Sunday, January 26th 2014
So I have a new experiment going on at my house unbeknownst to my children. I am making one meal, or one meal that is connected by one ingredient, and not giving my kids many other choices. Today I fixed quesadillas, which they like. I added shredded chicken, which they do not like, in and told them eat it or next meal is dinner. I had also made some very delicious goodies and made them a deal using that as bate. Yes I know I am not supposed to but my house, my rules. Lawyer, the very picky one, decided the prize was worth it and ate it all leaving not much on her plate. (now mind you I am not a fan of the clean your plate club, I give them kid sized portions). She scored the GF oatmeal toffee cookies I made, more on that later. Monkey chose not to finish both wedges. She has worried me a bit as even when it is something she likes, she isn't eating all that well. So I am left trying to figure out if she is in a growth spurt again where she gets finicky or she is not feeling well. I can NEVER tell when that child is sick unless I watch her eating habits or she is very lethargic which doesn't happen now that she doesn't get strep anymore. (thank you tonsillectomy!) So she also had to go to time out as she told me she was full, which I know she wasn't b/c she was just talking about eating some GF gooey butter cake I also made... don't' judge, I had a bazillion eggs I got from farmers market and had to get a crackin so I wouldn't lose them! I do not tolerate lies. Not sure what is going on with that kid b/c she also has this HUGE zit on the side of her nose and she is 8. She had one a few weeks ago and I put Neosporin on it and it went away then it came back about 2 or 3 weeks later with a vengeance! I think it may be staph b/c she had it as a baby on her leg and she is not the best about washing her hands and she touches EVERYTHING. Lots of fun in a public restroom with her, let me tell you, as I sound like a shrieking bird screaming DON'T TOUCH THAT! That "thing" on her nose got so red and angry it was killing me. She must have scratched in during the night as it was a bit smaller today and had a scab. I went against better judgement and had her scrape off the scab so we could relieve some pressure and I put hydrogen peroxide and more antibiotic cream on it. Bleagh.
So back to the cookies I mentioned earlier. I had made these a couple times and the first time it turned out fine. The second time I cooked them the time the recipe suggested forgetting my oven runs a bit hotter due to the convection. Hubby took them to a potluck and he overheard someone telling another not to get those cookies b/c they were nasty. It made him mad but he did not say anything. He told me and at first I didn't care but the more I thought about it I wanted to fix why they were nasty (they were rock hard after cooking too long). I made them this weekend and undercooked by one minute less than the minimum cooking time and they were chewy and perfect. Kids, especially the Lawyer, can NOT get enough of them. So lesson learned is criticism can either beat you down or make you correct an error in the future. Your choice.
Monkey liked my gooey butter cake. I just happened to have a GF Betty Crocker cake mix to do something else when I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for something that used lots of eggs (remember I was overrun with fresh eggs!). I made this and while not what I remember as being light and fluffy, it still was a hit with both hubby and Monkey....ok and myself. I was my own Betty Crocker Friday!
Speaking of Friday...hubby came home as I was in the middle of fixing hamburgers and fries. He said he was nauseated and didn't feel too hot and had a pain in his left side. He said he felt like puking...which he proceeded to do...a lot. He did this all the while I am cooking and Monkey and I are making a sour cream pound cake (I mean I had LOTS of eggs and sour cream to use up!). We got the cake made and in the oven and I got dinner ready and on the table all while hubby was making frequent trips to the bathroom and becoming less and less clothed in the process (cold sweat). I began coaxing kids to eat b/c I overcooked the burgers with him going back and forth and hurting. I ate my meal and the kids were in the middle of theirs when he screamed he had enough and he wanted to go to ER. So we spent Friday evening for almost 3 hours at our local ER while they got hubby pain meds and diagnosed kidney stone number 3. I had wonderful friends who helped me with the kids and took them out of my hands for a bit and brought them home so they could sleep in their beds. I then finished cooking my cake staying up late in the process and then watching over hubby and his pain meds when he got up in the middle of the night hurting. Needless to say, I did not get much rest Friday. Yes, I did remember to shut off the oven before leaving since the cake was still baking. Thank God! I must say the cake turned out pretty good being twice baked....maybe I am on to something here!
WARNING!!! RANT BELOW!!!
