While The Kids Were Away
Gigi and Lulu were gone for the last 24 hours.
I love them. But I needed that.
Pea Daddy and I did not relax together in a hammock, sipping lavender lemonade and discussing the weather.
Are you crazy?
Instead, as any halfway intelligent, exhausted parents might do, we tried to cram as much as we possibly could into the childless day.
We went running together, just like we did in law school. Only this time I didn’t put on mascara. I didn’t put on perfume. And I’m not telling whether or not I even wore deodorant.
We went around the house, took all the outlet covers off, took the Dora potty seats off all the toilets and burped the alphabet to each other.
Pea Kitty got physically closer to me than she has in six years. She thinks this will make up for the abuse she’s given me since Gigi was born, but it doesn’t exactly put fabric back on the arms of my couch, now does it?
We slept in until 7:30. We set the alarm for 7:30 so we could get up and curse at each other.
We went shopping.
No one picked out anything for me with pink sequins, feathers or a unicorn on it. In the dressing room, no one told me they had to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW, asked if they could have a puppy or said that I looked like I was going to have another baby.
I found three dresses in ten minutes. I told Pea Daddy it’s because I’ve been training by taking the girls with me, like running sprints with a parachute tied to my back. A parachute that is still NOT getting a puppy.
I made Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for two.
Oh yeah. If you have the book, you know what that means…
We laid bark dust, baked dough balls, picked our noses, made smoothies at night without taking the blender to the garage and slept without a nightlight.
It was nice.
Before we knew it, they were home.
And before we knew it, we were too.
*************
*Thanks for the thousands of entries in this weekend’s autographed book/Pea Pack giveaway!
The winners are:
From comments: Luning, Holly and Dani
From Twitter: @RedHeadRecipes, @bitesandbliss, @HandHMomma
Please email me at peasandthankyou.com with your mailing addresses.
*Tuesday morning, August 2nd, I’ll be doing many, many radio interviews! If you’d like to tune in, here’s a list of the stations I’ll be popping in on:
East Coast
Washington D.C., WHFS-AM
Baltimore, WOCM-FM
New York, WBNR/WLNA-AM
Cleveland, WELW-AM
Miami/Fr. Lauderdale, WHQT-FM
Cleveland, WEOL-AM
National, CRN Digital Talk
Tampa, WWRR/WDUV-FM
Atlanta, WALR-FM
Baltimore, WEAA-FM/NPR
Providence, WSAR-AM
Central
St. Louis, KMJM-FM
Regional Illinois, WSPL-AM
Birmingham, WMJJ-FM
St. Louis, KTRS-AM
Minneapolis, WYRQ-AM
Mountain
Albuquerque, KDAZ-AM
Salt Lake City, KJMY-AM
Pacific
Los Angeles, KKZZ-AM
Fresno, KYNO-AM
aww i little staycation for you two! that picture of you and pea kitty is hilarious!!
I was seriously in shock. “Pea Daddy, get the camera!!!”
If I went shopping with you, I would find you pink sequins…
Then you are never going shopping with me.
First of all — shit girl, you on da radio! Second of all, I am sad I didn’t win but that just means I’ll have to buy it doesn’t it? Third of all —- you two are some bad ash mother effers.
Yes. To all of the above
Sounds like a fabulous 24hrs!
Congrats to the winners, colour me peagreen! Looks like I’ll have to bite the bullet and buy my own … anyone know where I can find a good Aus/USA conversion chart?
I have a 3yo boy. He fancies me in camouflage.
Ha ha ha!!!
What a fun day
so I didn’t read the paragraph above the list of the cities and I thought it was a book tour and that you were coming to Salt Lake and I got so excited. Then I learned to read! Haha. I will totally try to tune in if my work schedule allows. Even if it means closing my office door and telling people I am on a conference call 
That’d be a really busy day if I were hitting all those cities on Tuesday
Hope you can listen to me!!!
Congrats to the winners and for some Mama Pea radio time!! Glad you got some alone time with Papa and the cat this weekend
Can’t wait for the UPS man to bring my book tomorrow!
I’m excited for you to get it!!!
What a sweet post– so happy you and Pea Daddy found some alone and relaxation time amidst the recent craze. Enjoy your week!
So glad you had a good weekend!
I am going vegan for the week (err 5 days) and suprisingly my parents decided they want to do it along with me, at least for the most part. Anyway, my menu for the week includes: YOUR black beans burgers and butternut squash fries, YOUR lentil enchiladas, and YOUR peanut mmm sauce. Just thought you should know
Oooh, please do report back and let me know how it went. Good luck…it will be easy PEAsy!
