Matt Cooking Stuff, Food, Inner Monologue, My Adventures

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: NO SWEETS CHALLENGE IS OVER!

Finally, my No Sweets Challenge has come to an end!

I had intensely relied on sweets as my emotional crutch, best friend, and reward system and it had gotten wildly out of control. So for 77 days, I passed on all things sweet. I had two exceptions; Valentine’s Day, and Fat Tuesday. But other than that, I had nothing sweet to eat of any kind for 77 days. So after successfully completing my mission, I found myself reflecting on what I actually had learned.

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Matt At Home, House Stuff, My Adventures

CRISIS!

As my two year anniversary of being a stay-at-home parent approaches, I realized I have learned many things. I’ve stepped up to the plate and tackled the nitty gritty household chores of cleaning, grocery shopping (with coupons), and laundry. I’ve duked it out in the kitchen preparing meals every day for my family. I’ve faced my insecurities to take Ellie to storytime, Japanese school, museums, and the zoo. And in the process, my confidence has soared leaving me to believe I can and will face any situation without fear or uncertainty. But there comes a day when something takes you by surprise and knocks you off the horse making you wonder, “Do I really have what it takes?” Well that day arrived for me. We ran out of toilet paper.

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Matt Cooking, Food, My Adventures

CAKEBALLS REVISITED

Aya had plans to go visit our friends who are moving to Japan very soon. Since Ellie and I couldn’t join in the farewell festivities, I decided to make a batch of cakeballs for Aya to deliver to them to say “Goodbye.” You’re probably thinking, “Cakeballs? Aren’t you on a No Sweets Challenge?” Yes, yes I am. And that would be the tricky part. I was making cakeballs, but I could not eat them. I was going to test my willpower so my friends could enjoy this tasty American treat before moving to Japan. That’s just the kind of friend I am.

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Matt Learning, Making Stuff, My Adventures, The Domestic Specialist

AND SEW IT BEGINS…

I can swing a hammer pretty good and work a drill not too bad either. Enough to where I can manage doing most house and home improvement projects without hiring anyone. I know how to handle some basic car and lawnmower maintenance by myself, too. Oil changes, radiator flushes, changing breaks, etc. It was my goal to not have to call my dad every time the lawnmower wouldn’t start or I had a leak under the sink. And just as I don’t want to have my dad save me every time something broke, I don’t want to call my mom every time I need my pants hemmed or want something made for Ellie. So in an effort to expand my skill base, I decided to take a sewing class. Knowing that I would most likely be the odd man out, I asked my friend Kelly if she wanted to join in on the fun. Luckily she agreed. We sent in the registration forms and received the confirmation phone call. There was no turning back now.

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Matt Cooking, Cooking Stuff, Food, My Adventures

CAKEBALLS: A TRUE STORY

My goal was to make Totoro cake balls for Ellie’s birthday. But after my first attempt, I knew the cake pop maker wasn’t going to work. It was a disaster. I learned a few things along the way though. I received many suggestions and they all pointed to one method. Mixing cake with frosting. I knew then if I was going to pull this off as a cakeball rookie, I needed to listen.

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