I was at the massage therapists with my kids as I like to get them mini massages occasionally which they love and look forward to when I spotted an interesting situation. Next door is a therapy place for children. (I am about to judge here so just letting you know....) I watched a young woman pull up in a new dodge charger, a flower lei dangling from the rear view mirror and the music just a thumping. She got out and pulled up her very tight jeans. Had no coat (it was pretty cold out) and pulled a tiny young, guessing about 2-4 years of age, little girl and take her inside. Then chicky drove to park and proceeded to smoke her one while standing beside the car (b/c every body knows smoke doesn't get in your car if you smoke with the door open beside it....goober) She then reached in and sprayed some stinky perfume, no doubt, all over her body and then inside the car. I wanted to reach and smack her upside the head. This is twice now I have seem some idiot, not fit to be a parent or caregiver, be in a car with a baby, or young child as this one was, and be thumping like they are on a high school cruise strip. I mean seriously, if you want to go deaf and have everybody look at you, not b/c you are cool or cute mind you b/c you are just plain stupid, then go ahead but do NOT subject that child to that noise you call music much less smoke around them. I have asthma b/c my dad smoked. You want to ruin your body go right ahead but do not subject a child who has no say. Irritates the fire out of me! I could not have kids for a while due to endometriosis and I am blessed that I was able to correct it and have children so I do not take that, or those who have gone thru adoption to give a child a chance, for granted.You shouldn't either.
R.I.P. to my grandfathers cousin T. Donaldson. You died too young.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Cotton Eyed Nachos, Quesadillas and Hamburgers, and the ice storm that never happened...Betsy Parks...er Ross and suicidal bread machines
January, 19th 2014 -Sunday
So I had the XM station the 90s on and the remix of Cotton Eyed Joe came on...the Lawyer was just singing away and then asked me why the song was about nachos...I figured out she heard "nachos" when the singer said Cotton Eyed Joe really fast. Hilarious.
I had success recently on different nights as I made hamburgers and quesadillas and the kids liked both of them. I also made Pioneer Woman's tomato soup and threw some noodles in it to see if I could make "spaghettios". Lawyer said not bad, Monkey wanted no part of it. OH well. I did find a homemade spaghettio recipe I will try with them...
Ice Ice baby....love to watch Vanilla Ice do some DIY projects...but I digress. We were supposed to get an ice storm with up to almost a good inch. Thankfully it just spit at us but it got dang cold. Colder than I can remember in a while. Was supposed to be down to 5 degrees but only got to 13 at my house thankfully. We decided to let outside kitties come in but could only find one that night. (Princess ended up being fine. She was probably holed up in some warm sewer, her favorite second home!) So we let Scaredy Cat in, who was quite happy about that, to be warm with us. She would love to be an indoor kitty but cat hair and children cat allergies prevent that. She did good as I kept her in the bathroom all night for fear of little kitty surprises in the am. The girls were disappointed that she had to go back outside but kitty sure enjoyed her status for a couple of days.
So we were talking about the American flag at dinner one night when we asked the kids what they learned at school that day. Lawyer said she learned about the flag and stars as they were studying the American Revolution when Betsy Ross's name came up. We asked the girls who she was and Lawyer answered, "Wasn't she the one that didn't give up her seat on the bus?" When hubby and I were able to stop slobbering and breathe again from guffawing, we corrected her. I love my kids answers!
Switching mental gears...If you have not read up on Magnesium and its benefits, you should. It is quite interesting. I am almost finished reading The Magnesium Miracle. I had been giving Monkey some Mg last year to help with her ADD and I had quit to let her wash out a bit. I am going to start her back again and see how it helps her. I have been taking it since Christmas and I have been sleepy at night time again and slept hard, when my mind will stop working, and felt better. I am hoping it will help with my headaches which is why I began researching it and taking it. So far so good and no headache has occurred in January. The headaches had gotten bad over Nov and Dec. This was exciting for me to get so far without a headache and not hurt agin. I also decided to get on the scales and found that while my overall weight had gone up 2lbs, my body fat percentage and BMI has gone down. Eating healthier is really helping, on a glacial pace I might add, to help me lose weight and keep it off. Very cool.Slow, but cool.
I made recipes out of the Parade mag that comes in the paper two weeks in a row that were awesome. One was Asian spiced chicken and the other was Pork, apples, and onions. Both were a hit for hubby and I. I have found more little recipe ideas in the oddest places!
