Trifling With Dh, and Other Adventures!

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm not sure if this would be a rant, or humor, or personal - so I left off the prefix on my title!

Today was my day to go Christmas Shopping with my Mom. (who has Alzheimers) A very long exhausting day. Just before I left, DH, who took a half day from work so he could be with DS so I could go shopping springs on me that he told everyone at work that he would bring a Peanut Butter Cup trifle to work tomorrow for their Christmas Party. He offered to help me make this trifle. Alrighty....pigs do fly!

Okay - so I get the ingredients while out shopping. I got home at 6:45. EXHAUSTED. No attempt has been made to start anything for dinner. DH announces that DS is really hungry, and all he's had since lunch is Hot Cocoa w/ marshmallows.

So, I get dinner made, we eat, and I clean up the kitchen (why is it such a mess if they are starving and haven't eaten?)

DH looks at me with a hopeful look in his eyes and says "Do you want me to help you with this trifle, or would you rather I kept out of your way?"

Yeah - like I'm going to let him off the hook that easy!

DS now wants to "help trifle" now too - so I tell DH he can make the brownie (From a mix!) while DS and I stir up the pudding and PB, and chop PB cups.

First - DH asks me which bowl to use to stir the brownie....I tell him a SS mixing bowl, and after much digging around, he comes back up from scrounging in the cupboard with the very largest SS bowl. "Will this work?" So, I have to stop helping DS open pudding, and get a bowl for DH.
THEN - he asks if he should use the blender, or mix it with a spoon? So, I again stop, and hand him the Mix n Masher.

THEN - he asks me what kind of oil he should use. I inform him that basil blend oil isn't the best choice for brownies, and hand him the canola oil.

In the meantime, I've turned my back on DS, and when I turn back around - I see that he has stopped whisking the pudding and has half of the whisk in his mouth. When I gently (HA!) say "Micah, what are you doing?!" He jumps about a foot off the chair he is standing on - splattering pudding everywhere - and then says "Nothing". I start laughing - which really confuses him because he can't figure out that I laughing at his chocolate pudding covered face and hands. Sure hope DH's workmates don't mind some 4 yr old germs.

While cleaning him up, I hear DH say "Whoops" - look back at DH, and he has dry brownie mix all over the place - the bag exploded when he tried to open it. He looks like he has things under control other than that though - so I turn back to my chocolate monster....

As I melt the PB, I notice a measuring cup with oil in it, and DH struggling to get the brownie batter mixed up. I mention to him that it might mix easier if he adds the oil. He say he already has added the oil....um okay, then what's this? the oil gets added, the batter FINALLY gets mixed, and I watch DH attempt to scrape it all out into the bar pan with the mix n masher. I finally take pity on him, and give him a scraper to get it done.

The brownie is in the oven, and both guys disappear - leaving me to clean up the kitchen once again.

I thought I was exhausted when I got home - but after making a trifle with my guys - I'm about done in! How does 3 people working together make more work than just doing it myself?

 

[sklay723]

What a cute story though...I know you're exhausted, but that's one of those memories you'll be able to look back on and laugh about when you're having a bad day. I know that things have been pretty rough with your mom lately, and I completely applaud your patience for spending the time with your DH and DS in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[wadesgirl]

Thanks for the laugh! That's why I just do it around our household, it would take longer than needed if DH helped plus he would use all the wrong things.

 

[JAE]

You are way more patient than me! I would have left again and gone somewhere to be alone while DH dealt with DS and trifle! You're such a good person.

 

[abaker1]

Oh my goodness Becky! Thanks so much for sharing that! I SO needed the laugh tonight!! I am trying to become more patient like you in the kitchen instead of just doing it myself!! I did good with the roll out sugar cookies today!! I even let my 1 1/2 year old help decorate!! Both kids had fun and that's all that matters!!

I'm sure everyone will be raving about the trifle tomorrow!!

 

[amy07]

As I melt the PB, I notice a measuring cup with oil in it, and DH struggling to get the brownie batter mixed up. I mention to him that it might mix easier if he adds the oil. He say he already has added the oil....um okay, then what's this? the oil gets added, the batter FINALLY gets mixed, and I watch DH attempt to scrape it all out into the bar pan with the mix n masher. I finally take pity on him, and give him a scraper to get it done.

