Blue Apron. Is it for you?

There’s no shortage of meal preparation services that have popped up over the last year.  The concept is great for a variety of home cooks including beginners, busy professionals or empty nesters.

I’m a proficient home cook, and I cook most nights so this concept intrigued me- someone else would plan the meal and give me all the ingredients?  YES!  

I was given a free trial by a friend already participating and decided to give it a try- after all, being free, what did I have to lose?  

So here are my take aways:

Reasons I love:

1. I cook food I normally wouldn’t cook= broadening our horizons.  I rarely will choose a chicken recipe because I cook A LOT of chicken so instead I choose the seafood dishes, vegetarian and beef recipes.  For four people, you get a choice of four entrees from which to choose two.  If I don’t like any of the choices, I simply choose the “skip” option.
2. Everything you need comes with the recipe.  I love not having to hunt through the pantry for the flour and the spices or going to the garden to cut the herbs.  It’s easy to organize myself because everything is there, all proportioned out.  A huge time saver, in my opinion.
3. Cheaper than going out.  During the week, we will go out more out of convenience than entertainment.  I’m either tired, got home late or don’t have the ingredients on hand and don’t want to hit the grocery store.  Yes, I still have to cook, but it’s much easier when everything is on hand with easy to follow directions.  A four-person meal $34.50, which equates to $8.60/person.  There’s no way we would get a comparable meal out for that price.  
4. Great customer service.  I have loved every meal I’ve received with the exception of a shrimp dish.  I had put the shrimp in the freezer after I opened my box, but when they defrosted, I discovered they had gone bad.  I emailed their customer service and was immediately credited for the entire meal.  No hassle.  No questions.
   

For novice cooks, there are a few things that you will need to make your experience more enjoyable:

1. Olive oil  Most recipes call for this oil to cook with.
2. A good and sharp knife.  While you do receive everything you need, many items still need to be chopped or sliced.
3. Nesting bowls.  I have a set of 10 nesting bowls that make cooking the meal a breeze.  I put my chopped items in the bowls, and when I’m ready to cook, everything is right there.
4. A good, non stick pan

Things to Watch Out For

1. This is a weekly plan but you can “skip” a week.  But you need to be on top of it or you’ll receive meals you didn’t want.  I visit the app about every two weeks and I can be ahead of the curve.  There is often 4-6 weeks of  meals posted at any given time so you can really plan ahead.  

If you’re interested in trying this, it’s easy to find a “free trial” offer either through a fellow user (message me if you’re interested) or visit the website (www.blueapron.com) or Groupon.  

Happy Cooking!

This Time... It was me

Over the years, my husband and sons have provided me with a lot of quality material for me to write about and share with readers.  I've written about their hobbies (Married to a MAMIL), their forgetfulness (It Started as a Lesson) and them leaving home (I'm Leaking).

And much to their delight, I now have a story to share about me.

It started with an interview I needed to conduct for a local magazine.  The client is a custom wood carver and refinishes furniture.  I used Google Maps on my computer and had the directions sent to my phone for easy access.

The following day, I had placed an "in search of" ad in one of the local online garage sales, searching for a mattress and box spring for my son who is moving into an unfurnished home at college this fall. Once again, I used Google Maps to navigate and sent the link to my phone.  I purchased the mattress and box spring, and my husband and son planned on picking the items up the following evening.

When the time came for them to go, I forwarded the Google Map link to them.  Fifteen minutes later, I received a phone call.  It was from my husband.  "What is the address of the home with mattress? I'm at xxxx."

10 Minutes Prior to This Phone Call.... 

They arrive at a house, and someone is the garage, apparently waiting for them.  She started showing them the hand carvings and in particular a set of drawers.  My son and husband were impressed but perplexed by this tour.

"These carvings are beautiful," said my husband. "But we're really here to pick up the mattress."

"What mattress?"

"The mattress my wife purchased yesterday."

"I don't know anything about a mattress for sale."

That's when he called me.  I had sent them to the home of the client I had interviewed a few days prior.  She was out in the garage because she was expecting a potential customer around the same time that evening.

I sent the correct address, and they picked up that dang mattress.  My son said this was probably the most awkward thing he's ever experienced.

You're Welcome!

Brothers From Different Mothers

“For We Are Nothing Without Brotherhood” — We Came as Romans

Most of us have had friends who have come and gone.  Friendships are built on several foundations including trust, common interests and location. Unfortunately, if one of these foundations changes, often the friendship does as well. It’s hard to stay BFFs when you don’t live near each other anymore or share common ground such as college, children, etc.

My son has a birth brother, but he also has two friends who are brothers in every sense… just by different mothers.

Their friendship began in middle school when they met in football where they bonded over barrel rolls, 6 a.m. conditioning and several wins and losses.  

The first time I was introduced to the “other brothers,” the boys were in the 9th grade and on spring break.  They would run in and out of the house, usually shirtless, as they would go back and forth to the creek where they would fish and swim.

High school came and these three were thick as thieves.  They each experienced football injuries, girlfriends, lock-in football camp and other adventures I’m probably better off not knowing about.

