Sweetness to the Core

Somewhere along the way we stop thinking of dandelions as beautiful yellow flowers worth stopping to pick and carry home to mommy and we start looking at them as a very undesirable addition to an otherwise beautiful patch of grass.

I often times think that the way someone looks at a dandelion says more about how old they are than what their true age is. The question is, when does this change occur?

When does ones view of a dandelion change?

Is there anyway I can keep my sweet girl from reaching this unknown point? I can't describe the joy it gives me to see her excitement over discovering a perfect yellow dandelion amongst the grass. The way she smells it over and over and genuinely sees it's beauty is truly unadulterated innocence. Loving a dandelion is sweetness to the core.

I adore receiving the little puff of bright yellow from Monkeys' sweet little hands. What a gift it is. What a gift she is.

Out With the Old?

While pregnant with Monkey it never occurred to me to buy anything used. The thought never crossed my mind.

In fact I have the tendency of being a bit of a perfectionist. I might have wanted everything to be just so.

I might have said that I wanted a certain green plaid pack n' play even though there was a pack n' play in the exact same brand and style but a different fabric that was less expensive.

I might have decided that the travel system with browns and creams online was much better than the one with brown and green in a store down the street from my home.

I might have thought that I needed all those "things" that every magazine, store ad and commercial said I needed.

It didn't take long after Monkey was born for me to realize that I didn't need all this "stuff" and in most cases if I did need it I didn't need it brand spanking new. Really who needs a bouncy seat, a swing, a rocking chair, a high chair, and a booster seat? Who cares what fabric is covering my pack n' play as long as it works?(although I do love my pretty green pack n' play, Thanks Grams!)

There are a lot of products that I had no idea I would love or need so much, usually these were products that I found out about from other moms and not the endless magazine ads and articles, book lists, and store registries. Moms know what they are talking about.

I kicked myself for a while for the amount of waste that my ignorance had fostered. Buying that brand new stroller meant a nice slightly used one was left sitting in a consignment shop, someones garage or in the dump. Let's not even mention the money that could have been saved.

Consumerism and status drive so much of what we do. Who cares if your stroller is so 2001, it shouldn't matter as long as it get your baby safely from point A to point B right? Well for some people I guess it does matter, after all it mattered to me and I would be lying if I said that at times it doesn't get to me now. However, I would definitely recommend looking past the older look of a used item to see if it does the job it is needed for. After all, most people are looking at the adorable little baby in the stroller and not the stroller itself!

It took me some time to learn that consignment shops, garage sales and Craigslist were the place to shop for quality items and save money. It makes me feel better to know that some of Monkey's things have made their way to new families and new babies. I am glad to know that not all first time moms make the same mistake that I did.

Lesson learned: New does not automatically equal better.

So what do you think, in your eyes is newer really better?

My Little Spot

When the neighbors AC unit finally stops running my backyard sure is a nice quite and cozy place to be. The view from my glider is just perfect.

I love sitting and reading or spending time with Luke after Monkey is in bed in a spot surrounded but trees, flowers and my garden full of veggies that help to feed my family.

I told you about my stone shaping and piecing skills and some of you wanted pictures (probably to verify that I wasn't exaggerating my natural born ability with rock, hammer and chisel), well I present to you the proof...

When we started work on our backyard my only hope was to make it more usable. Because it is so small I wanted every inch to have a purpose.

So we now have more garden space,

a nice shaded seating area,

a place for some splish-splashing fun,

and some nice little flower beds for me to fill with colorful plants (and try to keep them alive).
I am so excited because our yard is turning into the yard we pictured when we first started planning our task. There is still more to be done such as a couple of side table for the glider, a little slide for a little open shady spot we have and some plantings in a few of the open areas we have left. I am already formulating plans to expand my garden space for next year and Luke is already trying to make sure that I don't start tearing out the grass to make way for corn stalks, onions, carrots, pumpkins or more tomatoes.

But, I sure am happy to have my own little quite place to sit and think and spend time with my family...especially when the neighbors AC unit finally stops running.

Booty Shakin'

My friends and I used to make mix CD's with all of our favorite (of the moment) songs that would travel with us in our cars, into the house while we were getting ready to go out, and really anywhere else music could go.