At my show last week, I forgot to add the water. After struggling to spread it in the bar pan I realized my mistake. It was a chocolate blob. So embarrassing!

 

[amy07]

As I melt the PB, I notice a measuring cup with oil in it, and DH struggling to get the brownie batter mixed up. I mention to him that it might mix easier if he adds the oil. He say he already has added the oil....um okay, then what's this? the oil gets added, the batter FINALLY gets mixed, and I watch DH attempt to scrape it all out into the bar pan with the mix n masher. I finally take pity on him, and give him a scraper to get it done.

At my show last week, I forgot to add the water. After struggling to spread it in the bar pan I realized my mistake. It was a chocolate blob. So embarrassing!

 

[starrmarie]

Ha! I would have told my husband that we were taking punch instead. lol

 

[chefsteph07]

That is sooo funny and that would be my luck too if I had left for the day..usually when I am gone, lunch consists of peanuts and chips and salsa for my dd.

Although my dh would not have been that bad for making the brownies,(I hope!) I do wonder sometimes if they act like this so you don't "expect" them to "help" anymore in the kitchen, w/ laundry, or any other mundane chore that would be of great help but they have to sit on their butt and watch you do it.

I do think it's funny that you had to give him regular oil instead of the basil blend!

Hope you got some rest!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh - and I forgot the funniest thing - or, at least what made me laugh the hardest at DH.

The Trifle Bowl was in a TTA carrier, and I asked him to get it out so we could put the Trifle together. I was at the kitchen counter and turned away from him, cutting brownie into little squares. It's taking him a looonnnggg time to bring me the Trifle Bowl, and I can hear him making all of these little frustration noises. I turn around, and there he is trying to force the trifle bowl through the top of the carrier. I looked at him in total disbelief, and said "Why don't you unzip the side?"

I couldn't believe that my DH - who is so incredibly logical, and can figure out how to build/repair/modify EVERYTHING - couldn't figure out how to get the Trifle Bowl out of the bag!

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Thanks for the laughs! I can totally relate. When my almost 3 year old is in the room, I am trying to watch what I say I am going to be making, or he wants to help.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

What a cute story though...I know you're exhausted, but that's one of those memories you'll be able to look back on and laugh about when you're having a bad day. I know that things have been pretty rough with your mom lately, and I completely applaud your patience for spending the time with your DH and DS in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing!!!

That's so true! Whenever something like this happens, I just have to laugh and think "Okay - at least we just made a memory!"

 

[ChefBeckyD]

You are way more patient than me! I would have left again and gone somewhere to be alone while DH dealt with DS and trifle! You're such a good person.

It's funny that everyone mentions how patient I am - because I don't think I'm particularly patient. I just wanted to get it done!

If I had left - I would have come back to an even bigger mess, and probably still have to make the trifle!

My revenge was - while assembling the trifle, I subjected DH to a mini PC Show!
He really has no interest in kitchen tools, but now he knows all about the quality of our SS bowls, knives & cutting board, the indestructibility of our scrapers, and the versatility of the Trifle Bowl.
He at least had the sense to pretend to be interested.:thumbup:

 

[babywings76]

LOL This is so funny. Sounds just like my house!

 

[lacychef]

Funny story!
So how was shopping with your mom?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Funny story!
So how was shopping with your mom?

It was emotionally exhausting, but it had it's funny moments.

I don't usually shop at WalMart, but it's a store my mom is familiar with, so she is comfortable going there. (new, unfamiliar places make her panic.) So we spent several hours in WalMart, with Mom placing things in her cart, and me taking them back out when her back was turned. Right now, she is obsessed with tissues. Every 5 minutes or so, she would want to buy tissues. And flavored coffee creamers - she wanted to buy one of every flavor!