When it came time to head to college, two “brothers” went to the same school and roomed together. The other “brother” was left to fend for himself at another school. This was a pivotal moment in these boys’ friendship.  Would they remain close or would they drift apart?

During college breaks, it was like they were never apart, and it did my heart good to make breakfast for the three amigos on more than one occasion when they were home.  

This past summer, my son’s friend severely cut his finger on a hedge trimmer while he and my son were doing a landscaping job.  My son called to tell me what happened and that he was taking his friend to the ER. The other “brother” was in our basement awaiting their return and when he learned of his friend’s accident, immediately flew out of the house to meet the other boys at the ER

Like blood brothers, they’ve had their disagreements, but they always resolve them.  It’s amazing to me to see three get along so well.  Typically, that doesn’t happen- someone is usually at odds with another.  

These three share a unique bond, one that I hope carries them into their post-college lives. I look forward to sharing all their milestones from college graduation to marriage to fatherhood.  

“Brother from Another Mother” — A friend that is so close he is like a brother, though obviously from another mother.

Boomerang

This time last year, I was an emotional wreck.  I was preparing to send my youngest son to college and with that loomed the EMPTY NEST.  After we took him to school, the ensuing months involved a roller coaster of ups and downs in regard to our child-free home life.  His visits home were anticipated and cherished, especially if my oldest son could spend time at home, too. But during those first few months, saying, “goodbye” just didn’t get any easier.  

But, I was promised by friends who had been through the same thing that in time, it does get easier.  And they were right.

There’s a saying, “Be careful what you wish for… you might just get it.”  

In June, I got it alright… both boys moved back home.

We expected the youngest one to move home, of course, because school was out for the summer. What we didn’t anticipate was a change in my oldest son’s circumstances, resulting in a U-Haul showing up at our house.  Since he was 19, he had lived on his own, but his roommates were going their separate ways when the lease was up.  He had a choice to move with one of the roommates, but it would have been further from his job and more money.  We all agreed that the smart thing would be to move home for a while and save some money.  

I was worried about my son not wanting to move home so I was actually shocked and pleasantly surprised when he admitted he was looking forward to it.  

Must be the home cooking :)

As much as my heart ached during the first few months of empty nesting, I adapted.  While some have a hard time adjusting to the quiet, I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed the house staying clean, the fridge staying full until the next shopping trip and uninterrupted time with my husband.

And now since June, I’ve had to adapt again, and it’s a mixed bag. On one hand, I now see my boys on almost a daily basis, and spending time with them is definitely different than the last time we were all under the same roof. They are more mature, bicker less with each other and sometimes empty the dishwasher without being asked!  But with a full house comes more mess, more groceries, more cooking and more full trash cans which seem to never get emptied except by my husband or me.

I know the empty nest will come again.  I know there will be a few tears when they leave… again.  But having gone through it once, I now know what to expect and what to look forward to on the other side.

This experience proves that parenting is a living, breathing animal.  When you settle into a new phase, like empty nesting, watch out, it can change in the blink of an eye!

It Started as a Lesson

It started as a lesson.

Growing up, each of my sons forgot items at home that they needed for school. Sometimes it was gym clothes, occasionally it was lunch, once in awhile it was a project. It happens. I would dutifully bring the forgotten item to their school on my way to work. No big deal.

For the most part, their forgetfulness was not a regular occurrence.

Until high school.

Something happens to the male teenage brain in high school- part of it stops working. The part of the brain that houses information on girls, sports, XBox codes and friends completely takes over, leaving the part of the brain that houses organization and tidiness empty.

One of my sons was more challenged than the other when it came to forgetting things at home.  A serial procrastinator, he never prepared for the next day the night before. He slept as late as he could and as a result, he tended to be a bit disorganized in the morning. Frequently, I would receive a text asking to bring this or that.  

HIs forgetfulness was becoming ridiculous  Something had to be done.

I could have refused to bring the forgotten item and let him suffer the consequences. But I had a better idea — Public Humiliation.  That sounded like much more fun.

Rather than simply dropping off the item in the office, I decided to deliver it with “love.”  I took a bag Ziplock bag and artfully decorated the outside.  I put hearts and wrote his childhood nickname along with, “Mommy Loves You” on it. I sealed the bag with curling ribbon in shades of pink and purple.  

 Problem solved.  He will NEVER forget anything again after receiving this.

If only….

Over the ensuing months, he continued to forget items, and each time, the item would arrive bedazzled.  Tennis shoes with unicorn stickers, a wallet wrapped in Sponge Bob wrapping paper, another Ziploc bag adorned with rainbow stickers and hearts.  He thought he was going to outsmart me and the bedazzling so when he left his football practice pants at home, he asked me to just drop them inside his truck because he “wouldn’t have time to run to the office.”  I obliged, but on the back of those pants sat a tiny little unicorn sticker.  

Eventually, the incidents of forgotten items slowed down, but never completely stopped. I know he hated sending those texts that he forgot something because he knew what was coming, even though he begged me NOT to bedazzle.  