It is interesting how a song can transport me to different times and emotions and before I know it I am left the present and am co-piloting my best friends car or sharing a mirror with 6 other girls trying to get ready for the night out.

Take tonight for example. Luke is off having a guys weekend at the cabin so I pulled out a few random CD's from way back when with the intention of doing a little reminiscing while getting a few things done and dedicating some time to writing here.

Well once those long forgotten tunes came out of the speakers I was transported back to my days of dancing late into the night with my girlfriends complete with booty shakin' and all. All other plans came to a stand still as I danced around the room remembering when staying out later than 9:00pm was normal.

It's a good thing that Luke wasn't home tonight because I had a blast dancing around living room with no one watching. We'll call it my workout and a walk down memory lane. After all, I worked up a sweat while listening to the songs that were literally my soundtrack at one time or another. The only thing missing was my girls.


Well, that and the cute clothes. Lets face it I would never have gone out in my mismatched pink plaid pajama pants and old orange t-shirt.

Oh and the make-up. Greasy face was not dancing attire either.

Let's not forget the styled hair, instead of the wash and wear 'do I am sporting today.

But besides that it was exactly the same.

Kind of.

Sort of.

Maybe a little.

Hey, I shook my booty just the same. That counts right?

A Years Difference - A Thousand Words Thursdays

A years difference...
from walking to crawling
from drinking formula out of a bottle to drinking hot chocolate out of a cup
from chewing on sticks to chasing after animals...
Yep, a year sure does make a difference.

For more ATWT visit Jen.

Small-Batch Triple Chocolate Cookies

Luke has a guys weekend coming up so I have used it as an excuse to bake. Thankfully Luke's friends have quite a sweet tooth. So today was a small batch cookie baking extravaganza in my kitchen, Triple Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies (with added goodies: peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts.), and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Tomorrow will be bread and granola bars, but today it was all about the cookies.

Meet the newest small batch recipe in town:

Triple Chocolate

These little bad boys are delicious. De. lic. ious.

I found the recipe for Chocolate Toffee Cookies in a great cook book called Small-Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos and then made a few ingredient changes to suite my needs and that is how the Small Batch Triple Chocolate Cookie was born.

Ingredients:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine chocolate and butter in a small microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute, then stir till chocolate is smooth. Set mixture aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a small bowl mix the flour baking powder and salt.

in medium bowl beat the sugar and butter on high speed using a hand held mixer until mixture is thick and pale. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Using low speed beat in the flour mixture just until mixed. Using spoon stir in white chocolate and semi-chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 20-30 minutes or until firm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once dough is firm scoop by the tablespoonful onto the parchment baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until the tops look dry and cracked but the cookies are soft to the touch, about 21-23 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from oven and slide parchment onto wire rack to allow cookies to cool. Let cookies cool completely before using a metal spatula to lift them off the paper.

As always let me know what you think!

Other Evolving Mommy recipes you might enjoy:

• Small-Batch Brownies
• Small-Batch White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies
  
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Team

Yesterday I asked the question if there was a difference between Only and Single when it came to parenting. In other words if your spouse takes care of the family financially and you do everything else is it fair to compare yourself to a single parent, even though you never have to worry about contributing a dime to the family finances.

The responses I got, although only a few, seemed to run the gamut, but the one that got me thinking was what my good friend Blissmum had to say:

I know financial support is a big thing, especially if you are a stay at home mom but the one thing we probably all take for granted is, just having someone by your side to share in the bod times and the good.

Luke works hard. He works long hours and he brings in a good portion of our income. I know that I am incredibly lucky. Not only does Luke provide financially for our little family he also does things around the house. Besides nightly dishes, and taking out the trash he is also very involved in taking care of my daughter. The minute he walks in the door from work he hands himself over to Monkey as a play gym, a story reader, block tower builder, silly face artist or whatever other activity Monkey is in the mood for. He also tucks her in every single night. Every. Single. Night.

So yes when he is gone I feel it, and Monkey feels it. A big chunk of our day is missing. When he is home I think I do take for granted that he is there to be by my side on the good days and the tough ones too. Ans honestly I think that is where the biggest challenge comes from when he is gone. When I read Blissmum's comment I realized that I had missed a big point yesterday. Single parent's do not only have to care for their children on their own but they also have to care for themselves on their own.

