So tired.

I'm very tired tonight so I apologize ahead of time if my post is a bit of a yawn. It was a gloriously sunny day out and DD, Nephew and I got some good old fashioned fresh air and outdoors time. First we took a music class. They learned how to creatively move their bodies to music from a different culture, they learned to sing in a different language, they learned to play instruments and learned to read/write music. Non of this stuff was mastered. It was our first class and it's for young kids. So it's basics. But then we went to the park and they ran around and jumped and climbed and rolled around until their bellies hurt from laughing so hard.

Then we got back to Nephew's house and I started making dinner. I sliced the potatoes, coated them in olive oil stuck them in their foil pouch and baked them for about an hour. They were nice and tender and Nephew T gave them great reviews. I pan cooked some thinly sliced steaks in minced garlic and olive oil and served it on crusty french bread. Made a Caesar salad (from a kit) and cracked open a fruit bowl. It was a big hit with Nephew T who hasn't liked many of the chicken dinners I've made but has gobbled up everything beef. He even asked for some seconds! DD, well what can I say, she's a s----l----o----w eater. But she eats. She finished everything on her plate except her salad, but she's not my salad eater, and she did give it a fair try. Nephew, however, didn't eat his meat or his potatoes. He wanted to eat fruit and salad for dinner. -pouts- Even the dog got in on some of the meat. I cut up a slice of steak and mixed it with her dinner. I love steak sandwiches, if I could eat them everyday and end it with something marshmallowy for dessert I'd be the happiest girl in the world.

But I am tired now. I think the kids enjoyed the music class so it may become a regular Friday activity until one/both of them start kindergarten. TGIF! Happy blogging!

5 senses and a deformed butterfly

The title will make sense in a few minutes, and it will be funny. I promise. Just keep reading.

Today DD and Nephew learned about the 5 senses. I was a little baffled as to how to make a fun lunch to show the 5 senses, but we sure did A LOT of sensory work while they ate.

"Mommy, what's that yummy smell?" DD asked as she bounced into the kitchen. She got brand new socks today, and gets very bouncy in brand new socks (cheaper addiction than shoes right?)

"Well sweetie, that is one of your senses telling you that I'm making a quesadilla for lunch. Can you tell me which sense you used?"

She was very puzzled and had to think about it for a minute, but got it soon after. I find that if I don't work with them right after school, they both seem to lose everything they learned. I thought little minds were supposed to be sponges, not sieves.

I asked lots of questions like that, aiming them at both DD and Nephew, sometimes switching off, sometimes asking both and seeing who could get it first. After 30 minutes the game got old and they were ready to go play. So I had them wash hands and they I pulled out a surprise treat. Chocolate dipped marshmallows covered in sprinkles with a pretzel stick for the handle. I am not ashamed of trying to turn the kids into marshmallow lovers like me.

They each had one and spent the rest of the day being angels. Or so I'd like to let you think. Nephew T and SIL came home and Nephew T had lost something of his and SIL was very upset. Understandably so because this is the second time this month he's lost this item and he acts like he doesn't care. But she was upset and so she told him he couldn't play until he found the item. Well, boys will be boys and immediately started fighting over something.

Again, if I could just let it end here I would. But then you'd get the impression that my Nephews are rotten and I have an easy kid. Well, I'm here to correct any wrong impressions I may have given.

Nephews both went to bed so I let DD cuddle up and play a drawing game on my iPad while SIL and I finished a movie (Friends With Benefits ...SO FUNNY!) DD got dessert a little while after the boys were asleep because she finished all her dinner and SIL has Push-pops which are easily "the best dessert ever!" if DD's opinion is the end all. Now onto the troublesome part...

As soon as she finishes her Push-pop, she turns on her whiny voice and says, "But mommy, I wanted to have dessert at home." "Well sweetheart, you shouldn't have asked for a Push-pop, or you should have told me before we opened it that you wanted dessert at home instead." Now...she didn't REALLY want dessert at home instead, this was her way of trying to get two desserts. But instead of batting her eyes at me, and giving me the sad lost puppy look, she scrunches up her nose, squints her eyes, drops her jaw and cries. She looks like a deformed butterfly that fell out of it's cocoon too early (thanks Elizabeth for that description that will forever live on in my brain.)

I may need to take Elizabeth's advice and put her in front of a mirror next time she makes that face, and ask if she would give into the ugly face she makes. I can't help but roll my eyes, sigh and chuckle to myself when she gets like that. It's going to turn into an eye twitch moment I know it.