I’ll never think of apple cinnamon pancakes the same again. Not complaining! Yayyyyyyy SLC radio! I’ll be tuning in for sure.
Should I give you a shout-out?
Obviously! haha.
Are you going to be posting the times?
Lovely! I bet you guys had an awesome time together. My Love and I live together with my Baby sister. She has been away for the past couple of weeks, and we have really enjoyed our time, but I will be glad when she comes home.
Congrats on all the radio exposure!
No night light? It all sounds very rebellious! Hope you enjoyed it! I ordered your book today:)
Thanks, Grace!
Will definitely keep an ear out for ya here in LA! Also, you are an excellent writer, love how you ended the post. I want to read a funny non-fiction memoir/novel by you!!
I’d love to write one too! Thank you!
Ordered your book and got it on Thursday. I’ve been enjoying the sarcasm- I’ve laughed out loud so many times my husband keeps asking me if I’m “still reading that cookbook???” Congrats on making Apple Cinnamon Pancakes… if you know what I mean.
Oh, I know what you mean
haha! I laughed when I read the part about the apple-cinnamon pancakes! I definitely know what you mean!
Hoping my book arrives soon. Although I guess I could just go down to the bookstore and read it there
Good luck on all your radio interviews!
Thanks, Marianne. Hope you get yours soon!
I’ve been looking for your cookbook and I want to make everything! I think I’m going to start with the blueberry streusel muffins though, I was thinking of the apple pancakes too, but there’s only me and my mom so I’ll be halving a lot of the recipes
Good thinking, though both of those recipeas also freeze well…
‘like running sprints with a parachute tied to my back’ pahahaha! Hilarious! Dresses all look gorge!! And good luck with all the radio interviews, such fab exposure!!
Thanks! (funny though that I showed my dresses for my “radio” interviews)
Haha it’s all about a ‘vibe’ you cannot be expected to give as good an interview in everyday clothes! A fancy new dress (or 3) is absolutely necessary!
You never know who might be listening!! 
This probably explains why it is 4:30 am and I am fully dressed and made up right now
Just ordered my two books to make the 7/31 deadline for your “surge”, and there is now only one book left on Amazon! You go girl!
Yay! I love you! Thank you so much.
Ya for a little alone time! Made Beg-for banana bread tonight…YUMM-O! Kids had a blast helping me too:) I put it in heart shaped muffin tins and my daughter thought they were just about the best thing ever!
What a great idea! Love it!
I have been staying up way past my bedtime reading your book, laughing my butt off, and decided to see if you had made your nightly post yet. When I saw this reference to the pancakes it made me laugh even harder! You are hysterical and such an inspiration in cooking and in life, thanks for sharing a slice of pea life with us!
Erin, you are a doll. Thank you so much for reading!
This is so true, because when my mom took my daughter for 4 days, my hubby and I jam packed our schedules with to do list! We went to bed late and woke up early, cleaned, and took care of things…And then realized we needed an extra couple days to rest
oh, and p.s….I got your cookbook this weekend!! I bought one for a wedding present, and HAD to get one for me
Saw those pancakes in there, and thought about making them! I love the idea in the book where you set out a bunch of options for oatmeal toppings 
It’s one of the best cookbooks I have ever owned. Well written, entertaining, and beautifully done! ALONG with everything looking delicious and yummy!
Thank you, Ari. I’m so flattered!
I’m with you. But man, it’s amazing what you can get done when you don’t have to refill sippy cups or wipe bottoms.
Am just love, love, loving your book! Went out today to get a few things just so I can try out some recipes on the fam.
Glad you had a wonderful day! I can’t imagine. I got 15 minutes the other week and it was glorious!Hope all goes well with the radio interviews! Yay!
Thanks, Kristin. So glad you are enjoying the book!
That’s awesome that you had TIME ALONE!!!!
Running together. Gosh. I can’t even remember the last time Scott and I did that and back in the day, we used to run 6x a week together, 30+ miles a week together. Now, we are lucky to grab 5 minutes on the fly and rattle off childcare handoffs and other critical details like starting the dishwasher. Times have changed
The pancakes look crazy good.
And 3 dresses in 10 minutes? The shopping gods were smiling down on you!!! And your hair looks awesome in that pic, btw!
Thanks!
If you’re on the radio, does that make you P(ea)-Diddy in disguise?