Lesson learned: I am lucky. I know that. Could I be a single mom? If it came down to it, but I can't imagine going along on this journey on my own, without my partner, my best friend, and my teammate. I am glad that single parent is not one of my many titles, for more reasons than one.

Is There a Difference Between Only and Single?

In the last couple of months Luke has been traveling a lot for work. It has been challenging. I know that there are many families that have one spouse/parent on the road a lot so I am not looking for sympathy.

I say Luke's time away is challenging because with him gone we all have to rework our routine. We all have to do things differently. We talk on the phone instead of seeing each other face to face. Monkey and I end up eating easy meals at home and I cook a lot less while Luke eats out for every meal. All the little things Luke does around the house fall on my shoulders while he is stuck in a hotel room and living out of a suitcase in a very boring city.

I recently overheard someone saying that they knew that they would do fine as a single parent because they do just fine taking care of their children on their own while their spouse is traveling for work. This statement caught me off guard. Honestly it really bothered me, because this person was a stay at home parent while their spouse is the financial provider for the family.

Even when Luke is away I am not a single parent. I am lucky to stay home with my daughter and although I am the only one taking care of her while Luke is gone, I still have a partner in parenting. If being a single parent was only about one individual taking care of their children and home then maybe this person would do fine at going it alone if it came down to it, but I just don't think it is. I don't have to stress about going to work outside of the home, making sure that I am earning enough money on my own to pay the bills, and daycare on top of taking care of Monkey by myself. I know that I would not be able to stay at home with Monkey if I were a single parent.

I have a feeling that I don't even know the beginning of being a single parent and that this other parent doesn't either. I feel the difference in what is required of me as a mom when Luke is away and I am on duty from sun up to sun down. It is a challenge, but I know that even while I am the only parent present I am definitely not a single parent. Because even though I can' imagine my life without my husband I also I know that life as I know it would not exist without him.

Like I said, I have never had to be a single parent, I have never lived in a home with a single parent either so I may be way off in my assessment. It just seemed that this person missed a big part of the total picture when they seemed to be bragging that they felt they didn't really need their spouse even though they did not contribute to the families finances.

I know that it is not my business really and I am making a judgment about another person but am I wrong? Is being a single parent something less than I am thinking?

Did You Know I am a Self-Taught Stone Mason?

We started out spring this year planning out the big changes that were to take place in our yard. Now let me say that our yard is tiny, it would just about fit inside my living room. No, I'm not making that up, I have measurements to prove it! Since our yard is so small any change is a big change.

When we moved in the yard was landscaped, but not in a way that works for a woman who loves gardening and a toddler who loves running. We leveled the mounded "beds" that surrounded our jelly bean shaped lawn, made brick planters around our three trees (I know, what were those people thinking to put 3 threes in our super small backyard), added another garden space to make more room for my veggie garden, and fixed the sprinkler. Then we laid a flagstone patio. Really Luke got the sand in place and I laid a flagstone patio. Apparently my husband is easily frustrated by things resembling puzzles. So I spent my free time hauling huge pieces of rock around and tweaking my back trying to make pieces of rock that are sometimes angular and sometimes rounded, sometimes huge and sometimes small, fit together. I even used a mallet and chisel. I am like a flagstone whisperer. What can I say, I have a gift.

Our goal was to have it all done before our trip to Chicago. Um, yeah that did not happen. Then Our goal was the end of May...fail. Then June 13th. Then June 28th.

We finally accomplished our goal of a finished backyard, it only took us a month and a half longer than planned. Which is amusing considering the size of the space in question.

We can finally eat dinner outside and enjoy our awesome view because our patio is no longer covered in piles of river rock, flagstone, sand, bricks and mulch. And the best thing of all, sitting on our lovely flagstone patio is a lovely two person glider that just so happens to fit my two favorite people and me.

So not only can we eat dinner enjoying Colorado's beautiful sunsets we can also follow up our meals with some family time on the glider.