I gave her extra love at bedtime, but she dealt with having only one dessert. Happy blogging!

Skating lessons

I redid the Triangle lunch today. Same sandwich, except it was PB&J today, but I cut up the apples into triangles and they had lots of fun building pyramids with food. It was a good day.

DD and Nephew have been in a beginners ice skating class the past few months and tonight was the last night of their session. Well, DD came off the ice and said "Mommy, I want to keep skating, I really like it, but right now my foot hurts." So we hurried her to a bench and took off her rental skates and helmet and when I turned them in I signed her up for the next lesson. She'll be going on Saturdays now which will be lots more fun because Husband almost never works Saturday mornings so he'll get to watch her skate more.

We have two weeks to use up her free skate passes she got with her lessons, before the next session starts. I guess I know what we're doing over spring break!

Today was much better than yesterday. I appreciate all the "been there" comments. It means a lot to me to know I'm no the only one who goes brain dead sometimes. Happy blogging!

Bad Day

After Nephew's mommy and older brother being sick yesterday, I wasn't sure what to expect today, but they both went to work/school. So DD and Nephew had pre-school today and they learned about triangles. Easiest sandwich ever. Grilled cheese cut into 4 triangles and banana slices, carrot sticks and fishy crackers. I was not up to making something super fancy after the morning I had.

Drop DD and Nephew at pre-school, head back to my house to change my wash from before I left, make Husband's lunch, turn off lights and such and without thinking and lock my door and shut it, without grabbing my keys. So I'm locked out of not only my house, but my car as well. It was freezing, it had been raining on and off all day, and thank God this was an off moment. My cell phone was in my car and all I had was husband's lunch and a desperate desire to find a phone. My new neighbors across the street are getting a very big welcome basket this weekend for helping me out.

Husband was able to get to me and unlock the house and get me in with plenty of time to spare before picking up DD and Nephew. I am very very lucky to have him. I hope tomorrow is a good day for everyone. Goodnight, sleep tight and happy blogging!

Shooting stars and sick days

Nephew's older brother and his momma were sick today. She had to go into work for a half day but Nephew's older brother (Nephew T for this story) was able to join us for lunch. He opted out of a fun sandwich though. DD and Nephew had shooting star sandwiches, banana slices, carrot sticks, goldfish crackers and water to drink. Nephew T had the same thing except his sandwich was just cut in half. It was a very quiet day and I hope that they're all feeling better tomorrow. No pictures because they were too busy gobbling and Nephew T was in a very grumpy mood during lunch. Poor guy. :(

Happy blogging!

Apple slices and snuggles.

DD's dessert tonight was apple slices. First I cut them off into chunks. Then I slice them up. However, tonight she got two apples and I took two chunks of the apple and use little cookie cutters just for something special. Then, while she was munching we cuddled up on the couch and watched a kid show and read books.

The time was so special to me already and when I asked her what her favorite part of the day was she smiled and replied "This." So simple it made my heart burst.



And then she told me that I could cut her apples into shapes anytime I wanted because they taste better that way. Back to waking up early tomorrow. DD is looking forward to spending more time with Nephew and Husband is going golfing with his dad for his day off. Should be a good Monday all around! Happy blogging~

St. Patrick's Day

I'm part Irish...admittedly a very small part, but it's there. I'm also part Italian. That part is quite a bit bigger. So any traditional cooking from "the old country" was done by my Italian grandma. We've never been big on corned beef and cabbage. In fact, they never made it until after I grew up ad could cook my own meals. The only time I ever had it was as a child at a dinner with my Dad's family. I did not like it. So I never ate it after that.

My mother in law has a dinner every year, but we haven't attended. Either because we lived out of state or my husband was working and we only had one running car or, like last year, she decided to just make a small dinner and we could skip it if we wanted to. This year, the Husband was working the close shift and MIL asked me if DD could come to the dinner even if I wanted to skip it. So I figured I'd go rather than stay by myself at home.

Now, I am a rather picky eater, and I do the very best I can to expose DD to lots of things and make her give them a fair try. If she doesn't like it, that's fine. We'll reopen it in a few months or a year. I get it, tastes change. So tonight I gave corned beef another try. It's been nearly 20 years since I've had it anyway. It was very good. The whole meal was good, but I ate around the cabbage. It's probably not something I will ever cook though. Brisket is one of my least favorite cuts of beef. But I will be a lot more open to going to St. Patrick's day parties and trying the food again.

Thank you, Mom, for not pushing me to eat it when I didn't like it as a child. And thank you, MIL, for giving me the time to try it again without pushing.