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–The neighbors grass is fake Encompasses everything I would like to share in this section. If you can relate, you are in the right place. Please look around, subscribe, and maybe create something from nothing too! Here is a little bit about me and how I’ve learned to create something from nothing.
The Neighbors Grass Is Fake
What do I bring to the table? What is my worth? Why was I put here on this earth? Is this everything to fight for, to struggle? To just work our fingers to the bone and get nowhere? Why is this so difficult when everyone else seems to have it easy? I know they say the grass is always greener on the other side, but com’on, somethings got to give! We literally work, struggle, pay, try, work harder, and things just get more difficult. I thought as you aged things got easier, not more difficult to manage. I thought wrong at least that’s how it is for us.
Sticker Shock
Gas prices are skyrocketing, food prices are too. I was in the store the other day and saw chicken breasts. A pack of five skinless, boneless chicken breasts for $25.99 when the usual price on the high end was $9.99. Now, I am a stay-at-home mom, which doesn’t by any means mean I do not work. I work harder than people I know who have paying jobs. My kids are twelve and fourteen. Being a stay-at-home mom or if you want to sound sophisticated “homemaker” is what works for our family dynamic.
Read more: AboutFood Allergies
You see, my son has multiple food allergies. Staying at home was needed when he was younger. I needed to learn to read labels, cook, bake, doctor’s appointments, food challenges, school issues, birthday parties, family gatherings. All things we needed to keep a close eye on to keep him safe. All things I talk about here. In my Food allergy pages. And the funny thing is people perceived me as a helicopter mom when yes, I’m sure is seems that way. My son even thinks this now, but it was for his safety as a young boy, and it wasn’t ever even because of him. We taught him from an incredibly early age what he could eat and/or touch and what he couldn’t.
My son was four when we were teaching him how to use the epi pen. It was always out of fear of the unknown. At a family events people would say “it’s all family. He’s safe, no one is going to let him get hurt.” But this is all the older generation. Who was going to hand my kid a cookie and think it was no problem or pinch his cheeks after eating a cannoli with the powdered sugar and cream on their hands or kiss his chunky cheeks after drinking something with milk in it.
Want a Cookie?
These are all thoughtless, nothing things to the ordinary person. But to someone’s child with food allergies these can be deadly. I mean, one of his first reactions was to Dorito’s. My husband ate them at work, thought he was extra careful with them, cleaned up before coming back home. And sent him to the ER after a kiss hello. Yes, it’s that bad.
We have it all well under control now, but that is because we have been so vigilant. Making things from scratch or tweaking recipes, planning, school discussions, party interactions and the fact that he, himself knows everything he needs to know to keep himself safe.
What do I contribute?
I do at times feel like I need to contribute more when my husband knows and thinks I do so much already. I do have a crafty side, a bit artsy. I like to try and do many things. I have written a children’s book; I write a lot and right now I am learning. Learning to find my voice and trying things on for size to see what fits and what doesn’t. Today I am trying out a blog post, I think it’s something I could be good at but not confident other moms, or people for that matter really care or can relate to anything I have to say.
A Goal
I would like to take some writing courses when and if I can find the time or money in the budget. But it’s a goal for myself. I feel at piece when I write. I am naturally a very shy person but on paper I can open up. It’s freeing, it’s like I can say anything, anything at all that I can never, would never say myself for real.
Create something from nothing!
I make things, I always joke with my boys and tell them my superpower is that I can create something from nothing!
I took all my husband’s old comic books that were just gathering dust (they were not worth anything at all. Trust me, we tried to sell them and no takers at all for many years.) I got sick of looking at them and he wouldn’t get rid of them so I decoupaged an old coffee table. It is now the centerpiece every single person who walks in my house notices and can’t believe I made.
Cakes
I do cakes. I come from a long line of bakers, I never tried to do anything baking related before, but I loved watching ace of cakes on the food network (I got a thing for duff 😉 He’s like a teddy bear, with in infectious laugh) it was a friend’s birthday, so I wanted to give it a try, it came out pretty good.
More Cakes!
People started asking me to make them cakes and here we are over ten years later, and I am doing tiered wedding cakes! My favorite cakes to do are the ones that push me. The ones I have no idea how to make work. This is where my husband comes in. I mess it up and he figures out how we can make it work. We are a good team! (Even if I do go a little chef Ramsay in the kitchen) they all know this, but sometimes I even surprise myself.
I have grown so much making mistake after mistake, after mistake, but the cakes keep getting better and better. I would love to have a bakery, or shall I say a “cakery” someday, but most people I have found won’t even spend what I should be charging for these cakes, I have tried charging at cost, I’ll get laughed at and told forget it, but if they went to an actual bakery, they would be spending 4-5 times what I end up charging. Sometimes, most times I end up losing money on the deal.
I do love the outcome and my husband wants me to be happy, but every time I say no more cakes it costs too much, like the next day someone calls for a cake. How do you tell them no when it’s their birthday or their wife’s birthday and all she wants is a cake from you? Then I say well it depends; I have a lot going on this week. They then reassure me it’s super simple. (Let me just say with fondant cakes there is no such thing as simple, at least none that I have found lol)
More than a mom
I am more than a mom, more than a wife, more than a caretaker, more than a chauffeur, scheduler, maid, errand runner. I do want something of my own, something I create that brings in income, which isn’t just overlooked because I’m mom. I want to help financially in a way I can still be here to provide what my family needs. I’m still discovering what that is or will be.
Maybe I am just a hobbyist with many hobbies? Or maybe I am searching for something that I already have? Because when I tell my husband I feel like I am worth more than just cooking and cleaning, I feel like his heart breaks a little and he rattles off all the things I do for everyone not just our family, all the jobs I do that are so valuable. And we will get there someday. Nickel by nickel we will get there. We will have that great vacation or buy a boat or travel and the neighbor’s grass is fake anyway.
Create Something from Nothing
