The evolution of a meal

So, I notice that my kids are repeatedly asking for snacks and I think, "Ok. This means they're hungry. It's about time. I should probably fix something." I tell the kids no more snacks, mommy is going to make some food. Internal monologue ensues:

Ok. What can I give them? We're out of bread. We're out of jelly. No sandwiches. We have bologna, but I don't really want to give them meat, cheese and crackers. They've already had some crackers as a snack. I don't want to give them cereal; they've had it a little too much recently (breakfast and lunch yesterday, and breakfast today) our milk is still defrosting, already using powdered milk...just don't want to do cereal. No chicken nuggets. What can I use up? We have 3 hamburger patties left. Let's go with that. 

I turn on the stove. Put on the iron skillet and the burgers. We don't have any buns, so what can I do with this? Maybe I can make it into a Salisbury steak or something. I remember a scene from kitchen nightmares, "don't you guys flavor anything. [...] do you taste this?" So I throw some salt and pepper on the patties. 

Still thinking. How am I going to get my kids to eat this? They won't eat it as a patty. They barely eat it with the buns. I don't have gravy mix or mashed potatoes and I'm going to use the red potatoes for tomorrow. Flip. More salt and pepper. Besides, that's too much effort and would dirty too many dishes for a "quick" lunch. I get out three plates.

Still thinking. I start to cut it up, so it is more ground beef and less in patty form. It'll be easier for Zach and probably Logan. Maybe I can do it like a meat loaf. I have spaghetti sauce. I add some onion powder, chili powder, celery seeds (my new favorite seasoning) and oregano. Mmm smells pretty good. This pan doesn't have any edges, so I can't really fill it up with sauces and chunky ingredients and I don't want to get out a different pan and transfer it. 

Um now that it is all ground up, Logan won't be able to eat it on a plate, so I get out the bowls instead. The meat is done, so I put it in the bowl. Now it looks really pathetic. Uhm, well maybe I can add a vegetable. 

Chelsea, do you want corn, green beans or carrots? "Carrots." Ok. Oh, we don't have as many as I thought. Kids get out the table, chairs, spoons. I put Zach in his chair. Get out the carrots and aah, ketchup. Kids love ketchup. I know. We'll have hamburger in a bowl. We'll add ketchup and relish and cheese. That's looking better, but not quite complete. You know what?! We have a head of lettuce that needs to be used maybe I can make it a hamburger salad. 

I get it out the lettuce and clean it. AHA!! I can "stuff" the leaves. The kids are all sitting, looking at their bowls and spoons and starting to eat, but still looking curious. I get out another bowl, put some lettuce leaves in it. Sit down and wrap a little one for Zach. He has a hard time biting it off, but still likes it.

I start to put some meat in a leaf for myself. "I want to make one," says Chelsea. I help her and finish making my own. Logan decides to try too. 

SUCCESS!!! We eat bun-less hamburger lettuce wraps for lunch. 

Crazy couple of days

YESTERDAY Logan had a Pediatrician appointment yesterday morning at 9:30. Thankfully my friend Julie and I arranged a babysitting exchange, so she watched Chelsea and Zach. That made it much easier and gave Logan and I some nice alone time. Logan has been very tired lately and not had much of an appetite. After the appointment, we went to the lab and Logan had his blood drawn for some tests. He was a trooper. He didn't budge at all for the first attempt (the vein was easy to find and went in easily and then collapsed). For the second, only a short whimper. That took until about 11:30. I took him to the store for a treat. Then I picked up Chelsea and Zach and went home. I was expecting a friend to come over at 1 for a sewing project, so I scurried to get the boys fed and down for a nap. She forgot...okay, so we rescheduled. The rest of the day was pretty good. By the evening, I was POOP-E_D and cranky.  ...not so happy for me and unfortunately not so happy for the kids.

