving me with at least 6 stab marks in my right arm before they decided to try my left arm and finally discover the vein.

Silly blogger me, wishing for a good story.

It didn't happen, folks. Of course it went without as much as a flaw.

I signed in, answered about half a million questions, and waited. Then, when I thought that I was finally done waiting, I waited some more. Eventually, my name was called, my arm cleaned, and on the first try, a vein was found.

After 10 minutes of clenching my fist then resting, in five second intervals, I was done. I had successfully donated blood for the first time in my 23 years of life. Another thing was crossed off the list.

I didn't feel light-headed. I didn't pass out.

BORING BLOG POST.

I was given a $5 Dunkin' Donuts gift card for donating blood, then immediately told that I was not to drink coffee or alcohol or participate in vigorous activities for the next 24 hours. Too bad, because I had to drive right past Dunkin' on my way to pick up Carson, who was having a grandma day.

Yes, it was completely uneventful, leaving me with nothing exciting to write about.

Maybe next time I'll pass out and have a dramatic story to tell, but not today.

Currently

Reading: Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

Once I picked this book up I had a hard time putting it down. The story is of Denver Moore, a modern day slave who escapes life on a plantation in Louisiana in the 1960's. Through a seires of events he ends up homeless in Fort Worth, Texas, where he meets Ron Hall, a wealthy art dealer, and his wife, Debbie. Debbie senses that God has a strong calling on Denver's life,  even though he is very cold and bitter. Through love and persistense she and Ron befriend him, eventually leading him to Christ. Denver goes on to become a very influential man, stirring revival in the city.

Woven throughout this story is love and redemption. It deals with rasicism and poverty and homelessness (and it might even change your response to these issues). It deals with sickness and death too, and how even through heartbreak and pain new and abundant life can happen.

"The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless - just workin our way toward home."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a riveting and inspiring read.

Note: This book was courtesy of BookLookBloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.

Loving: The winter sky. We usually can't see the sunset from our house, but last week we were able to catch a glimpse of it. Amazing! In winter everything seems more clear and crisp, the colors more vivid, the contrast more stark.

Dreaming: Always.

Wishing: To travel again, anywhere really. The thrill of travel isn't easily matched by any other thrill I've found.

Thinking About: How I should probably start planning for that garden I am hoping to plant this spring. It's on my 23 before 24 list, so I really can't back out of this one. I have a long-ish list of things that I want to grow. I'm already excited about fresh summer squash and juicy tomatoes and spicy peppers. Yum!

Listening: To this song, again and again and again.

Watching: Nothing at the moment. Any recommendations? What are your favorite movies or TV shows? I tend to be ADD / ADHD when it comes to anything that requires sitting for long periods of time, so I can't promise that I'll actually follow through with watching anything.

Trying: To start some sort of weekly menu plan to get out of this cooking funk I've been stuck in. In the winter all I want is a big bowl of hearty soup, but the men I'm feeding are getting tired of soup... I'm sort of scared I ruined their appreciation for soup completely, I've made it so often.

HIIT like a Girl

Confession: I cannot stand reading fitness blogs (expect Laces and Lattes, which I read regularly) or following trainers on Instagram. The same goes for raw/vegan/natural foodies. So, if you're like me, stop reading this post immediately, because I'm talking about fitness and personal training.

Consider yourself warned.

I am a runner.

I have been since fourteen or fifteen, when I participated in a summer challenge with Brio Magazine. (Were any of you avid Brio readers too?) The challenge focused on various aspects of life - spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical. I don't remember specifics, but I believe that we were required to workout at least 30 minutes, five days per week. I biked and swam and went hiking too, but before the summer was up I was hooked, running was my thing, it's been my thing ever since.

I absolutely love it. In fact, the name of this blog, Come What May, was inspired from 2 Samuel 18:23, which states, "He said, 'Come what may, I want to run.' So Joab said, 'Run!'"

To me, running is how I clear my mind and unwind, it adds a bit of routine to daily unscheduled schedule. I love the burning sensation deep in my lungs after I push myself especially hard and the runners high, that second wind you sometimes get, after you've hit exhaustion, thinking there was nothing more to give.

I like run with Carson and our dog, Rambo. I like to run with my faithful running friend, Amanda. I like to run with Herm. I like to run alone.

Yes, running is my thing, and I hope it always will be. Recently though, I've incorporated a few other things into my routine and it has been fun and rewarding.

I was looking for other ways to workout last winter, because the weather was unusually harsh. Often it was far too cold and windy out, especially considering that I had an infant with me most of the time. I was training for the Seneca7 though, so I was determined that on days were I couldn't get out, I would workout hard inside.