Yes, and I’ll be dropping tracks like hotcakes. (What does that even mean?!?)
“A parachute that is still not getting a puppy”… I cried laughing. Seriously. I am emailing this post to my mom. I don’t usually do that, but I think she would be on the floor!
Hope your mom enjoys.
Look at you! Making strides even on the radio stations
I will be listening from Miami!
9:05 am EST!
So many things in this post rang true for me. Especially the “speed shopping” thing. A while back I needed a new outfit for something hubby and I were attending and while he (skeptically) and the kids waited in the car I went in tried a few things on, paid and was out the door less than 15 minutes later. I consider it a new talent actually. Thanks kids!
Have fun doing the radio interviews. That’s a lot of “pea promotion”
Yes, indeed. Glad you “get” the shopping thing.
Great pic of you with Pea Kitty
Wow, an entire 24 hours for just you and Pea Daddy. How nice that must have been. Glad you got to enjoy some time together.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! I’m so excited
You made my week!!
And I cannot wait to hear you tomorrow- I’ll get the Miami station online
You are welcome! Miami is at 9:05 am EST, btw.
Perfect!! Thanks for the heads up
Yay for some mama and papa time. I can totally relate to taking the VitaMix to the garage at night to make smoothies. We take ours to our bathroom when we want to make night time smoothies. Lol Still waiting for my book via amazon… I think I’ll have t tomorrow, though!
I’ve also had to take my hairdryer into the garage. The things we do so our kids will sleep
So nice to read that we’re not the only ones who have to take our Vitamix to the garage sometimes. Just made your pancakes a few days ago, made strawberry and peach- Delicious!!
So glad you liked ‘em!
hahaha i love that you guys went nuts while they were gone! i never thought about having to take the blender into the garage at night but it makes sense! only it might be for a marg or something at our house
Just don’t ask how many times I’ve dropped the full blender while carrying it out to the garage…
Ooh, I’m going to listen to the Atlanta one. Do you know what time it’ll air?
The Atlanta taping is at 10:45 EST, though we’ll be taped, so I’m not exactly sure when they’ll air it.
SO cute.. I love that you and pea daddy went running (sans mascara) and maybe even without deodorant
I was a nanny in college and used to take the kids to the mall where I’d shop at the speed of lightening.. I totally understand your game!
Let’s just say there was no maybe about it. I stunk.
No Boston radio?! COME ON!
I know, what’s up with that?!
Love the childless 24 hours of fun you and Pea Daddy had! I see you scored some beautiful dresses! Love them! Im sure those are to be worn for book promotional things right? Because if anything like me, I only get out of my sweats and try to make myself look decent when I have something going on, which is rare, lol! Especially with Anthony, date nights are about twice a month around here ; ) even then, Mike is lucky if I don’t wear sweats on our date night ; )
I saw those pancakes, because I am Smart and do have the book ; ) I want to make those soon!
Happy Monday! I wish I could hear you on the radio, Im sure you will do awesome girl!
xoxo <3
Yup, three morning shows in the next couple weeks…I’ll pass on the info/clips as they get closer.
Hope you have a great Monday too, Katie!
DUDE I WON. I probably wouldn’t have known until tonight or tomorrow when I checked my Google Reader, but a dear friend blurted it out on Twitter.
Thank you! I’m SO EXCITED.
You won, you won! Congrats! Got your email, thanks for replying so quickly!
The struggle between the desire to relax or to get things done you never get a chance to do! I.E: day off work means I can relax…or go out and buy Peas and Thank You!
I know what I’d suggest…
I literally sat reading this post, laughing out loud (particularly at the description of what DIDN’T happen in the dressing room – I have been there before with my nieces! Why is it EVERY TIME without fail that you get into the actual dressing room, they have to go to the bathroom??)
Good luck with the radio interviews, I’m sure you’ll be just fabulous
I forgot to mention that they like to crawl and stick their heads into the next person’s dressing room and critique their clothing choices as well. That’s not awkward at all.
HAHA! Nope, not even a little. They’re just spreading the personal stylist love a little to your mates in the other dressing rooms! I mean, I know you want their genius all to yourself, but you can’t stop talent like that
Righttt…
Minneapolis should be central time zone FYI
I will definitely listen — I’m putting a reminder in my calendar now!
I love your posts — how nice to have a weekend without the girls, but I bet things are just not the same without them!
Oops…sorry! The Minneapolis taping is at 7:45 am CST, and we’ll be live! Thanks!