For instance tonight after finishing off our plates of sausage and veggie pasta and garlic bread we walked the few feet to the glider and hung out together. Eventually Luke and Monkey decided to play around in the grass and I got to enjoy watching my husband and daughter have a blast "tackling" and rolling around on the grass...until the sprinklers suddenly came on and they got soaked. I have never seen Luke move so quickly or monkey shriek with so much delight to suddenly be in the middle of such an event. Let just say she used the opportunity to have some impromptu fun in the water and was soaked by the time we went in side.

It doesn't matter that my backyard is so small because it sure does hold a lot of love.

Evolving Mommy's Kitchen: My Top 10 Freezer Must Have's

In the past week you have gotten to peek inside of my refrigerator, and pantry and seen what some of my must haves are. Today I present to you, in no particular order, my Top 10 Freezer Must Haves:

1. Peas: I am a big time pea lover. Big. Time. Frozen peas have a much better flavor than canned peas so I try to have some on hand to add to pastas, soups, stews and as a quick side dish.
2. Corn: Frozen corn is awesome. (I actually like to eat straight out of the freezer, its sweetness makes it like a little frozen treat.) I add frozen corn to just about anything, slow cooker meals, pasta, soup, stew, pizza (yes I said pizza), and breads.
3. Spinach: I love spinach in my scrambled eggs, meatloaf, pasta, soups, stews, meat sauces, and more. By adding a little bit of frozen chopped spinach to whatever I am cooking I get a nice touch green and health benefits too!
4. Pumpkin: Remember my Pumpkin Week last October? If you like pumpkin you should check out my yummy pumpkin recipes here.
5. Sliced Mixed Peppers and Onions: frozen sliced peppers and onions are perfect for throwing into a last minute stir fry or sauce.
6. Chicken
7. Ground Beef
8. Bread: I usually bake a bread two loaves at a time so that there is always loaf in the freezer for those weeks when I just don't get around to baking.
9. Bananas: Banana bread. Enough said.
10. Berries: Usually blueberries, sometimes raspberries or strawberries.

Evolving Mommy's Kitchen: My Top 11 Refrigerator Must Have's

You have seen my Top 20 Pantry Must Haves so the time has come to unveil my Top 11 Refrigerator Must Haves. I know 11 is an odd number but it's my list and I just could not leave one of these items off.

These are the basics that I try to have on hand at all times. Having these items in the refrigerator makes throwing delicious meals together much easier. With the items on the following list, along with the items from my pantry and freezer, I know I have tons of options for healthy and flavorful meals not to mention delicious baked goods.

1. Jalapenos: We like fresh but we also try keep pickled jalapenos on hand too.
2. Salsa: We go through a lot of salsa in our house. Besides all of the normal options for salsa such as tacos and quesadillas, salsa is great on eggs, potatoes, chicken, and mixed in black beans.
3. Cheese: Sharp Cheddar is a great for slicing and shredding. A nice crumbled cheese like feta, blue cheese or goat cheese is also nice to have around to toss in omelets, salads, and pasta.
4. Plain Yogurt
5. Milk
6. Real Butter: If I am going to use butter I prefer the real stuff.
7. Eggs
8. Applesauce: We go through a lot of applesauce as a snack in our house but applesauce is also one of my favorite go to baking ingredients. I add it to breads, cookies, snack bars, cakes, pancakes and more. I make sure to buy the no sugar added varieties because for one apples are sweet enough on their own and for two I like to control the amount of sugar in my baking.
9. Natural Peanut Butter: I love natural peanut butter. Nothing but peanuts and salt, just the way it should be. Natural peanut butter should be kept in the refrigerator and in my humble opinion tastes best without added oils such as palm oil, I would rather have to stir my peanut butter the first time I open it than have the flavor of palm oil in my peanut butter.
10. Flax Seed Meal: There is rarely a baked good that I do not add flax to. Besides the fiber and omega-3's flax has a nice slightly nutty flavor. A tablespoon or two of Flax is great in breads, cookies, cakes, oatmeal, pancakes, pizza crust and more.
11. Yeast: We go through a lot of yeast so I buy it in large packages which can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

So go ahead lay it on me, what foods do you always keep stocked in your refrigerator?

When Good Days Go Bleh

Sometimes things just don't come together right.

