Weekending: Goddess Style

It was a working weekend in our household; Evan planned to attend a work-related conference that ran late into Friday and Saturday nights and I was going to man the ship, so to speak. Though we both work full-time, we are mostly home in the evenings and on weekends, so manning the ship by alone is not something I do often. As such, we called in reinforcements in the form of grandparents and I was thrilled when Evan’s parents said that they could come and spend time with Sophia and me.

I was especially grateful that they were arriving at 6:30 on Friday. Sophia would get some time to play with them that evening while I decompressed. Though hardly in need of incentives to come and spend time with their granddaughter, I wanted to show our collective appreciation the only way I can — with food. I planned a traditional <read: cooked all day> Bolognese for Friday night dinner chased by homemade chocolate chip cookies that I made with Sophia. Saturday morning would be a repeat of our waffle breakfast (with the health factor turned up) and then there would home-made salads for lunch and a roast chicken Saturday night dinner. It wasn’t just any roast chicken, but a new recipe I had found called Green Goddess Chicken. It sounded like a fresh, flavorful dish and that dressing with the basil, chives, scallions and buttermilk called out to me. The chicken was the best I’ve had in a long time, maybe ever. I think that it was one of the few savory dishes that could give a food orgasm … if that’s possible.

But the real reason this post is called “Goddess Style” has nothing to do with the green goddess chicken but everything to do with the helping hands of my in-laws who really helped out with little Sophia. Besides spending time with her through inventive play, books, coloring, play-doh and everything else, they also gave her a bottle and a bath on Friday. Now I ask you, what young, tired mother do you know who wouldn’t feel like she’s being treated like a goddess when she gets a night off from bottles and baths? This perhaps simple act, was so unexpected, so very appreciated that it made me feel like someone understood what I needed most that evening.