My goal was to increase my speed and endurance, so I added the following:

Kettlebells with Ryan Shanahan  //   This is an intense full-body work out. I use a 30 lbs kettlebell because it's what I have, but if I had it to do over again, I would purchase 20 lbs or lighter. There are several moves that I can't do well because of the weight. I am pretty sure doing the workout with less weight would actually be more beneficial overall.

HIIT with Fitness Blender  //  This has become one of my all time favorites because of how intense the training is. In 20 minutes I can be completely finished with the routine and be completely exhausted, but there are longer routines if you prefer that. As a mom, I like to make it short and to the point so that I can get on with my day.

Yoga Melt Down with Jullian Michaels  //  This is great for strength and flexibility. Herm tells me that yoga is only stretching and cannot be considered a workout... but I have a feeling that if he tried it, it really wouldn't be as easy as he thinks it is.

Also, being a fitness coach of some sort would be a dream job for me. If I ever get that chance, I'd like to be focused, like Jillian, and yell at all of my clients.  "If you want to see results, you've got to BRING IT!"

XHIT Daily  //  I love XHIT because I can choose what I was to focus on, say legs or abs, and add a short 7-10 minutes segment to the end of another workout or if all I have is 7-10 minutes that day, I can still benefit. No excuses.

I don't have a particular order for this routine - I try to run at least three times per week, then use the other days to do one or more of the videos above. It doesn't always happen and that's okay, but I definitely feel better about myself and more productive and energized on the days where I do workout.

"And remember, great abs are made in the kitchen! It doesn't matter how hard you workout, if you aren't fueling your body properly, you won't see great results." -Sarah, the yelling fitness coach

What are your favorite ways to stay fit? I'd love to hear them!

Poached Eggs on Toast

The summer of 2013 was pretty crazy. Herm was working to establishing a branch of Keystone Custom Decks here in New York. In between jobs here, he would head to Pennsylvania for work. The branch down there was booked full and so glad to have him on the crew. 

I was working at a local cafe and cleaning for several families. When I could, I would go along with Herm to PA for the week, but most of the time I just stayed back. 

I know I have said it before, cooking isn't my first love. I do it out of necessity and love for my men. If I was single, my diet would be pretty bland and boring.

When Herm was working out of town for those many weeks that summer, I would make a big pan of baked oatmeal and eat that for breakfast and lunch every day. Supper would be a salad of some sort and maybe grilled chicken too.

But I was pregnant and my iron levels were on the lower side of safe, so my midwife told me to step of my game or I would have to eat liver. I was bound and determined that I would not eat liver, so I began to eat spinach. And lots of it! I ate it in salads, I drank it in smoothies. I threw it into soup and even thought about trying to make brownies with it. (Just kidding. I don't bake brownies.)

Because of my go-through-a-bag-a-day spinach habit, I came up with this recipe. I guess it isn't truly a recipe, more of a glimpse into how I now love to fuel my morning.

Ingredients:

     2 eggs

     2 slices whole grain bread

     2 sausage patties or slices of turkey bacon

     A large handful of baby spinach

     Feta Cheese

     Chipotle hot sauce

      Fresh cracked pepper to taste

I begin by adding about 2" of water to a small pan and bringing it to a gentle simmer. In the mean time I crack the eggs into separate ramekins and carefully tip it into the water once ready. While the eggs are cooking, about three minutes, I put whole grain bread into the toaster and warm the sausage patties on a small skillet. After the patties are hot, I throw a large handful of spinach into the skillet too and wilt it. 

To assemble, I layer the wilted spinach over buttered toast and add the sausage patty on top. Then I put the poached egg on top of it all, careful not to break the yolk. I like to crack pepper and crumble feta over the egg and sprinkle a bit of chipotle hot sauce too for extra flavor. 

Sometimes, when I am not in the mood for bread, I will make the same thing and serve it over a bed of quinoa instead. Either way, it's simple. It's delicious. And it's full of iron!

But you know what the part of eating this breakfast is? It's eating it with this sausage and egg lover.

Enjoy!

I've Moved

Please drop by www.sarahesh.com to visit the new house!

This move has been something I've been considering for a while, it was time. All of the previous posts and comments were carefully exported to a new site, although some shifting occurred, as always is the case with big moves, so please be gracious as the new home is organized and rearranged.

I have big hopes and dreams for this new home, and I just want you to know that you're welcome to stop by anytime!

All the best,

Sarah Esh

sarahesh.com

Hey Lonely Momma

Photo by Kate

I knew motherhood would completely change my life, but I don't really think that I realized just how much everything would change, how much my heart could love, how it would ache with love.