My bread machine committed suicide the other day. I decided to make wheat bread for the first time. I usually dump everything in and leave it until it is ready. Well I forgot that wheat flour is VERY dense. I had my machine by the edge of the counter but not right at it. I went to my office and began to work and clean up some piles of papers. I heard the paddle alarm beep and decided to leave the paddle in. Then about 2 minutes later I heard a horrible crash. Sure enough the machine had kneaded itself right off the counter! A horrible and quick death it was. So I did what any normal woman would do, I went straight to Amazon and ordered another one, the exact same one. I got it $20 cheaper than the first one and I can use the old pan and paddle and switch it out if I want to make more than one bread in a day without having to wait until it cools and wash it. Not all was lost, only the bread machine and my wallet took the worst hits but I made lemonade out of those darn lemons!!
So I had the XM station the 90s on and the remix of Cotton Eyed Joe came on...the Lawyer was just singing away and then asked me why the song was about nachos...I figured out she heard "nachos" when the singer said Cotton Eyed Joe really fast. Hilarious.
I had success recently on different nights as I made hamburgers and quesadillas and the kids liked both of them. I also made Pioneer Woman's tomato soup and threw some noodles in it to see if I could make "spaghettios". Lawyer said not bad, Monkey wanted no part of it. OH well. I did find a homemade spaghettio recipe I will try with them...
Ice Ice baby....love to watch Vanilla Ice do some DIY projects...but I digress. We were supposed to get an ice storm with up to almost a good inch. Thankfully it just spit at us but it got dang cold. Colder than I can remember in a while. Was supposed to be down to 5 degrees but only got to 13 at my house thankfully. We decided to let outside kitties come in but could only find one that night. (Princess ended up being fine. She was probably holed up in some warm sewer, her favorite second home!) So we let Scaredy Cat in, who was quite happy about that, to be warm with us. She would love to be an indoor kitty but cat hair and children cat allergies prevent that. She did good as I kept her in the bathroom all night for fear of little kitty surprises in the am. The girls were disappointed that she had to go back outside but kitty sure enjoyed her status for a couple of days.
So we were talking about the American flag at dinner one night when we asked the kids what they learned at school that day. Lawyer said she learned about the flag and stars as they were studying the American Revolution when Betsy Ross's name came up. We asked the girls who she was and Lawyer answered, "Wasn't she the one that didn't give up her seat on the bus?" When hubby and I were able to stop slobbering and breathe again from guffawing, we corrected her. I love my kids answers!
Switching mental gears...If you have not read up on Magnesium and its benefits, you should. It is quite interesting. I am almost finished reading The Magnesium Miracle. I had been giving Monkey some Mg last year to help with her ADD and I had quit to let her wash out a bit. I am going to start her back again and see how it helps her. I have been taking it since Christmas and I have been sleepy at night time again and slept hard, when my mind will stop working, and felt better. I am hoping it will help with my headaches which is why I began researching it and taking it. So far so good and no headache has occurred in January. The headaches had gotten bad over Nov and Dec. This was exciting for me to get so far without a headache and not hurt agin. I also decided to get on the scales and found that while my overall weight had gone up 2lbs, my body fat percentage and BMI has gone down. Eating healthier is really helping, on a glacial pace I might add, to help me lose weight and keep it off. Very cool.Slow, but cool.
I made recipes out of the Parade mag that comes in the paper two weeks in a row that were awesome. One was Asian spiced chicken and the other was Pork, apples, and onions. Both were a hit for hubby and I. I have found more little recipe ideas in the oddest places!
My bread machine committed suicide the other day. I decided to make wheat bread for the first time. I usually dump everything in and leave it until it is ready. Well I forgot that wheat flour is VERY dense. I had my machine by the edge of the counter but not right at it. I went to my office and began to work and clean up some piles of papers. I heard the paddle alarm beep and decided to leave the paddle in. Then about 2 minutes later I heard a horrible crash. Sure enough the machine had kneaded itself right off the counter! A horrible and quick death it was. So I did what any normal woman would do, I went straight to Amazon and ordered another one, the exact same one. I got it $20 cheaper than the first one and I can use the old pan and paddle and switch it out if I want to make more than one bread in a day without having to wait until it cools and wash it. Not all was lost, only the bread machine and my wallet took the worst hits but I made lemonade out of those darn lemons!!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Pioneer Woman obsession...ok that is strong and wierd, more like fascinations; Winter, raw veggies and cooking ideas for my picky eaters!