And then, when we get into the lane to check out - I am so thankful we had a wonderful, sweet cashier! She closed her lane right after we got in line, and turned off her light to signify that. People kept trying to get in the lane though, and when they would, she would just let them know that she was closed. Well, every time she would tell someone that, my mom would say "How come you don't have a sign to put up to say that you are closed?"
And every time, she would smile at my Mom, and just tell her that they were getting new signs, but didn't have them yet. After about the 4th time, (she was still being so patient, and chatting and smiling with Mom) I told her that my Mom had Alzheimer's, so she would probably keep asking, and she just smiled and said that it was okay, her Grandma had Alzheimers too. She was such a sweetheart the whole time we were checking out! Unusual at WalMart, and especially at this time of the year!

 

[janetupnorth]

Too funny Becky - tell DH only HE can mess up the PB cup trifle recipe!!!! ...and very nice cashier...I'd comment to management about how considerate she was. That was sweet.

 

[heather223]

I love this story Becky! I have to share something that my silly husband did this morning.
My MIL (who we live with) got new cookie sheets which were sitting on the kitchen counter. She hates stoneware and refuses to use the metal sheet pans. And let me tell ya, her old cookie sheets are so bad that it makes my well seasonsed stoneware look good!
My sweet loveable husband comes to me this morning and asks who bought new cookie sheets from Pfaltzcraf? Seriously, You just asked your wife who is a PC Consultant if she bought cookie sheets from Pfaltzcraft? I just looked at him and smiled. He got the point..... He said Sorry he should know better than to ask me that since I will NEVER use anything but my PC.

 

[KensAngel]

You sound like a busy girl! Hang in there! I don't even THINK about letting DH help with stuff in the kitchen, it is always a disaster! And he's an engineer! Can you believe it?

He was being "nice" one night and cleaned our pots that were caked with spaghetti sauce (his mom didn't let him cook) and when I saw them later I almost cried! All of the teflon was scraped off the bottom!! He had scraped off the teflon with a fork! I explained to him about non-stick surfaces and he is improved. He is now replacing it with a PC pot!

BTW, my grandfather has alzheimer's and the story about the cashier almost made me cry at work!!

Where can I find that Trifle Recipe??

 

[janetupnorth]

You sound like a busy girl! Hang in there! I don't even THINK about letting DH help with stuff in the kitchen, it is always a disaster! And he's an engineer! Can you believe it?

He was being "nice" one night and cleaned our pots that were caked with spaghetti sauce (his mom didn't let him cook) and when I saw them later I almost cried! All of the teflon was scraped off the bottom!! He had scraped off the teflon with a fork! I explained to him about non-stick surfaces and he is improved. He is now replacing it with a PC pot!

BTW, my grandfather has alzheimer's and the story about the cashier almost made me cry at work!!

Where can I find that Trifle Recipe??

Hey, I'm an engineer and I can cook/bake!

Do a search on Janet's Peanut Butter Cup Trifle and you'll find it...

 

[janetupnorth]

Here, I'll save you the work:http://www.chefsuccess.com/f7/iso-janets-peanut-butter-cup-trifle-recipe-22836/
http://www.chefsuccess.com/f7/janets-peanut-butter-cup-trifle-42490/

 

[KensAngel]

I am shocked that he can't because he is an engineer! He is an absolute genius when it comes to his job, but at home he is quite crazy sometimes!!!

 

[KensAngel]

Thank you, miss Janet. No disrespect to engineers, I come from a long line and they are also good cooks!!!

DH has never lived away from home until we got married two months ago-he's 29 (except main campus in college for 2 years) and it's more that than anything!!

Just love to torture DH (the genius) when I am smarter than he is sometimes

 

[Chef Endora]

I love your story!

My DH does things like that...So, for revenge when I wanted to wallpaper the bathroom, I made a big production that I was gonna do it myself. Then I hung the 1st piece upside down accidently on purpose. I acted puzzeled, he came over to "rescue the situation."

He finished the whole job while I enjoyed a second cup of coffee

He doesn't have a "honey-do" list, it's a "honey don't"

Easier than nagging.

 

[SeeMe4PC]

Oh Becky, You crack me up! Thanks for the warning because I think our husbands may be related.... but then I guess that could be almost everyones DH. That story soooo sounded like it came from my kitchen.

I agree with Janet, you should put in a comment card for her. I love to catch people doing the right thing and then let them know how much it mean to others. Sometimes even a simple smile or hello can make someones day!