I anticipated the joy of watching a little one grow and discover the world, the joy, even more thrilling than I had imagined. What I wasn't expecting, though, was the loneliness. Motherhood in general, but especially new motherhood, can be entirely isolating.

My days that were once filled with co-workers and customers and conversation were now spent rocking and nursing a little one who didn't say a whole lot. And weekends that use to be sacred, saved for long distance runs and DIY dates with Herm, working on projects around the house, now looked just like the rest of the week, utterly mundane, one day blending into the next.

The loneliness I felt was mostly my own doing -- The effort that it took to go out shopping or for coffee with a friend felt almost overwhelming. Even more so now, to be honest, with an energetic toddler determined to explore the world alone. Conversations are constantly interrupted, and my focus is no longer on what the person is saying or feeling, but on what my child might be doing. -- I didn't put a whole lot into friendships because it felt so exhausting.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately, about the loneliness and the desire to seize life this year. Those two don't mix well, I need to create change. And the more I talk to other moms, the more I realize I'm not the only lonely one out there, so many other moms feel lonely and long for sisterhood too. I yearn for a community, a tribe of women, who get together to encourage and support each other. A tribe who, even after our kids are grown and on their own, and our lives start to fray in different directions, will still get together over coffee and pastries and share in the joys and sorrows of life.

Some days I think that it will get easier, the little ones will be able to clean their own noses and buckle seat belts and feed themselves, then I will have the energy to put more effort into friendship... I can hold out until then. But the truth is I can't hold out that long, I won't allow myself to. Right now, in the trenches of motherhood, is when I so desperately need friendship, the closer-than-hi-at-church-on-Sunday friends.

One day last week I set my to-do lists aside, baked some biscotti and made a fresh pot of coffee and invited a few other moms and maybe-someday-moms, who might also secretly be longing for a tribe in the trenches, over to drink coffee and eat biscotti around the warmth of the wood stove, kids running wild, while conversation and friendship happened. And it was so good.

Why don't I do this more? I will do this more. Seizing life means prioritizing relationships, initiating get-togethers, encouraging and supporting those around you. Twenty-fifteen is the year where I learn to seize life, but it won't just be for twenty-fifteen, no, this will be cultivated and grown year by year. This isn't a resolution, it's a lifestyle change.

If you are feeling lonely, I encourage you, do the same. Be the change you wish to see in your world.

Hey lonely Momma, there is a new kid in town, and if you ask, I bet his Momma is lonely too. Why not invite her over?

A Manly Meal

If tonight was the last chance you'd ever get to eat again, what meal would you choose?

Me: Something I didn't cook.

Herm: King crab legs, drizzled with a buttery garlicky sauce and a hint of fresh lime. Fettuccine Alfredo, rich and creamy and flavorful, loaded with mushrooms and shrimp. Oven roasted kale, lightly coated in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Wine, semi-sweet, a frosty Niagara or Riesling.

Perfect example of opposite attraction.

I married a man who loves gourmet food almost as much as he loves me. (I'm okay with that  now.) When he finds something he likes, he will still be raving about it weeks later, if he is especially fond of it, years later.

On one of our first dates he told me about his other love, King Crab Legs. He had a far away nostalgic sort of look in his eyes as he spoke. Even after we were engaged then married he still brought up the past. I made a mental note and saved it for later.

Later happened to be his thirty-third birthday.

A few weeks before that special day, I told my sister, Kate, of my plans and asked if she would help. We were going to make a kingly meal in celebrate of Herm's life. It would be a surprise.

Herm, however, had other plans and suggested that on his birthday we go finish our last minute Christmas shopping, grab Starbucks and people watch for a while. The mall around Christmastime is so delightful.

Frantic, I contacted Kate. If I set all of the ingredients out would you prepare the meal? She was willing.

Our afternoon was wonderful, strolling the mall, sipping lattes and soaking in the holiday cheer. Window shopping and newborn-parent-watching. Eventually we decided to call it a night and head home.

Why are the lights on? Herm asked me as we pulled into the drive. Oh, did I forget to tell you? Our chef is here, preparing dinner. 

We walked into a house smelling of garlic sauteed in butter, of crab and shrimp and all of Herm's favorite things.

The food was prepared, ready to plate. As we sat down to eat, our chef became babysitter, caring for Carson, our then three week old, so that we could enjoy the meal without interruption.

Every thing was fabulous, made to perfection. Herm thought so too, I know this because a year later he still raves about that meal.

His birthday is on the twenty-third, two days before Christmas. Again, he suggested we go finish up our last minute Christmas shopping and this time go out to dinner, we had a gift card to spend at Red Lobster. I willingly agreed to his plan, but just so you know, I will be doing a repeat of last years meal for you, probably sometime after Christmas... Which brings us to Thursday night.