Peas and Thank You is on my amazon wishlist and my birthday is next week soooo I’m pretty excited!
Happy birthday, Liz!!!
Wow–that is a lot of radio interviews!!! How exciting!!
Yes, ma’am. Luckily I’m well-conditioned in talking a lot.
I got your cookbook on Friday when I got home from work and spent some time reading it this weekend. I’m about half way through. I love the stories you tell throughout! I’m so glad you had a great day with Pea Daddy and got to have those pancakes the next morning
Gorgeous blouses! I’m in love with ruffles this year.
Thanks! So glad you are enjoying the book!
those dresses are so pretty! yay Tampa radio! I will definitely be listening
Thanks. The shopping gods were smiling upon me. FYI, Tampa interview is at 10:30 am EST, though it’s being taped and I’m unsure what time they’ll air it.
August 8th is a Monday…
And I am a moron. The radio interviews are August 2nd. I need sleep. Thanks for the help!
You’re welcome. I’m glad we don’t have to wait until next week for the interviews!
The funny thing is, I was so tired last night, I had Pea D do a proofread. Shows how carefully he reads my posts
Yay for Fresno/LA time slot! Now I just have to keep switching between the two to get some good radio signal and hope it doesn’t cut out while I’m doing bird surveys…dang my job and it’s limited technology…haha.
and you know you wanted a top with sequins. Hey, at least they’re not telling you to get chains right? think of it that way…hehehe.
So true. Hope you can get me on your radio!
MP, my P&TY book is 15 minutes away and they aren’t delivering it until tommorow. They’re trying to kill me, aren’t they?
Get out! I’d be tempted to drive and go get it!
Is today the last day to buy your book in order for it to count for “first week’s sales”?
YESSSSS! (thanks for pointing that out…I didn’t want to mention it again)
Lulu’s hair is gorgeous!!! It looks like those girls on the hair comercials lol!!! Very shiny!
Glad you got to enjoy some alone time…..with the book coming out I am sure things were getting a little hectic!!!!!
I don’t know how she got that head of hair. Gigi and I kind of hate her.
Woot! I’ll definitely listen in for you on the Baltimore AND DC stations! (How convenient that I live halfway between both places, eh?)
We’ll be on in D.C. at 7:50 a.m. and in Baltimore at 1:15 p.m.!
Hahaha I can totally relate to the dressing room drama! Picked up the book at my local (closing) borders – now if I can just hide in the bathroom long enough to read it without anyone banging on the door……
Closets also work wonderfully for hiding Not that I’d know…
good luck with all of your interviews! It is AMAZING how fast it goes when the kids are away for the day/night. And how much you can accomplish too! Glad you enjoyed the time.
That’s a lot of radio interviews! Glad you had a nice day together
Cleveland?? Woohoo!! Wow, do you do ALL of those in ONE day?? Glad you + P.D. got some time alone. Sounds lovely.
Uh, yeah, all back to back. 22 stations. 4:30 am until 1 pm. That’s a lot of talking, even for me.
Love that picture of you and Pea Kitty. So funny!
Good luck on all your radio interviews!
Oh yay! Congrats on the radio shows! I don’t think I get any of those stations, sadly..
That UPS man had better bring your book today. I did see it in a local Border’s all front and center!
Yay, I love to hear that!
My sister in law and I used to say how running errands with kids is as though we have shackles on our
ankles….not that we are comparing having our kids to being shackled of course
No, of course not.
Sounds like you and Pea D had a nice little staycation! PS. Even though I can’t see the entire outfits, I LOVE the dresses in that photo! Wonder if PD could pick out 3 Tommy Bahama shirts that fast?
Sadly, I have no doubt he could. (PS I’ll post clips of the TV segments when I wear the dresses!)
My pre-ordered copy should arrive today, according to Amazon.com tracking. This past week, I’ve been regretting the fact that I’m so cheap and went with the free shipping. But now I’ve got something to look forward to, always a positive on a Monday morning!
I LOVE the dresses!! Gem colors! Henry spends every Saturday night with my parent’s! We always still have Clara, but it is such a needed break by the end of the week!
I love the jewel tones! What a nice break for you guys!
I love the picture of you and Pea Kitty…I think I see genuine terror in your eyes.
I keep going back through the book and rereading my favorite parts. And I may or may not have sat my husband down on the couch so that I could read to him…except I kept laughing hysterically while reading. I also may or may not have eaten one too many crack wraps this weekend…I’m so glad you and Pea Daddy got to spend a day together! You are an amazing shopper!