 

[jrstephens]

I was LOL at work over this!! I know how you feel about "3 people making it worse." I would rather do it myself than have Luke & Russell help me. Atlhough, cooking with luke makes great memories it is not good for my patience when I have none already.

 

[AnnieBee]

Oh Becky, what a day!

I hope you got to put your feet up for the rest of the evening .

I'm pretty lucky, Jon is not *too* clueless in the kitchen. He could make the brownies, just probably not using the same utensils that I would... .

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh Becky, what a day!

I hope you got to put your feet up for the rest of the evening .

I'm pretty lucky, Jon is not *too* clueless in the kitchen. He could make the brownies, just probably not using the same utensils that I would... .

Does a Rocket Scientist even need tools?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I love your story!

My DH does things like that...So, for revenge when I wanted to wallpaper the bathroom, I made a big production that I was gonna do it myself. Then I hung the 1st piece upside down accidently on purpose. I acted puzzeled, he came over to "rescue the situation."

He finished the whole job while I enjoyed a second cup of coffee

He doesn't have a "honey-do" list, it's a "honey don't"

Easier than nagging.

I think I can learn alot from you!

 

[ughubug]

My boyfriend was "helping" me make cookies last month and sure enough my 5lb tupperware container full of flour landed on the floor of the kitchen...LoL...His reponse..."I'm just helping..."

A friend of our family told me two years that men insist on sabotaging jobs so that you will never ask them to do it again...he denies this and its times like these that I remind him of what she said...LOL

 

[Stampaholic1961]

I can't find it right now but Bill Cosby used to have a routine about how men had to be extremely smart to act so stupid. They do this so we don't ask them to do anything again!

 

[candiejayne]

I'm so glad I dont have those problems! My BF is really pretty good at doing stuff around the house. I never have to ask him to do anything, and I'm always pleasently surprised when he helps me out. Today, he did dishes, cooked dinner, and got all of the laundry to the laundry room.

However, he did tell me that if I didn't find a place for all my PC stuff he was throwing it away... I'd like to see him try! haha! OOHHHHH and tonight he was using the 5" Utility from the FC line stiring onions in my skillet. I about shoved that knife up his... and twisted it as hard as I think I could!

 

[Chef Endora]

I can't find it right now but Bill Cosby used to have a routine about how men had to be extremely smart to act so stupid. They do this so we don't ask them to do anything again!

That's what I mean! We can play that game too.

When I want something manly done, I go rummaging in his tools. This of course, is when he is around to take over. I got extra shelves in my kitchen cabinets that way. He saw me heading for the cabinets with his drill and.....
I went & put the coffee on. Then I sat there and make a big deal over
how easy he made it look, and how lucky I am to have such a handy man. :love:

 

[candiejayne]

lol! I need to start attempting household projects that I want done... there is NO WAY in heckll that he'll let me do it! Then again, he does recruit me for free labor while working his business... not sure how it happened, but I had gotten the day off work, and I spent the entire day refinishing kitchen cabinets at a house he was flipping... NOT FUN!!! But his hired guy screwed them up and open house was approaching FAST!

 

[MissChef]

ROTFL!! Oh the visions Becky!!! Too darn funny! My hubby sometimes gets in the mood to cook breakfast in the morning and when I go in the kitchen to help, he tell me to leave, that he can do it.... then he proceeds to keep calling me back to ask where everything is at???!!! Drives me crazy!
And then he has the kids help and can not figure out why life is so rough sometimes while doing it and I say to him.... "do you see them doing all the things you have them do when they help me? No... I give them age related tasks and I don't just turn my back on them.... I make sure things are okay first"....I have to be careful with my son... he's all thumbs in the kitchen and my daughter takes after me so she'll be helping me cook the whole meal real soon!
I loved your story! And the cleaning up thing.... why is it that when we cook we clean, but when they cook.... we still clean???!!!:grumpy: LOL!