Sometimes days just don't work out the way I planned.

Take today for instance. It was not my worst day on record and really it wasn't all that bad but I can't help but feel disappointment when I think about it.

I couldn't get myself out the door on time this morning and our exciting plan of playing in the fountains for playgroup were dashed when for some reason the fountains were not running today.

My pizza dough refused rise and at the last minute I realized that I had used the last of the mozzarella a few days back. Sometimes I suck at things that I usually kick butt at. Why is that?

Monkey decided to take quite a nap and we were late for the second time today. I can't plan for what that kid will do, I don't know why I even try.

Talking to Luke today about his day I could hear the stress and exhaustion in his voice, which is hard when it comes through the phone. How am I supposed to hug the stress out of him and feed him to squash the exhaustion?

My point is that rough days happen. Today did not go as planned but that does not mean that tomorrow won't. Just because my pizza was not what I had planned does not mean that my pizza making days are over (although the recipients of my pizza-fail might wish that were the case). And even though Luke is feeling the stress of his job while working the night away in a hotel room in Indiana after working the day away in a conference room, I am sure that his day will be better when he can wake up in his own bed.

I guess I can't guarantee that tomorrow will be better but for tonight at least I have chocolate.

Evolving Mommy's Kitchen: My Top 20 Pantry Must Haves

I like to cook and bake and chop and mince. You knew that right? There are certain foods and ingredients that I consider must haves in my kitchen. These items are the things I know I can always find in my cupboards, refrigerator, drawers and freezer. They are my go to items. I know that in a pinch I can count on them to pull out a win in the kitchen, or a yummy meal... Same thing.

Since I share so many of my recipes here I thought I would go ahead and share my must have ingredients. I have broken them into three categories: Pantry/Cupboard, Refrigerator and Freezer. Along with the items I have thrown in some tidbits about why I like to have them hand. Now these are MY basics and I know that not every family has the same tastes we do but hopefully these lists will give you an idea of where to start in your kitchen. You won't find spices on these lists although hopefully in the future I can put together some sort of spice show and tell.

Since becoming a mom it has become even more important to have the ingredients on had to throw together a healthy and satisfying meal quickly. At the end of the series I hopefully will be able to point you in the direction of some meals that are made super easy when you have the basics on hand.

So, meet my top 20 pantry must haves...


1. Nuts/seeds: almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds. I don't always have all of these varieties but I always have at least one of them to add to baked goods, stir frys, trail mixes and granola.
2. Dried Fruit: raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries. Because I have a toddler and a snack loving husband we always have at least raisins or dried cranberries. Dried apricots are a treat but any of the three are perfect for trail mixes and baking.
3. Chocolate Chips: Cookies, cakes, pancakes, breads, you name it chocolate chips just might make it taste even better!
4. Whole Wheat Flour
5. Unbleached All Purpose Flour
6. Brown Rice
7. Quick Cooking Oats
8. Barley
9. Whole Wheat Pasta: We usually have a few kinds on hand but in general we are a fork pasta loving family so we have a lot of pastas like penne and rigitoni.
10. Beans: black, kidney, white beans (great northern or cannelini), pinto, garbanzo. I keep a can or two of all of these on hand to add to soups and stews, make as sides, or make into dips and spreads.
11. Canned Tuna
12. Jarred/Canned Tomato: whole, crushed and diced tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce. Spaghetti sauce, soups, stews and pizzas wouldn't happen without these guys.
13. Low Sodium Chicken Stock
14. Garlic
15. Onion: Usually white or yellow but I am a big fan of red too.
16. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
17. Soy Sauce
18. Hot Sauce
19. Worcestershire Sauce
20. Honey: Honey is the perfect sweetener for just about anything. It has a great rich flavor and it is all natural to boot. I use it in breads, marinades, cookies, and more.

Okay so there are my top 20 pantry must haves. Now it is your turn to share. What are some of your pantry must haves?

How a Potty Can Make Me Happy, and a Little Sad

**As a disclaimer the words poop and potty may appear several times in this post, don't worry it isn't messy or gross. Feel lucky next time I may not warn you.**

On our way home from the grocery store today a certain little girl of mine called up to me from her seat "Mom, I wanna poop."