January, 5th 2014
We are supposed to be heading for the deep freeze today. We are predicted to have temps in the single digits and possibly below zero. I am a bit concerned for my kitties and kiddos. We only have a wood box with towels and sheets in it that the cats can squeeze in thru the narrow opening to keep warm, but that is for 20 degree nights not zero! And my kids were supposed to be out tomorrow still for school but since we had an ice event in December, that cancelled my chance to see a neat homestead at Christmas, this is our first make up day. We also now have one on Presidents day. But with this frozen tundra outlook and if the rain that came thru this am freezes, it will be slicker than con artist at a packed mall and we will miss again! That means our April day off is out too. I worry my kids will get frostbite just going from car to building! Thankfully, the school won't let them out for recess, but then again they are cooped up and driving the teachers mad if they don't'. Lets face it, the south is NOT used to, nor do we want to be, this type of cold weather. And with our humidity, it is colder than these types of temp up north and we whine a lot...and for some odd reason buy up all the milk and bread. Must be french toast cravings or something!
For some odd reason, when it gets cold, I get the urge to bake like a mad woman. I am totally hooked on the Pioneer Woman shows on Food Network (thepioneerwoman.com) and have made many of her meals of late and man are they good. (I want to be her when I grow up minus the cattle. Been there done that growing up and do NOT miss it except for the access to lots of land!) The meals are a bit richer and more in calories but since it is homemade and also done with veggies or beans, I still win out over eating processed meals. I have a recipe, not sure where I got it probably off a soup can, for Mexican chicken spaghetti. I ad-libbed and used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Alfredo in my own recipe and man was it awesome. I reserved a bit back for lunch but froze the rest for a later day. I have been better this year about freezing my left overs and then I have a list on the side of my fridge so I don't forget what is in there. I also keep some in my freezer drawer inside and then the rest in the garage freezer.This has turned out well and provided some nice meals when I am not inspired, which is often...
I have had fun all week baking. I made white bread in the bread machine that the kids devoured. I made PW's homemade granola bars that the kids liked. (If hubby and I like it that is awesome, but if the kids also like it, then I score big time.) I made Green Goddess Dressing that the Lawyer liked and then I made Ranch and used it on some local Romaine I bought at the farmer network. She ate it and it was not crunchy lettuce! I tricked her into eating spinach one day so now she can handle the leafy greens better as long as I cover it in ranchy like dressing (she at the green goddess dressing and liked it too but I didn't tell her it was not exactly ranch dressing...). I think I found our her texture issues are like mine. A lot are in our head but we can find ways around them to trick our gag reflex with flavor. For her, it is good tasting ranch and I didn't want to have to buy it anymore so I make it. I also made another dressing but haven't used it yet as it is more oil based. I plan to use it today as I pattied up some hamburgers the other day while on a freezer meal kick. I may use the dressing on the burgers and salad as hubby doesn't eat the buns due to the gluten issue.
Lately, I have been trying to utilize leftovers in some fashion for the next meal. That is a bit harder for me so far but I did manage to use some left over crushed tomatoes from an enchilada recipe in my chili. I hate having things go to waste but never have been good thinking it thru. Now I find if I just do that, which is think or watch food shows, I get ideas and can either use what I saw or modify it to what I have or like. It just takes a bit of effort from me and I tend to prefer to procrastinate! Sometimes my ideas flow so much that I keep notepads lying everywhere so I can write them down.
With the weather and the fact that activities start back up next week with school, I need to get more ideas so I can have options in the freezer to whip up on those busy and uninspired nights. I have left over chicken that I think I might go Asian with or maybe Indian flare with a mix of Asian. See, I just have to sometimes force myself to look in the pantry and use what I have which also gives me ideas. I learned that from a food article about pantry waste. I need to reread it as my pantry over floweth right now! I use ides from shows mixed with what I am currently craving. The hardest part is getting the kids to eat what we are eating. I have successes but not every day or even week. I did manage to make PW's quesadilla's and both girls liked them so that is good. I bet I could make them with chicken and they might be a hit.
Lawyer is my picky eater and I took her to a chicken place before Christmas while out shopping and got her to eat the strips with success. We then ran to Buffalo Wild Wings on New Years while out shopping and she ate the strips there. Now my goal is to get her to eat chicken from home that I cook. I have yet to do that but my chicken nuggets do not have a crispy texture generally since I use a GF flour and sometimes a corn meal. I need to work on that a bit as the key might be the outside coating. Monkey already loves them so anything to get us all eating the same meal is my goal and I am getting closer and closer!
