What do you do when you love to cook....

[Maverick2272]

No, no, you sound like you have my life! I'm not shy but I homeschool my kids so I am always with them. The only groups of women I see are at homeschool park day, La Leche League, etc. All kid centered stuff. Let friends and family know you'd like to do some cooking in exchange for whatever you have a need for. If you are a good baker, you'd be surprised at how many people would love to get a home baked cake or other goodies for an office party or a church pot luck or a birthday party. (The good thing about bartering is that you don't need a health certificate for commercial cooking.)

Sounds like me too! I became a stay at home dad 7 years ago so DW could pursue her career (she just didn't know which one to pursue at the time LOL). This last year I was starting to work with her in her business, but now that is gonna be delayed a few months this year so she is on her own for awhile!
I don't homeschool, but just about everything else always seems centered around the kids all the time.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

It's a good life, isn't it Buddy? But it can make you feel isolated at times.

 

[Maverick2272]

Very, and the neighborhood we live in is very 'old fashioned' to put it politely. More than a few of our neighbors don't talk to us because DW works and I stay home with the kids, they consider it a travesty that I am not the breadwinner in the household.
DW just isn't good with kids, and it made sense to us to reverse things and be happy and have the kids be happy.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Having a non-traditional family is often viewed with suspicion by the neighbors. When I first moved here, most of my neighbors were quite elderly and very concerned about a houseful of kids moving in. Teenagers seemed to worry them a lot. Also my mentally challenged daughter. It took a while for them to get to know the kids and trust them and know that we weren't going to let them roam the neighborhood and cause havoc. Sadly, many of them have died in the last 22 years so the face of the neighborhood has changed and we are now the long-timers. But we are still "different" enough that I don't have any friends in the immediate neighborhood. (Thankfully, I have a neighbor who is a very good friend at the coast.) Anyway, I can relate to your neighborhood situation. And you and DW should always keep in mind that your children are privileged to be able to have a parent at home with them - of either sex!

 

[suziquzie]

this is what happens when DH stays home. This is only after 4 hours yesterday! If I were to work and he stayed home it would be a bad thing!

Now granted he works overnights and had to snooze alot yesterday, but COME ON!!!!

 

[Bilby]

You need to get DH some better toys to play with Suzi. Mr Potato Head shouldn't be much of a challenge for him now!!! LOL

Hey, tell him no playstation until he cleans his room!! ;-)

 

[suziquzie]

well you see the huge mickey mouse talks when you squeeze the tummy....
he gets lonley for someone to talk to when I leave.

 

[Bilby]

Isn't this when he holds Mickey in one hand, and the giant penguin in the other and puts on silly voices so he can have a REAL conversation..... ;-)

 

[suziquzie]

hmmm that might mean he has a sense of humor once in awhile......

 

[Bilby]

hahahahaha!!!!

 

[Fiona]

I agree with the above threads for sharing - bring a smile to someone's face. Otherwise, on a home-scale, portiono & freeze ahead of the next party or event.

 

[suziquzie]

Yeah, I just need to get over myself and talk to people I guess.
I think we have a new nursing home in town, maybe I could volunteer somehow. Alot of things need to wait though until my kids are bigger and I dont need to get a sitter for everything!

 

[ljmyers]

LOLOL - You guys are comical. I have laughed out loud off and on throughout this thread. LOL

Suzie - If you are thinking about volunteering at a nursing home, take your kids with you. Both the kids and the residents love and very much need this. So many of the residents have family (grandchildren) who never visit and from a mother‘s perspective of now 20 something year old daughters, it instills a great amount of respect and care for our older generation. In another life I was a Therapeutic Activity Director for two different nursing homes and often had my kids at work with me for an hour or two at a time from about the ages of 3 years up to about 8 years old. They truly enjoyed it because of the attention they got. Once the residents come to know your children, it will be as if they have MANY grandmas and grandpas. Not to worry about the residents who are confused, etc. Yes, it is a bit odd to the kids at first and even a little scary, but with loving explanations and teaching them how to be understanding of the person and their condition, it is a good thing in the long run. If only visits and hugs, that would be great.

 

[LPBeier]

Suzi, I had the same problem and ended up making wedding (and other specialty) cakes and doing some part time catering, but as someone said sometimes having your passion become business can turn it into an obligation and take the fun out of it.

The other thing we did was start to take in borders (it was lonely after "rent-a-daughter") moved out. I think DH when filling out the adds must have said that a pre-requisite was that the person have a huge appetite and/or love sweets . That keeps me busy and happy, when I am able to work in the kitchen around my arthritis woes. It also helps to take my mind off it!

Those are both probably impracticle for you with the kids, but I thought I would throw them out there.

 

[LPBeier]

Just thought of something else - I started filling my care packages to rent-a-daughter with cookies (sturdy non-refridgerated ones travel well). Maybe you could start baking and sending it to other DC members

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Hey suzie, I'm a needy DC member!!! A care package sounds like a great idea. You can practice on me.

 

[suziquzie]

THAT is a great idea!
If I could afford postage......
on the other hand, it would be a huge, widespread joke like fruitcake.....
I can see a new sticky entitled "I got another suziquzie box"

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Ooooooh noooooo, not fruitcake!!!! In that case, you should start with buckytom.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I totally loved the pic of the livingroom, suzie. Made me feel better about the state of mine right now. Sadly, I have no hubby here to blame it on.

 

[suziquzie]

you can blame it on mine.....
I can't believe i showed anyone my living room like that!!!!