TODAY I had two visiting teaching appointments at 9 (not a big deal, that's pretty typical). I was having a rough slow morning so David stayed with me to help me out. THANK YOU. I dropped David off at school at about 8:30, and headed to the appointment. I should mention that the appointments were in student housing and to drive through the gate I have to be buzzed in through a call box (like the one David and I had at our second apartment home in Woodcreek). I got there and the box was broken, so I drove around and parked at the school and walked to the housing (the farthest building from the lot) and was late. SORRY. That pushed the time on the appointments back, so we were late for the second appointment. SORRY. When we were finished and walked back to the car I was late for 10:30 preschool. SORRY AGAIN. During preschool Logan walks in front of a swing with Chelsea on it, gets knocked to the ground and a gash on his eye. We stop the bleeding and put a bandage on it. Julie watches Chelsea and Zach while I take Logan to the urgent care. THANK YOU JULIE!!! Logan gets stitched up, I pick up Chelsea and Zach and make it home by about 2. I can't wait to see what happens the rest of today and tomorrow.

new teeth

Zach's two front teeth just cut through. (Upper central incisors). I'm excited because he has been working on them for a while and I know that means relief for him and easier eating.

bath and dinner...Do not wish to repeat

So, for dinner I decided to make pre-packaged chicken fried rice and PF Chang’s orange chicken. I just got the pans hot and the food in the pans when Zach crawls up to my leg and I smell his dirty diaper. “Okay,” I think, “I have a couple minutes before I need to stir these. I’ll go ahead and change him now.” I proceed to the changing table and start changing his diaper, unaware that he found something on the floor and had it in his mouth. Right before his clean diaper can go on, he starts gagging. I sit him up, pat him on the back and…spew. My heart jumps a few beats. I look over at the stove…things are getting hotter and the fried rice is supposed to be stirred continuously. Knowing I couldn’t leave Zach on the changing table (gross and dangerous). I rushed him over to the sink and turned on the water. Try to keep my eyes on Zach and the corner of my eye on the food. Not going to be able to stir the rice continuously, I hope it doesn’t burn…stir rice, stir chicken. Grab kitchen hand-towel and clean diaper, luckily from very nearby. Place them on the side of the sink. …stir, stir… He’s staying put, but playing with the bottle washer and drain plug and hand sanitizer. That’s not going to work. Literally run into the bathroom grab a couple toys and the baby wash and run back. Hurray, sigh of relief he hasn’t moved. Double check water temperature, drop the toys…stir, stir…wash, wash… stir, stir…wash, rinse. Zach is clean, and the food is done. Wrap Zach up in the hand-towel balance on my hip. Take the food off the heat. Breathe a sigh of relief. Place Zach on the floor (changing table is still covered in ick), dry him off, put the clean diaper on and place him in the saucer. Clean off the changing table, start the washer; call the others in for their baths.

I decided to come up with a list of things that could've made it worse and I am grateful they did not.

1)      His bum and surrounding area was already clear of fecal matter before he spewed.

2)      He did not have a brand new diaper on only to be immediately soiled.

3)      His puke stayed on the changing table.

4)      His clean diaper and hand-towel did not fall into the sink.

5)      We both survived the fiasco.

Still. You’ve got to love that face J.

Chelsea bore her testimony

This Sunday was fast and testimony. Chelsea asked, "what's he doing?" I told her and then I asked if she wanted to bear her testimony? She said yes. I asked if she wanted help or if she wanted to do it by herself, she said by herself. I said okay...and a nervous butterfly was born in my stomach. I wonder what's going to happen. I asked her if she knew what to say? She nodded yes. Just in case I gave her three lines to say. She walked out of the pew and up to the podium. .... In the middle of someone else's testimony... and waved to me, I motioned to come sit down. She sat down on the steps. I motioned some more (we were sandwiched in the second pew between another family and the wall). She sat on the pew in front of us. I decided to give a little more instruction. There wasn't a line, so I said to wait until the speaker sits down, and then go up. She pulled out her snack cup and started eating. Then it was time. ...Oops... too slow. She sat down on the bench again. A brother on the stand offered her a seat next to him, but she wouldn't take it.  It was her turn again. ...She made it. Up on the stand she looks over at us and says in the cutest little voice. "Help me?" It was so cute. David got up there and helped her out and she came down with a HUGE grin. I was so proud of her.  

