All posts by ihatehardware.

Girls’ Night Out!!!

If you’re local and you need a night of bonding with friends before summer vacation, my pal Luscious Lana has organized an event at the AMC premium theater on Thursday, June 3rd.  We start with apps and drinks at 6, followed by a private viewing of Sex and the City 2 at 8.

It will be a blast, so let me know if you want to go and I’ll send you the evite!  Movie tix are $19 each, Lana’s working on a package price for apps.

Traveling Light

I’m really starting to enjoy traveling for business again.  There was quite a long period of time when it was almost impossible for me to travel for work because of the kids.  But today I flew from Providence to Philadelphia for a one-day meeting tomorrow, and I barely made any preparations.  Ben facilitates most of the after-school activities anyway, and Grandma is adept at the lunch/snack/breakfast/bus routine.  I didn’t make any lists, obsess over anything, or lie awake last night wondering what I forgot to pack.  I got the kids to school this morning and then had an hour to get myself presentable, pack, and be on my way.  No problem.

The flight went smoothly, the rental car woman couldn’t have been nicer, and I arrived at the hotel with enough time to chill out before going out to dinner with my team-mates, where were were served the largest (no lie) plates of food I’ve ever seen.  I didn’t have to urge, bribe, or threaten anyone if they didn’t eat, nobody made a mess, and I didn’t have to whip out my purse-sized packet of wipes and wipe down any of my dinner companions.  Refreshing!

Now I’m back at the hotel and headed for bed – 3 or 4 hours earlier than usual!  Yes!!  I heard there’s a meeting coming up in Peoria.  I want in!!!

Update:  The next morning when one of our VPs asked me how I slept, I said, “I slept great!  Nobody climbed into bed with me…I mean, uh, no KIDS climbed into bed with me…or anybody else…”

Have Rum Cake, Will Travel

Today I played hooky and went on the kindergarten field trip to Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon.  It’s a decent zoo and the kids totally loved it.  They ran from one exhibit to the next (screaming all the way – ugh) and they were EXHAUSTED by the time they got back to school (so was I!).  According to Adlani, the highlights were the porcupines and when the goat ate our map in the petting zoo.  It wasn’t crowded and the weather was nice and cool, so it was a good day.  Hopefully we have continued good luck when Norah’s preschool class goes on the same field trip next week.

The first couple of field trips I chaperoned, I didn’t know any better so I rode the bus.  I don’t really mind riding the bus except that it makes me a little queasy sometimes, but it’s so much more fun to ride with my friends and get some mommy-time in on the way.  We had 5 kindergarten moms in Lana’s car and we have a total of 12 kids between us, so there was plenty of kid-talk and swapping of stories.  I don’t know what I’d do without reinforcement from other moms that we’re all dealing with similar challenges and handling them the best we can.

Lana gave me the brilliant idea of bringing rum cake for the ride, and it really hit the spot after a couple of hours at the zoo.  I think I’ve made that rum cake at least 50 times since I got the recipe a few years ago, and it’s really easy.  If you want to make rum cake for your next field trip, here’s the recipe:

Grease and flour a bundt pan, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the following:

1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/2 cup water
dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground clove

Pour over pecans in bundt pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Just before the cake is done, make the glaze:

Melt 1 stick of butter with 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup of rum, and 1/4 cup of water.  Boil for about 3 minutes.  When cake is done baking, pour glaze over it while the cake is still in the bundt pan.  Let the cake sit in the pan until cool, then invert onto a plate and chow down!