Just in case you too aren't counting down the weeks until our new arrival, I'm approaching 33 weeks pregnant. I'm writing this post for two reasons - but more may pop up like the fact that I should document that I made a multi-course meal AND that it occurred on one of our hottest days so far (85+ with no AC)+(cravings are obeyed 'round these parts). But first, I'm proud of Easton and his willingness to learn new chores and stick with it until it is done lately. He regularly asks how he's doing as well and recently (if there's NO time constraint on him), he's fun to chat with as he works near me. And secondly, as I joked on Facebook to my brother Luke who was excited about doing the best leg workout his weight-lifting bulk could muster, I had to laugh that I paid money to get out of doing 15 minutes of squatting uncomfortably and precariously on a wet floor. And I'm proud of myself for my ingenuity to boot!
On the way home from school today, I asked Easton if he'd be willing to do this chore for me if I paid him. With a field trip to the pool tomorrow with his class, he was more than game to have some cash on hand! Yes, he's still in school but it ends on Thursday thank goodness! I can't wait for the break and not having to make lunches!!! I really need to delegate that one but supervising it sounds almost worse still.
{I have the cutest memory of my brother Luke who was in kindergarten or first grade one time I was home from college. One morning, he was making his lunch at the table while my mom and I were chatting. He was making himself a sandwich with mayo, cheese and pickles. He had taken a table knife and was cutting randomly, odd-sized pickle chunks out of a large pickle rather than slicing it - doing the best his little self could and pretty pleased with himself. I want to say he'd done the same hack job on the cheese but the pickle is crystalized in my memory.}
Back to this evening . . . While I began mixing up hamburger with seasonings for good ol' grilling burgers, Easton was rinsing out his rag and told me he fell in love again today. I asked what she looked like, wondering if it would be another blue-eyed blonde like his first crush. Nope, it was a girl and a boy from India who had visited his class for a bit today checking out the school. Apparently she was beautiful, an exotic knockout I'll bet and I had to smile that his taste is not bound by pale faces. How fun! He doesn't remember her name but thinks she might be in his class next year and then he'll find it out. Then while I peeled and sliced peaches at the table, Morgan and McKay salivated while we sang ABCs and the "I'm Peanut Butter, and you are Jelly" song as Easton sang along from his scrubbing detail. I got to teach Easton how to get the corners and sweep up crumbs with a rag to dump in the trash. Funny how you forget kids don't come programmed to know how to do chores!
Ryan got home and wanted to go on a run so I pleaded with him to take Sasha, the doberman we're dog-sitting across the street, with him. And thankfully he didn't mind us eating without him because I was starving and if I had to endure one more hunger meltdown from McKay in that state it would not have been pretty. Morgan and McKay always approach me as I'm a good ten minutes from finishing dinner crying for food that instant or they're sure they'll die. It drives me insane, particularly because of it's timing and how it delays the whole shebang.
An hour after Easton started on the floor and I started on dinner, the kids and I sat down. Correction, the laborer was paid for job well done and then we sat down to eat. He asked to be paid in dollars, not euro which is good for me but not going to work for him tomorrow at the pool. Hmmm . . .
So once a lady gets the meal made, serving it up in front of a hungry crowd scrutinizing every item placed on their plate makes one seriously second guess every straying from a one pot meal. Too many options for disagreement and meltdowns at a crucial moment when mom just wants to eat a bite while it's still warm, preferably without having to order someone to their room. Here's how it went tonight with minimum input allowed for burger fixings:
Easton - plain bun and burger, decided he loved the peaches with or w/o the yogurt and is not an onion dip fan but please pass more chips. And thanks but no thanks to the pina colada.
McKay - plain burger with ketchup on bun but he added lettuce later, didn't like the peaches with yogurt at all, loved the chips, dip and pina colada.
Morgan - She gets the works on her burger until she can demand otherwise and since I knew I'd be eating at least half of hers that she'd leave uneaten, I made it the way I like it. She threw a fit when I put a little yogurt on her peaches and had to be threatened with bedtime if she didn't stop for us to say the dinner prayer. Liked the chips but turned down the dip to my shock, and sipped on her pina colada indifferently.
We're big on smoothies lately and I'm loving the peaches but not their other admirers who've taken up residence in my kitchen - fruit flies. Ryan and I loved the plain greek yogurt I sweetened with vanilla and a little powdered sugar to top them off and you can't have burgers with out chips and onion dip can you? We actually haven't grabbed a gas tank for our grill yet so I just broiled the burgers in the oven and it worked out real well. I have to admit I really only cook two real meals per week right now but usually one is a new recipe, usually to Ryan's chagrin. Last week I did well on a white chili experiment though and this week it was the burgers and hopefully a successful go at our favorite Vapiano rucola parmesan ravioli recipe I haven't quite mastered yet.
And now I'm off to bed with a happy tummy and a clean kitchen! Nothin' beats that unless you say you're coming over to be me for our morning get-them-out-the-door routine!