I am trying to raise our kids on as much whole and natural food as possible. It takes a bit more effort on my part but not that much and if I plan ahead on a weekend, I can prepare for the week and still have time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I keep having the girls try new things (Monkey prefers butternut squash and sweet potato raw versus cooked...I will take what I can get!)
We are supposed to be heading for the deep freeze today. We are predicted to have temps in the single digits and possibly below zero. I am a bit concerned for my kitties and kiddos. We only have a wood box with towels and sheets in it that the cats can squeeze in thru the narrow opening to keep warm, but that is for 20 degree nights not zero! And my kids were supposed to be out tomorrow still for school but since we had an ice event in December, that cancelled my chance to see a neat homestead at Christmas, this is our first make up day. We also now have one on Presidents day. But with this frozen tundra outlook and if the rain that came thru this am freezes, it will be slicker than con artist at a packed mall and we will miss again! That means our April day off is out too. I worry my kids will get frostbite just going from car to building! Thankfully, the school won't let them out for recess, but then again they are cooped up and driving the teachers mad if they don't'. Lets face it, the south is NOT used to, nor do we want to be, this type of cold weather. And with our humidity, it is colder than these types of temp up north and we whine a lot...and for some odd reason buy up all the milk and bread. Must be french toast cravings or something!
For some odd reason, when it gets cold, I get the urge to bake like a mad woman. I am totally hooked on the Pioneer Woman shows on Food Network (thepioneerwoman.com) and have made many of her meals of late and man are they good. (I want to be her when I grow up minus the cattle. Been there done that growing up and do NOT miss it except for the access to lots of land!) The meals are a bit richer and more in calories but since it is homemade and also done with veggies or beans, I still win out over eating processed meals. I have a recipe, not sure where I got it probably off a soup can, for Mexican chicken spaghetti. I ad-libbed and used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Alfredo in my own recipe and man was it awesome. I reserved a bit back for lunch but froze the rest for a later day. I have been better this year about freezing my left overs and then I have a list on the side of my fridge so I don't forget what is in there. I also keep some in my freezer drawer inside and then the rest in the garage freezer.This has turned out well and provided some nice meals when I am not inspired, which is often...
I have had fun all week baking. I made white bread in the bread machine that the kids devoured. I made PW's homemade granola bars that the kids liked. (If hubby and I like it that is awesome, but if the kids also like it, then I score big time.) I made Green Goddess Dressing that the Lawyer liked and then I made Ranch and used it on some local Romaine I bought at the farmer network. She ate it and it was not crunchy lettuce! I tricked her into eating spinach one day so now she can handle the leafy greens better as long as I cover it in ranchy like dressing (she at the green goddess dressing and liked it too but I didn't tell her it was not exactly ranch dressing...). I think I found our her texture issues are like mine. A lot are in our head but we can find ways around them to trick our gag reflex with flavor. For her, it is good tasting ranch and I didn't want to have to buy it anymore so I make it. I also made another dressing but haven't used it yet as it is more oil based. I plan to use it today as I pattied up some hamburgers the other day while on a freezer meal kick. I may use the dressing on the burgers and salad as hubby doesn't eat the buns due to the gluten issue.
Lately, I have been trying to utilize leftovers in some fashion for the next meal. That is a bit harder for me so far but I did manage to use some left over crushed tomatoes from an enchilada recipe in my chili. I hate having things go to waste but never have been good thinking it thru. Now I find if I just do that, which is think or watch food shows, I get ideas and can either use what I saw or modify it to what I have or like. It just takes a bit of effort from me and I tend to prefer to procrastinate! Sometimes my ideas flow so much that I keep notepads lying everywhere so I can write them down.
With the weather and the fact that activities start back up next week with school, I need to get more ideas so I can have options in the freezer to whip up on those busy and uninspired nights. I have left over chicken that I think I might go Asian with or maybe Indian flare with a mix of Asian. See, I just have to sometimes force myself to look in the pantry and use what I have which also gives me ideas. I learned that from a food article about pantry waste. I need to reread it as my pantry over floweth right now! I use ides from shows mixed with what I am currently craving. The hardest part is getting the kids to eat what we are eating. I have successes but not every day or even week. I did manage to make PW's quesadilla's and both girls liked them so that is good. I bet I could make them with chicken and they might be a hit.