It’s more like, “What the H*&L?!”
And so glad you are enjoying the book. Thank you!!!
Glad you enjoyed a whirlwind 24 hours with Pea Daddy! That must have been at least a little relaxing!
Even though a lot had to be done, I bet it was still nice for a break. And even nicer when they came back
I can’t wait to receive my copy of your cookbook! Pancakes sound awesome right about now.
What a lovely day!!
I’m ordering your book as we speak…very excited. It’s helping to slightly undo the disappointment that I have over the fact that there isn’t a Boston interview.
Maybe they’ll be a future one? Thanks for ordering the book!!!
My copy was delivered on Friday and I LOVE IT!!! I didn’t get many of my errands done this weekend because I was on the couch with your book most of the time. I can’t wait to start trying out the recipeas. I am off to walmart.com to leave a fabulous review of your book.
Oooh, I can’t wait to read it. Thank you, Carrie!
Sounds like an eventful 24 hours! I definitely need to get the book to make those pancakes
Yes, you do!
(thanks)
You sure were productive in your childless hours! That’s awesome you guys got to go running together. The man and I are off for a hike together today, we could never run together, I can’t keep up and he would never wait
I love hearing about your time without the kids and then how much things are right in your world when they come back. I hope to be such a loving and patient (as much as possible!) mother!
It’s all about balance! It’s taken awhile but I’m learning the beauty in it.
How nice to have a some alone time. I love those moments together with my husband!
Apple cinnamon pancakes?
oh gosh. delicious!
Love this post! So true about the alone time – we somehow manage to do about 36 hours worth of stuff in 24 kid free hours. And get a full nights sleep. It’s some sort of parenthood magic.
I’ve been asked all kinds of questions in the dressing room, which is why I try to pick dressing rooms at the end of the hallway, in hopes that no one overhears the commentary that comes when two children watch you undress.
I pretty much avoid dressing rooms altogether. It’s easier to come home, try it on, and then return it.
Yay for a day of just the two of you! I have 2 boys (4 and 6) and love them to death, but on the rare occasions that my husband and I get time to ourselves, it’s amazing!
Oh…I got my book!! Woohoo! I’m actually making the enchiladas for dinner tonight!!
Enjoy! One of my faves!
I can not thank you enough for writing this book!
(including my super picky 9 year old who is the most excited about it!!
It came at just the right time for my family!!
I am proud to say my family has been meat free since Tuesday
We have made crack wraps, banana bread (which i ate 1/3 of the loaf before it was cooled) pb&j cupcakes, tempeh reubens,hugh jass salad, lulu’s mac and cheese… and the rest of the week’s meals are all your recipes!!!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Heather, thank you so much. And congratulations! Your feedback came at just the right time for ME.
You’ve made my day. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week as well, and good luck!
I feel like I just won the lottery!!! I might just PEA my pants I am so excited to win your book!!! THANKS!
you bring the blender into the garage, too?? except i have to do that in the morning so i don’t wake my slumbering parents. that’s what living with your family post-college graduation means to me. and i’ve successfully made about a dozen recipeas since receiving your book on my doorstep last week- all FABULOUS, of course!!! thanks mama pea
A dozen?! You rock! And hey, you graduated, so there’s no shame.
Woo hoo, Providence!! I’ll be tuning in
Ah man, I’ll miss your interview aired in Birmingham by just a few days (I’m going home this weekend). I’ll tell Mama Broc to listen for it:)
So beautiful, so perfect, and so heart-warming to read, Mama Pea! I long for a man to pick my nose with, and children (somewhere down the line) to complete me. However, I fear I am headed more towards Crazy Ferret Lady.
That said, Crazy Ferret Ladies can still eat doughballs.
You are too funny!
Could you please just convince a big hunk of man to believe that, too?
Ha ha ha. I’ll see what I can do.
Any idea what time you’ll be on in Atlanta? I’ll be tuning in down here!
Interview is around 10 but will be taped, not live.
Love those dresses! Is there any way you can let me know what brand the blue one in the middle is or where you bought it? I think I recognize the purple one as a presley skye from Nordstrom? Anyways, I have a wedding to go to in a few weeks and that is JUST what I have been looking for! Thank you millions!
Theresa
Thanks, Theresa! The blue and aqua ones are both Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique at Nordstrom, and yes the purple one is a Presley Skye. Nice eye! A lot of the Suzi Chin’s are on sale now on Nordstrom.com. I just ordered another one. Good luck!