Chelsea bore her testimony

This Sunday was fast and testimony. Chelsea asked, "what's he doing?" I told her and then I asked if she wanted to bear her testimony? She said yes. I asked if she wanted help or if she wanted to do it by herself, she said by herself. I said okay...and a nervous butterfly was born in my stomach. I wonder what's going to happen. I asked her if she knew what to say? She nodded yes. Just in case I gave her three lines to say. She walked out of the pew and up to the podium. .... In the middle of someone else's testimony... and waved to me, I motioned to come sit down. She sat down on the steps. I motioned some more (we were sandwiched in the second pew between another family and the wall). She sat on the pew in front of us. I decided to give a little more instruction. There wasn't a line, so I said to wait until the speaker sits down, and then go up. She pulled out her snack cup and started eating. Then it was time. ...Oops... too slow. She sat down on the bench again. A brother on the stand offered her a seat next to him, but she wouldn't take it.  It was her turn again. ...She made it. Up on the stand she looks over at us and says in the cutest little voice. "Help me?" It was so cute. David got up there and helped her out and she came down with a HUGE grin. I was so proud of her.  

Zach is getting up

On Monday Zach started pulling himself up to standing position on the furniture, security gate, boxes, pretty much anything. As a result, he got his first "real" head bonk. By real, I mean one that is accompanied by a bruise. 
 Then this morning I came out of my room to see him standing up, looking over the side of his pac 'n' play. He's progressing so quickly.

He is also quickly getting frustrated with his bottle and baby food. He wants real table food. He's also getting great hand to mouth coordination. He can feed himself Kix and can put his spoon in his mouth. A few nights ago he ate my beef stew blended up. That made me really happy especially since David and I had to practically force Chelsea and Logan to eat it. It is exciting to see him grow and develop and be so happy.

Valentine's dance

Last night a sister in our ward threw a Valentine's party for the people of our ward, at the church. Complete with meal, cupcake dessert, dancing, formal attire, live performances and professional photographer from the ward--picture to follow. It was a BLAST.
David and I dressed up in tux and "fancy" dress. We went all out. He rented a vest and bow tie, bought him a boutonniere and me a corsage, bouquet of roses and a "Happy Valentine's Day" balloon. I wore my black gloves. It was so much fun to dress up.



We don't get the opportunity to do that much as adults. We hired a babysitter, who put the kids to bed AMAZING--first time we have ever experienced such a luxury...sleepovers at grandparents' not included.

We got to reminisce about high school and make even happier memories than we did back then. This morning we followed up with a refresher course in the Lindy hop. Best Valentine's day ever!!

mobile proof

He's truckin' now! He kind of hops when his pants start to sag too much.

skills trading

So, I'm working on building a skills market in our ward, so we can trade for things that we need. For example: one sister in the ward does photography, so she gave me some photos in exchange for watching her kids.

Aren't my kids SOO cute!!  Picture of Logan still pending (they were all out of patience).

Zach is on the move...some more

Zach has started crawling on his hands and knees. I counted about seven "steps" before he fell to his belly. It must have tuckered him out though because when I got the camera out it was only one or two. I'm sure that in a couple of days he'll be crawling so much I'll get good footage.

tooth

Zach cut his first tooth yesterday! His right lower central incisor. He was not happy and I could see that it was just below the surface, so I helped it along a little with the flat part of my nail. It bled just a little. He was a little less happy, but only briefly. Now I can see it and feel it and he is happy again. David can't see it or feel it, but I can, so I'm counting it.

lip smackin' good

Zach has started smacking his lips. I managed to capture it while he was eating, but he does it when he is just playing too. Really cute.

Zach is on the move...

Zach is starting to crawl...a little. Here are some videos. Also, I think I figured out why many of our home videos have other media in the background. It is a lot easier to get a video of one child while the others are entertained. I recorded Zach and then turned off the tv and tried to shoot again. What I got was a lot of footage with Chelsea running in front of the camera, turning the lights on and off and Logan climbing on top of me. By the time I finally got Zach crawling again, he was out of breath and in the shadow. Oh well. Such are the joys of life.

Logan and Chelsea Video

So I decided to play around with video editing equipment and I must say it is both frustrating, time consuming, and immensely fun and rewarding all at the same time. Here's the fruits of some labor and a feature called "Autovideo".