 

[janetupnorth]

My DH washed all his clothes with fabric softener instead of detergent the 3 months before we were married. He will not do laundry unless there is a dire emergency and then only his stuff because I do not want it ruined.He's ruined 3 separate PC ice cream scoops, broken 2 stones, damaged a knife, broken glasses, chipped 2 plates and bowls...the list goes on.I refuse to give up though, he does dishes well so I keep forgiving and training!

 

[chefsteph07]

ROTFL!! Oh the visions Becky!!! Too darn funny! My hubby sometimes gets in the mood to cook breakfast in the morning and when I go in the kitchen to help, he tell me to leave, that he can do it.... then he proceeds to keep calling me back to ask where everything is at???!!! Drives me crazy!
And then he has the kids help and can not figure out why life is so rough sometimes while doing it and I say to him.... "do you see them doing all the things you have them do when they help me? No... I give them age related tasks and I don't just turn my back on them.... I make sure things are okay first"....I have to be careful with my son... he's all thumbs in the kitchen and my daughter takes after me so she'll be helping me cook the whole meal real soon!
I loved your story! And the cleaning up thing.... why is it that when we cook we clean, but when they cook.... we still clean???!!!:grumpy: LOL!

My DH cooks breakfast too on the weekends...OMG what a production...he must dirty about 5 pans, all my scrapers, etc, it is RIDICULOUS. I don't know HOW he can make such a mess! Seriously! Just for bacon and eggs I have a sink full of dishes! Not to mention the expletives that come from him when he's trying to find things...umm..he will NOT turn the TTA, if it is not in his direct line of sight it doesn't exist, same thing w/ the fridge, he will not move one thing to find another, this is why we sometimes have 3 jars of pickles, 2 bottles of mustard, etc...all in the fridge...it's maddening...

 

[ReneeMiller]

:yuck:I was just getting ready to ask if your DH was an engineer!! Mine is an electrical engineer and can do the most complex math problems you'll ever encounter. But when it comes to common sense.....

 

[Jean DeVries]

Too funny Becky - tell DH only HE can mess up the PB cup trifle recipe!!!!

...and very nice cashier...I'd comment to management about how considerate she was. That was sweet.

I concur.

It's too easy these days to complain about bad service, and in a season when good service is rare and patience with our fellow man is thin (especially, I gotta believe, at WalMart), kudos from management about how you treated customers goes a long way towards brightening everyone's day and improving morale.

 

[janetupnorth]

:yuck:I was just getting ready to ask if your DH was an engineer!! Mine is an electrical engineer and can do the most complex math problems you'll ever encounter. But when it comes to common sense.....

As an engineer, I'm not feeling the love today. :cry:

 

[jodie]

can someone help with my tiramisu trifle brownie? do i need to double the brownie layer and use very little coffee cream cheese mixture because last night it came out like a blob!

How does one layer a trifle without it looking like one big mess? my layers never turn out.

help! i will do this tomorrow for a show!

 

[Jean DeVries]

My DH cooks breakfast too on the weekends...OMG what a production...he must dirty about 5 pans, all my scrapers, etc, it is RIDICULOUS. I don't know HOW he can make such a mess! Seriously! Just for bacon and eggs I have a sink full of dishes! Not to mention the expletives that come from him when he's trying to find things...umm..he will NOT turn the TTA, if it is not in his direct line of sight it doesn't exist, same thing w/ the fridge, he will not move one thing to find another, this is why we sometimes have 3 jars of pickles, 2 bottles of mustard, etc...all in the fridge...it's maddening...

At our house, we call this "guy looking"

(As in, "Hey, have you seen the ketchup?"
"Did you guy look, or look look?"
"Guy looked."
"It's behind the milk on the second shelf."

 

[lacychef]

At our house, we call this "guy looking"

(As in, "Hey, have you seen the ketchup?"
"Did you guy look, or look look?"
"Guy looked."
"It's behind the milk on the second shelf."

That's funny!

 

[pampchefsarah]

can someone help with my tiramisu trifle brownie? do i need to double the brownie layer and use very little coffee cream cheese mixture because last night it came out like a blob!

How does one layer a trifle without it looking like one big mess? my layers never turn out.

help! i will do this tomorrow for a show!

Sorry I saw this too late to help you Jodie. How did your show go? I can never make this trifle look pretty, but it tastes delicious!!