So of course I asked her if she had pooped or needed to poop. There is a difference after all. If she has pooped then she needs a new diaper as soon as I pull in the driveway. If she needs to poop than well, she needs to poop. Wow, I just looked back and I have already typed some form of the word poop 7 times. Anyway. Since we are not really potty training or even working on potty training I went with the she pooped and needs a new diaper option and told her we would get her a new diaper when we got home in less then two minutes.

So we pulled into the garage and headed inside for a new diaper. Once inside she kept asking for her potty so I steered her towards the bathroom thinking that I would get the stinky diaper off and clean her up and let her sit on her potty.


Well, there was no poop in the diaper but when she sat on the potty she sure did pee. She looked up at me smiling and exclaimed "I did it, Mommy. I did it!" With all the pride written all over her face it was obvious to see this is exactly what she had been planning since she first announced to me that she wanted to poop. Even if her verbiage was a little off.

Now I am not naive. I know that Monkey has not magically potty trained herself this afternoon and that it will most likely be a long while before she is free of diapers. I also know that this is the exception and not the rule and that she may not even so much as look in that potty chairs direction for months after tonight.

The thought of having a potty trained daughter, although exciting, is not exactly what is weighing on me tonight as she sleeps.

My little girl is growing up. I know, this is not a new thing but today was filled with little things hitting me over the head over and over again proving that she is not a baby anymore. There were her feet hanging out of her suddenly little crib this morning, the discussion over which shoes she wanted to wear, the imaginative play with her water bottle and the little people toys and her hand, the way she held my hand in the parking lot without complaining, and the way she told me she was ready to go to bed and rest tonight. Then to top it all off there was my little girl loudly proclaiming, in not so many words, that although she had a perfectly good diaper on her cute little tush she was not interested in anything but the potty.

I know she is going to grow up. I know that. I guess the hardest thing is feeling overwhelmingly excited about where she is headed and aching for where she has been. I guess figuring out how to balance those feelings is a part of evolving as a mother because I am pretty sure I will be feeling this same way on her first day of kindergarten, the day she gets her drivers license and her first job, and the day she leaves my little nest to take on the world from her own home. Just to mention a few.

So does anyone have any advice for how to evolve into the mother who handles these changes with ease?

Alone Time

It was haircut night for me last night which means that it was also my night out of the house by myself. I usually have my haircut scheduled for the last slot open so that I can feed Luke and Monkey and then I head out for a little bit of pampering and me time.

After the hair cut I hit the town. Sometimes I go to a bookstore and ogle books, sometimes I head to Target and do some quality wandering without having to chase Monkey around and stop her from pulling every piece of clothing off of every rack. Other times I hit up one of our many local coffee shops and hang with my laptop all by myself.

I like the me time I get in those couple of hours. Even though I miss bedtime with Monkey and relaxing with Luke, every once in a while I just need to be out of the house surrounded by a ton of other people that I don't have to say a word to. I like the time to just be alone in my head.

Last night the laptop and I head to a coffee shop with wifi and a patio to hang. I had my ear buds in listening to Andrew Bird, who as you will remember me mentioning I love, and I was enjoying every single second of the night.

Until... two ladies seat themselves at the table next to me and then proceed to light up their cigarettes and smoke like chimneys for the next hour. About 45 minutes into my "me-time" the rain starts coming down. Honestly it wasn't the rain that bothered me it was the guy that seated himself at MY table instead one of the others that were also covered by the awning and proceeded to hit on me over and over and over again. Um, besides the fact that I have a ring on a certain finger and ear buds in my ears which automatically signal that I don't want to talk, how many times do I have to give you short, curt answers while barely looking away from my computer before you will get the point? Yes, I am happily married thanks, now go away!

Anyways, by then my battery was on its last legs so I packed up and headed home. I should have just come home and relaxed on my newly finished patio, where there are zero smokers and the only guy hitting on me would have been the same guy I wake up to every morning.

Maybe next time I head out for some Catherine-only time I'll just stay in my car, at least the crazies won't be able to get to me there.

I really am a nice person, I promise...just don't mess with the few minutes I get by myself for Pete's sake!