Tempers Flaring
It was close to 80 degrees today in Los Angeles. It appears that winter is officially over. I am also officially over these holidays. Can we all get back to school and work already please?
Unfortunately the temperatures outside weren’t the only thing rising today…tempers inside the Din household were flaring too. With all of us hanging around each other for the last ten days I’m really not that surprised we are working on each other’s last nerve.
I decided to put on a happy face and took Maya to the park to kick around a soccer ball. But it was SO hot that we were both in a bad mood by the time we came home. But in keeping with my 2010 goals I was determined to be patient with her. So I warded off an argument by pulling out the cute Christmas gift my mom gave her – a pink silpat, rolling-pin, and cookbook. I figured that anything that involved 2 sticks of butter and a ton of sugar would put Maya in a good mood.
With our good humor on it’s way to being restored I let Maya choose a recipe. She decided on Cutout cookies, so Cutout Cookies it was.
It seemed easy enough. Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla, and add the sifted flour and salt. Things started out well and I was patting myself on the back for not only being patient but also bonding with Maya (another 2010 goal).
But then things went from bad to worse fairly quickly when none of our cookies looked remotely like the cookie cutters we were using. For some reason the dough kept breaking and half of it ended up on the floor. It didn’t help that this little kid kept taunting us with his tray of perfect cookies:
“Our cookies don’t look like his Mama.” Thank you Captain Obvious.
So I took a deep breath and decided to make lemons out of lemonade. We tossed the cookie cutters aside and decided to make Thumbprint Cookies instead.
I thanked my lucky stars that these looked decent enough to serve to Ali’s cousins for afternoon tea. We also served some samosas, Indian parathas, and crudite.
I also whipped up some hummus but it ended up being kind of a disaster. I served it anyway.
Afterward our guests left we entertained ourselves by fencing with golf clubs, a backwards apron, and some mittens.
Monday…is it Monday yet?
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
So it was 26 degrees here. Did I mention it was windy?
I could go for a samosa!
I LOVE her apron!! Did you make it?
My super talented mother made Maya and I matching aprons. They are one of the most useful gifts ever because Maya and I bake a lot!
I loved this post. People underestimate the patience needed to be around children. Though I don’t have any of my own yet, I am bracing myself for all the patience.
I am secretly already ready for Monday. I like structure too!
This is so cute. Your patience is unimanigable to me…I am so impatient truthfully. I am so envious of your weather. I take one short short slow walk a day…and yesterday a) almost killed myself just strolling over icy sidewalks…b) could not feel my toes or fingers only 5 minutes into the walk…severely cold and its only starting….not good!
Have a nice day.
I’m actually jealous that you’re sweating in L.A- Winter isn’t fun
Your cookies looked like they turned out good! And now I’m getting a samosa craving…at 8:45 in the morning
It looks like the day was saved and the out come of the cookies look pretty good.
I always have a hard time making the perfect cookie specially if a cutter is involved.
80 degrees…I am JEALOUS!!!
Your cookies look much better (and yummier) than those stupid cut-out cookies!
I hate baking disasters! I tend to avoid cutout cookies for that very reason… I find they can go badly easily, and to make them perfect is too time consuming. But at least you were able to turn it into something positive anyways 🙂 And you got to spend time with your daughter… I always loved baking with my mom when I was little.
damn. i hate when cookies don’t turn out right. i know wasn’t it SOO hot in LA today?! sheesh! good running weather tho! i hope it lasts. =D
the only thing i remember baking with my mom when i was young was cake mix cake and topping it with cool whip and mandarin oranges.
I hate when baking doesnt turn out right (happens to me allll to often!!) I LOVE your daughters apron.. adorable! 🙂
Awww! Trust me, you handled it flawlessly! Those cookies look delicious, and I’m SO jealous tour winter is over!!!
your somosa look AMAZING 🙂
My husband is obsessed with Indian food. What sort of dough do you use to make them??
I wish I could say that I made these but they were from an Indian restaurant…Trader Joe’s has some fairly decent ones in their frozen section. I bit on the greasy side but not too bad!
What a sweet mommy you are to make cookies with your daughter! And I’m very jealous of your kitchen floor! Our’s is white tile… and we have dogs… and live in georgia with red clay in our backyard. It is such a pain!
what a great time…it’s not about perfect cookies but the laughs and fun and nibbling on some dough doesn’t hurt either!
I think you had a great day!
makes me wish I had a daughter! I have boys…all around!
xo
i cannot envision it. 80 degrees? i can’t wait to come home!!!
omg I hear ya! i was so loving the weather yesterday. I went out for a long bike ride just because I loved the warm weather and the feeling of the sun on my face. It was fantastic! Way to go on saving those cookies! They look awesome btw. Im such a huge fan of tea too! What type of tea do you serve? Have an awesome day today!
Oh dont you hate it when you’re trying to make something and it doesnt turn out right? SO frustrating!!
As for the hummus – I kind of cheat and just make it to taste. It usually includes as much dill as I can pack in, rind and juice of 1 lemon, 1 can chickpeas, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil until it reaches the consistancy I want. Sometimes I throw in a tbsp of tahini, but I kind of prefer it without.
haha great picgtures! That apron is adorable!
I hear you – recipe fails are no fun. 😦
I’m not ready for Monday!
Her apron is adorable! I’m so impressed with your abiliy to make the best out of a crummy situation and end up with some pretty good looking cookies!
it was -13 without the windchill when i woke up this morning. i’d take your 80 degrees in an instant 🙂
80 degrees! Sheesh it is 12 here today. Her apron is so cute! I can’t wait to cook with Harper.
You lucky! I can’t wait to get back to LA…. I ran with my brother… in a negative degrees weather today because of some CRAZY wind! We literally couldn’t breathe from that wind blasting into our faces.
Your girl is SUCH a sweetie, by the way! 😀
nah she don’t read the blog. LOL i forgot to mention that she only practices when she has to play for church- so this is like a one month deal she doesn’t play as much as she used to!
LOL! you both have degrees from USC! HHAHAHAHA i gotcha i gotcha! =D 100 years! NO WAY. =)
I’m sometimes like that, I dont like to try new foods at restaurants I like. I like to stick to old favorites. That dinner looked awesome though.
I wish we were having warm weather :P. It is freezing freezing cold here in england. I am soooooooo jealous.
*kisses* HH
p.s. do u think u can mail me some of that cake?