Sorry son, you should be more organized.

He’s at college now, so needless to say, the days of him forgetting items and me rescuing him are over.  But the bedazzling is not.  It’s now our “thing.” He needed new pillow cases so on the package, I affixed the all-familiar unicorn sticker.  When I sent him his car tags in the mail, the envelope had “XXOO” and hearts on it.

It’s my way of saying, “I think about you… every day.  And every day…. I miss you.”

Married to a MAMIL

I am married to a MAMIL- no, not mammal… M.A.M.I.L. Middle Aged Man In Lycra.  I can’t take credit for this clever acronym, but because the acronym exists, it must mean there are a lot of us living with a  MAMIL.

A MAMIL is easy to spot.  He’s typically over 40, and his favorite form of exercise is the bicycle. His magazine selections consist of Bicycling, Bicycling Times, Road Bike Action and Men’s Health.  If he receives a bonus at work or a nice tax refund, his thoughts immediately turn to a new bike or bike accessories.  And one bike is never enough- a true MAMIL must have at least two bikes. MAMILs can be solitary animals, but can be found in packs at local cycle shops, gathering for “group rides.” And when you get MAMILs together, the talk will be about bikes, bike parts, how many miles they rode that week and the countdown to the Tour de France.

And like the name says, these MAMILs love their lycra.  Their outfits emulate those of professional cyclists - The brighter the better.  I’ve often responded to the following statement, “I saw your husband riding his bike today,” with an, “I’m sorry you had to see that.

My husband started his freefall into the land of MAMILs in his 30s.  He started his love of bike riding with mountain biking.  His first lycra purchase was a pair of baggy cycling shorts with a lycra lining. There was nothing embarrassing about that!

Then he discovered road biking, and everything changed.

He wanted to look the part and every Christmas and birthday, pieces of lycra would appear on his gift wish list.  I believe his inaugural lycra was a hand me down from a fellow MAMIL.  It was a bright red and white bib number.  I was horrified.  What started as one hand me down has turned into an entire drawer of shorts, bibs, leg and arm warmers, gloves and some sort of head band thing that helps with a sweaty head.

The MAMIL’s lifestyle has invaded almost every part of our home.  There are MAMIL shirts hanging on the back of the bathroom door, MAMIL food (protein powders, special vitamins and energy gels) in the cupboard and MAMIL water bottles and foam helmet inserts on the kitchen sink.

As if riding a bike and reading about riding a bike wasn’t enough, MAMILs also like to watch it on TV and worse, DVR various televised tours.  Even when he knows the results, my MAMIL likes to watch every stage of the Tour de whatever.

One would think that the bright MAMIL wear makes it easy to spot them on the road, but that’s not always the case.  This is why many will affix blinking lights to their helmet and /or seat backs.  It’s hard to believe, but not everyone appreciates sharing the road with MAMILs.  My MAMIL has almost been grazed by the side mirrors of cars, forced off the road by impatient or distracted drivers, chased by numerous dogs and even had Taco Bell hot sauce packets thrown at him.

Living with a MAMIL presents certain challenges, yes.  But all teasing aside, I”m actually proud to be married to a MAMIL.  He loves the sport,  has made several good friends (Mark, Johnnie, Daniel) who share his love of cycling, and it keeps him in shape.

Just don’t ask me to wash the worn and sweaty MAMIL outfitts!

Snow Day

It starts with mere mention of the “s” word…. snow.  That four letter word is all it takes to get the kids into an absolute frenzy.

Especially in the South.

Because if we get snow, even a minute amount, chances are school will be cancelled, and if it’s several inches, you can count on several snow days.

Growing up in Colorado, snow days were truly a luxury.  I can remember watching TV as a child after a heavy dump, praying to see my district included in the school closings.  We didn't have bus service so there weren't the transportation safety concerns.  Your parents either brought you or you walked.  And yes, I walked plenty…. uphill.

When the kids got a snow day, I was excited, too.  No matter how old they were, they turned into little kids when it snowed.  They spent hours outside building snow men, having snowball fights and sledding down the park hill.  Yes, they would come in and out all day, wet and muddy, but that’s why Swiffer Wet Jet was invented.

Last year, we had “Snowmagddeon 2014.”  If you were stuck in your car for hours only to hike miles home, you may not recall this event very fondly, but it would prove to be the last snow day I would have with my kids.

Because the roads were virtually impassable and due to our proximity to their high school, we had several of my son’s friends “stranded” with us.  Here were 17 and 18 year old “men” playing in the snow from sledding to snowball fights.  By the time they were able to return to their respective homes, my freezer and refrigerator were completely empty, but my heart was full.

Recently, we had our first “snow event” of the season.  And being in a empty nest, it looked different. Rather than checking the school district website first thing to see if school was closed, I checked road conditions to see if I could make it into work.  No one was coming in and out of the house full of wet and muddy clothes; no one was eating through every package of bacon and carton of eggs I had; no one made a snowman. I still enjoyed the beauty of the snow, but just in a different way, now.

Just another “first” in my empty nest journey…..