Lawyer is my picky eater and I took her to a chicken place before Christmas while out shopping and got her to eat the strips with success. We then ran to Buffalo Wild Wings on New Years while out shopping and she ate the strips there. Now my goal is to get her to eat chicken from home that I cook. I have yet to do that but my chicken nuggets do not have a crispy texture generally since I use a GF flour and sometimes a corn meal. I need to work on that a bit as the key might be the outside coating. Monkey already loves them so anything to get us all eating the same meal is my goal and I am getting closer and closer!
I am trying to raise our kids on as much whole and natural food as possible. It takes a bit more effort on my part but not that much and if I plan ahead on a weekend, I can prepare for the week and still have time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I keep having the girls try new things (Monkey prefers butternut squash and sweet potato raw versus cooked...I will take what I can get!)
Friday, January 3, 2014
Genealogy...and when the parent is parented....
January 3rd, 2014
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have been writing the year correct today....just not the date. For some reason I was living in the 4th day of Jan...OH well, at least I gain a day back now that reality has set in! Woohoo! Just like daylight savings and my precious hour....
So I have had almost two weeks off of work and man how that rejuvenates my soul. I was technically back to work Thur and Fri of this week but NOTHING was happening and all my busy projects put on hold until next week...when I am super busy. Nothing like a little procrastination to start the new year, eh? I have enjoyed my time. My father in law came up and we played on Ancestry.com and had a blast finding out new names and connections and siblings he never knew existed! And I thought Facebook was a time suck...at least this one you are doing something useful instead of pontificating to the world your views or opinions...come to think of just like this blog! ha the irony! Anywho, I love that site. I have sat down any relative who would sit long enough to let me type in their name or another missing link to help us build our tree. I love knowing about genealogy and I think it is a lost art like letter writing. I love to chase down the little spinning leaves and see what "hints" I have. It helps to have an older relative to connect dots. My age does not tell history from a family perspective like my momma and hers did. All we have are diaries from that time, which are wonderful, but we don't know real connections thanks to the digital world. And that has it's blessings and curses all wrapped in to one.
Due to this fact I am trying to have our family do sit down dinners as often as we can even if it is just me and the kids due to hubby's latest work schedule. I want to engage them in the art of conversation but I have to remember myself and not just say, un huh, every few minutes when the Lawyer tells me these long drawn out details about some Pokemon battle she just had. It is seriously like she speaks another language and I just get a few bits and pieces I pick out. Staying engaged myself is REALLY tough but it is important to her so it is important to me. Monkey just tells me random facts that may or may not be true...she keeps it interesting THAT is for sure! Like the time she told us we needed a hooker.....or what most people call a hitch. Yeah that was a fun conversation. Now what was I talking about...oh yeah.. Staying engaged....haha....oops...Uh as I was saying....we try to have meals together at the table. I even sit near them at breakfast, they eat that at the bar b/c they are very messy with the maple syrup! And I sit behind them and talk to them or I just lean over the sink while I slurp my octane..er, my coffee and chat. That is until I remember I did not set out something or make the lunches etc, etc.
So eating meals together means I have a rule that NO ONE is allowed to have toys, books, or electronic devices at the table while we eat. I started this when they were little as I felt as if I was at a constant tea party with stuffed animals because they would bring so many to the table. Then that evolved into books as either myself or the Lawyer would bring the latest interest we were reading and completely ignore everyone else. Lastly, we banned devices as the Lawyer would have her DS or her iPod and hubby would also be on his phone. Then I brought my iPad. I stopped it so we could engage and feel as if the other person talking was really listening and engaging in our conversations. Today I made lunch for my girls, then grabbed some homemade guacamole and chips and my iPad and sat down with them. I got it turned on and a game loading before both Monkey and Lawyer screamed at me NO DEVICES AT THE TABLE! I was a bit embarrassed for I had broken my own rule! Yet I was too proud to care about that because they caught me and remembered my rule! I was able to tell them even I forget and make mistakes! Nice teaching moment if I don't say so myself!
