Life as We Know It

Estrofests is thrilled to host another guest blogger. Beth Cohen is a humorous mommy blogger and loves to host poker parties for girlfriends. Check her out at B+ Mommy blog HERE
   

by Beth K. Cohen

Our family has been in a new beautiful home for three and a half years and, try as I might to keep it looking beautiful, it is showing signs of wear.  When we moved in, everything was so fresh, so clean and new; I really wanted to keep it that way.  I blame my family. Case in point…..

One day, a couple years ago, I looked up from my breakfast cereal to see my partner, Shelley, making pencil marks on the door jamb between the kitchen and mud room.  I felt a shriek rising in my throat.  “What are you doing?” I asked through clenched teeth  (I clenched them to quell the shriek).  She responded happily that she was recording our sons’ heights.  I made some feeble attempts to suggest a less conspicuous spot but she seemed satisfied with the one she’d selected.  I yielded even though it pained me to see marks on my freshly painted door jamb.

Our boys love sports, playing baseball, ice hockey, soccer, basketball, and football.  I delight in their physicality unless it takes place in my living room.  The boys have said that I’m mean and unreasonable for not allowing puck handling drills, or touch football (“It’s not tackle”) to take place in the living room.  I’ve even had the nerve to ban balloon volleyball.  Despite their assurances that they’ll be careful, there have been casualties.

When confronted, they blame the dog.  True, as a puppy, he chewed some of the wood molding and, more recently, was tried and convicted of chewing through the living room lamp cord.  However, I don’t think he hit the puck into the molding or repeatedly tackled the ottoman causing it to break.

It’s not just the living room, either. The boys walk down the halls pressing their sticky fingers against the walls like they’re searching for a hidden button.  I’ve done demonstrations, showing them how to walk with their hands at their sides.  My younger one said, ”Like when we go through the metal detector at the airport?”  I responded enthusiastically,  “Yes, just like that.”  But, before I could continue the discussion, the younger boy threw himself at the older boy and they started rolling around, kicking the molding and leaving scuff marks on the wood floors.

As I move knickknacks around the room to strategically cover scratches on end tables, I reflect on something a former neighbor used to say, “You can have a nice home or you can have kids and pets.”  I try to make peace with my choice.

This morning, I pulled the boys over to the kitchen door jamb to see if they’d grown. They had, and I made the pencil marks to reflect it.

While I went through a phase of not wanting to entertain because my house didn't look like I wanted it to, now I just dim the lights. And when I have girlfriends over to play poker I often prepare this fabulous quiche. I like it because it can be completely done ahead of time, leaving my mind free to win at cards.

Crustless Mushroom Quiche

butter or coking spray

1/4 c. Gruyere cheese, grated

1 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

6 scallions, diced (both white and green parts)

2 T. sun dried tomatoes

3 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried herbs - either thyme, oregano or herb de province

Position rack in center of oven.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Saute mushrooms and scallions in some butter or cooking spray until soft.

Grease a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie pan.  Mix the cheese with the flour and then spread on the bottom of the pie plate.  Add the cooked mushrooms and scallions.  Arrange the sun dried tomatoes on top of the other ingredients.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and herbs.  Gently pour the custard into the pie pan.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until set.  Let rest for 10 minutes to settle, then cut into wedges and serve.  Can be served hot, at room temperature or cold. 

Beth Cohen is a parent, clinical social worker and blogger.  She amuses herself by imagining her children voluntarily helping out more around the house. Become a follower of her blog, "B+ Mommy," at www.bethcohen.blogspot.com