Jambalaya, good new show

Have y'all watched Homeland? It's a CIA drama that's one season in, and we're really enjoying it. You can stream the old episodes (it airs on Showtime) from Netflix. This afternoon I'll be making a huge pot of jambalaya, a rice- and pork-based Louisiana dish that is full of flavor despite the relatively simple and few ingredients. Jack loves it and has asked me to bring it to his class tomorrow for the snack to accompany our Roots presentation. T and I talk about our family histories, where we've come from, what makes up Jack. It's a really cool part of the curriculum; each child's parents present once during the year, and the kids are absolutely enthralled so far. Turns out my Nanny is a descendant of Jean Lafitte, the pirate, and received 27 cents when his estate was finally divided up. And Buffalo Bill Cody is Jack's first cousin, 7 times removed, from Tom's side of the fam. Nothing like a little distant coolness in the family...

What a night

Do you know what sucks? -getting 2.5 hours of sleep total last night -getting thrown up on -the smell of that throw up, especially several hours later

The only positive thing I can say about last night is that I felt like a super hero when, suspecting Ol was about to hurl, I hauled the upper half of my body over the side of the bed, and held Ol over my shoulder while he let it rip. It was like being in an upside-down plank position with a sick child as a carry-on. The upshot here is that my sheets stayed puke-free. Amen!

On the less glass-half-full side is that an hour after I finally got him back to sleep, crazy-windmill-when-he-sleeps-Jack crawled into bed with me complaining of a nightmare. Ol was up again later. I feel like I have been run over. Can you believe last night was the night I suggested Tom sleep in the basement because he was tired? Balls! ~~~~~~

As it looks like I will do well today to just stay awake until my sitter gets here at 2, there may not be much cooking to tell you about until later. So, I will take this opportunity to commence a new series on Kitchen Items You May Not Know You Need, But Do!

1) Thermapen: You will never over- or undercook anything again! This quick-read, ultra-accurate thermometer is a brilliant, comforting addition to our kitchen. T was forever worrying about the steaks- did he ruin them, or was he about to serve us beef tartare? I sprung for this -it's expensive! $90 or so- for him for a birthday or Christmas two years ago, and we have been thrilled about its purchase ever since.

I never see them on sale but did get mine from King Arthur upon receipt of a 20% off any purchase coupon. Nice. So if you're interested, keep your eyes peeled for a coupon. If you're desperate for a tool like this, run, don't walk, and get one. 5 STARS.

New cooking endeavors coming to a brief halt

Aah, Em in the kitchen has been sidelined, briefly, by a sick little boy. Ol was up every few hours last night, and his naps have turned to brief 45-minuters. He's just got a virus (read: no strep) which is further evidence for my PFAPA diagnosis; the frustrating thing is that once they're sick with a spell, you've just got to wait it out, usually 4-5 days. Blimey. I'm so glad Jack doesn't have trouble with this anymore. It is snowing- the flakes melt as they hit the ground, but it's lovely. Oliver and I have had such a sweet morning, despite his being sick.