After Carson went down for his nap, I began, whisking, melting, seasoning, and drizzling. Within 30 minutes the food was prepared and plated and Herm was talking again about last years meal and the first time he had king crab legs and how good this food was... And I, a wife who doesn't particularly enjoy preparing food, felt a bit of the joy and delight rub off on me too.

Yes, Herm has another love, and I'm okay with that.


Want to try this meal? The Fettuccine Alfredo was adapted from Pioneer Woman || Garlic Butter Baked Crab Legs came from Big Oven || This recipe is similar to what I did for the kale || And the best Finger Lakes wine is from "The Good Doctor"

Brown Sugar + Honey Body Scrub

I made this scrub for the first time as a young teenager. A zit had formed on my forehead, centered directly above my brows. In my mind, it was the size of a small Himalayan mountain, and I was going to do everything in my power to rid the pore of infection. I rubbed the scrub into my skin, good and hard, then applied a hot compress to the problem area. I had read that hot compresses work to draw out infection.

BAD IDEA.

I was left with an area even more red and twice as obvious. Within a day or so, there was a large crusty scab where once lived a small, almost invisible to the naked eye, zit.

However, ten years later, I am still making this scrub and using it regularly, although it doesn't often go anywhere near my face, especially not when hot compresses and zits are involved. 

If you are brave enough to try it, and I hope you are, please only use it as a body scrub. 

I keep a small container in the shower and often will apply it to my legs before shaving. It exfoliates, removing dead skin cells, allowing for a super close shave, leaving your skin hydrated and silky-smooth. It's especially wonderful in the winter, when skin starts to look dull and dry.

It also is a great gift! Simply put it into a pretty jar or container, add some ribbon and a tag and maybe send a bottle your favorite colored nail polish along too.

BROWN SUGAR + HONEY BODY SCRUB

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:  Combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Store in an airtight container for up to three months.

To Use:  Apply a small amount to damp skin, rub in a circular motion. Rinse off and moisturize as usual. Use 1-2 times per week for soft, glowing skin.

You Know You're a Frazzled Mom If...

• You leave the house for the day, only to realize, after you are nearing your destination, that you only painted the fingernails on your right hand dark red; the left hand is still naked. 

• You drink your morning cup of coffee from an insulated travel mug, because sometimes it really does take three hours to drink it, and you'd prefer it sort of warm.

• Things like grocery shopping and clothing shopping alone feel like a dreamy fairy tale.

• And speaking of clothing shopping: Why do most dressing rooms have a door that doesn't come all the way down to the floor? Architects are smart people, you'd think they would realize that the 18" gap is the perfect escape route for an active toddler. If the toddler does manage to escape, most times the mother coming out after him/her is more likely to be dressed skimpy-beach-appropriate and less likely to be street ready.

• Nap-time is the golden hour. In theory you might dream of that book that has been taking you weeks to finished and the final sips of coffee left in your travel mug, but in reality you will be whizzing around the house like a mad-woman, dusting, laundry, workout, shower... you get the picture.

• All of your momma friends proudly talk about how their children sleep from 7pm - 9am regularly, and how two hour naps twice a day is the norm. You smile and act happy for them, but secretly you want to punch them in the face because you are still a late night watering hole and naps are a thing of the past for your energetic toddler. 

• The five second rule doesn't count. My child is eating dirt? Okay... it's sort of organic.

• Your toddler is under the impression that a tooth brush and a toilet brush can both serve the same purpose. Pearly white all around.

• You can't figure out why you literally keep getting your panties all in a bunch. Halfway through the day you realize that they are on backwards. Strange things happen when you get dressed in the dark, desperate not to wake your still sleeping child.

• You suffer from Shower Schizophrenia: The constant belief that you can hear your child crying while you're trying to take a shower.

• Everyone tells you that first time parents are way over protective, but what is really true is that grandparents, first time or seventh time, are worse.

• A grandma day means that you go back home and do some deep cleaning, finished the laundry, go for a super quick run, and rush through a leg-shaving session before going back to grandma's to reunite with your child, because even though days are crazy and often you dream about having 10 minutes of alone time, the truth is this: when you aren't with your toddler, you miss the craziness and the messes they create and the noise and the slobbery wet kisses.

Yes, some days are super crazy and others are just plain crazy, but the clutter and the mess show us that life is being lived. Believe it or not, even with my type A everything-must-be-clean-and-orderly personality, I find so much joy in this chaos. Frustration too, certainly. But the joy and the magic of watching a young one discover the world, day by crazy day, is so thrilling.

Hi, I'm Sarah and I love being a frazzled mom.