I need a few more hours and a lot more energy in every day. Getting used to running a household is a challenge...adding a full time job with a 45 minute commute in traffic makes it seem almost impossible. I know it is possible, and I know there are many people doing it with no problem everyday, some of them have a child or five as well...but they've been doing it longer than I have. I know it will get easier as it gets more routine for me. I love to cook dinner for my husband, and I like feeling a sense of accomplishment keeping up MY house. I just feel like my head is just under the surface of the water all the time. No more lazy Saturday mornings, laying in bed with the husband until 11:00 AM. We have too many things to get done.

Yesterday, I needed to make a trip to Costco. I had been planning to go yesterday all week, since it was the first day that I didn't have other things going on after work. I was dreading it though, because 5:30 PM is a terrible time to be at Costco, or Meijer's, or driving around ANY shopping area with many big stores like that. But hubby needed deodorant (can't have him stinky now) and I wanted to get a few frozen food items now that we have a deep freezer which my mom so generously gifted us with last week as a "housecooling" gift. Plus I wanted to get one of their rotisserie chicken's for dinner.

So I left work at about 5:00 PM, went to the bank, then backtracked to Costco. I picked up what I needed, taste-tested all the samples they were offering, and grabbed a few clothing items for Chad. The lines were very long. Then it was back to work to end a test that was running...and I was on the road home at 6:00 PM.

Traffic sucked. I didn't make it in the door until after 6:45 PM. Shoved the still warm chicken in the over to thoroughly heat, boiled some frozen corn (I hate canned vegetables with a passion...and when fresh isn't available, frozen is the next best thing), and whipped up some Betty Crocker butter and herb mashed potatoes. I know boxed potatoes are not very good for you...but I was very tired...and NOT motivated to put out any more effort. The butter herb ones at least taste really good, and not like the cardboard box they came in.

My first time carving up a bird...I mangled it a little bit...but oh well. The milk for the potatoes boiled over on the stove, what a mess...mmm the aroma of burnt milk. When I was draining the water from the corn, half of it spilled in the sink. Luckily, I made a lot, and there was still enough. Now I have the chicken carcass and leftover meat to make me some homemade chicken soup on Saturday!

Chad loved it all, and that made me feel REALLY good. He cleaned up for me, and thanked me several times for a tasty dinner. That makes all the hassle so worth it. I love to cook for him. Five years ago, I wouldn't have imagined that I would have my own house to keep up, and a husband to feed. But here I am...with all the freedom of an adult...and all the responsibility to go along with it.

Today after work I need/want to:

- go to the drug store to pick up prescriptions and some miscellaneous items
- unpack and set up my desktop computer in preparation for our internet hook up tomorrow
- make a BIG start on all the dirty laundry
- take and edit photos for Stuff Portrait Friday
- organize and go through all my clothes so they fit in the closet and dressers
- watch Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees
- unpack as many boxes as possible until I collapse

I want to get to these things in the near future:

- go to the fabric store and make my halloween costume idea
- go find some basic black pumps that are not too pricey
- get some coat hooks from the hardware store and put them up in the basement stairway
- make the house presentable
- get and carve some pumpkins
- frame and hang a painting I did
- print some photos for some frames I have (and hang)
- have my wedding gown cleaned and preserved
- sew some curtains for the guest bedroom
- etc. etc. etc.

Labels: homeownershipness, queen of the castle