I am a bit sad this vacation is over. Half b/c I enjoyed no schedule or having to be anywhere and half b/c I LOVE spending time with my family. Yes they get on my nerves, but we try to get out sometimes together and sometimes just one or two of us. It helps me stay in tune with them and keep them in line so when I do have to break out the time out moments they respect and mind me AND I get my point across. It is at these times we can love on the girls whether they are in trouble and driving us crazy or not to show them we care. Lawyer will be 10 this year and I know soon she will be in to other things so I take every moment I can to be with her and snuggle and talk and also lay with Monkey until she falls asleep as I rub her back. These are things I can't get back once they are gone so I try to cherish them. As I type this, Monkey is way past her bed time and requested me to tuck her in. I shall go and be mommy one more day....Good night!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have been writing the year correct today....just not the date. For some reason I was living in the 4th day of Jan...OH well, at least I gain a day back now that reality has set in! Woohoo! Just like daylight savings and my precious hour....
So I have had almost two weeks off of work and man how that rejuvenates my soul. I was technically back to work Thur and Fri of this week but NOTHING was happening and all my busy projects put on hold until next week...when I am super busy. Nothing like a little procrastination to start the new year, eh? I have enjoyed my time. My father in law came up and we played on Ancestry.com and had a blast finding out new names and connections and siblings he never knew existed! And I thought Facebook was a time suck...at least this one you are doing something useful instead of pontificating to the world your views or opinions...come to think of just like this blog! ha the irony! Anywho, I love that site. I have sat down any relative who would sit long enough to let me type in their name or another missing link to help us build our tree. I love knowing about genealogy and I think it is a lost art like letter writing. I love to chase down the little spinning leaves and see what "hints" I have. It helps to have an older relative to connect dots. My age does not tell history from a family perspective like my momma and hers did. All we have are diaries from that time, which are wonderful, but we don't know real connections thanks to the digital world. And that has it's blessings and curses all wrapped in to one.
Due to this fact I am trying to have our family do sit down dinners as often as we can even if it is just me and the kids due to hubby's latest work schedule. I want to engage them in the art of conversation but I have to remember myself and not just say, un huh, every few minutes when the Lawyer tells me these long drawn out details about some Pokemon battle she just had. It is seriously like she speaks another language and I just get a few bits and pieces I pick out. Staying engaged myself is REALLY tough but it is important to her so it is important to me. Monkey just tells me random facts that may or may not be true...she keeps it interesting THAT is for sure! Like the time she told us we needed a hooker.....or what most people call a hitch. Yeah that was a fun conversation. Now what was I talking about...oh yeah.. Staying engaged....haha....oops...Uh as I was saying....we try to have meals together at the table. I even sit near them at breakfast, they eat that at the bar b/c they are very messy with the maple syrup! And I sit behind them and talk to them or I just lean over the sink while I slurp my octane..er, my coffee and chat. That is until I remember I did not set out something or make the lunches etc, etc.
So eating meals together means I have a rule that NO ONE is allowed to have toys, books, or electronic devices at the table while we eat. I started this when they were little as I felt as if I was at a constant tea party with stuffed animals because they would bring so many to the table. Then that evolved into books as either myself or the Lawyer would bring the latest interest we were reading and completely ignore everyone else. Lastly, we banned devices as the Lawyer would have her DS or her iPod and hubby would also be on his phone. Then I brought my iPad. I stopped it so we could engage and feel as if the other person talking was really listening and engaging in our conversations. Today I made lunch for my girls, then grabbed some homemade guacamole and chips and my iPad and sat down with them. I got it turned on and a game loading before both Monkey and Lawyer screamed at me NO DEVICES AT THE TABLE! I was a bit embarrassed for I had broken my own rule! Yet I was too proud to care about that because they caught me and remembered my rule! I was able to tell them even I forget and make mistakes! Nice teaching moment if I don't say so myself!
I am a bit sad this vacation is over. Half b/c I enjoyed no schedule or having to be anywhere and half b/c I LOVE spending time with my family. Yes they get on my nerves, but we try to get out sometimes together and sometimes just one or two of us. It helps me stay in tune with them and keep them in line so when I do have to break out the time out moments they respect and mind me AND I get my point across. It is at these times we can love on the girls whether they are in trouble and driving us crazy or not to show them we care. Lawyer will be 10 this year and I know soon she will be in to other things so I take every moment I can to be with her and snuggle and talk and also lay with Monkey until she falls asleep as I rub her back. These are things I can't get back once they are gone so I try to cherish them. As I type this, Monkey is way past her bed time and requested me to tuck her in. I shall go and be mommy one more day....Good night!
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