Recent thoughts . . .

A few unrelated events that have left me pondering . . .

• Last week I made shrimp alfredo for dinner (don't be too impressed . . . pre-cooked shrimp, jar of alfredo, bowtie pasta . . . I did cut up some veggies & mince the garlic). Though I enjoy seafood, we don't eat it at home very often. Danny was very unsure about the shrimp. Now, I don't have a problem with my child not wanting to eat a lot of something they don't care for and we're not strict about them clearing their plates completely. However, I feel strongly about having my kids taste and try a little of everything. Matt and I enjoy most foods and like the adventure of trying new ones. This is certainly something we want to instill in our kids. So, back to the shrimp. I put 2 on Danny's plate. "What does it taste like mom?" "A little fishy. Good. You'll know when you taste it." He started with his broccoli, ate a few noodles, and then poked at the shrimp again. I showed him how to pinch the tail and bite the shrimp off. I think it freaked him out a little. "You only need to eat one, to try it. If you like it, you can have the second. You can't have a crescent roll until you've eaten the shrimp." He picked it up and took a miniscule bite, flinched, and gagged. I reminded him that eating the shrimp meant eating the whole shrimp, chewing, and swallowing. He went through a brief phase where he thought he would intentionally vomit something after he ate it, so I reminded him it had to stay down. Am I totally mean or what? I did give him a choice though - he didn't have to eat it, but he couldn't have the coveted roll unless he did. It was almost time for me to leave for a meeting, so I quickly finished my meal. Finally, Danny was ready. He put the whole shrimp in his mouth and began chewing, chewing, chewing. He drank a little water. Then he started to gag. "Do you need to throw up?" I got ready with a napkin. But he shook his head fiercely and kept chewing. The seconds dragged on, he gagged again. "Danny, if you need to spit it out, it's OK." But no. He continued on with a mad determination in his eyes. I think it took him a full 2 minutes to chew the whole shrimp. But he did it! And then he smiled. And said,"Hmm . . . that was good." Granted, he did not eat the other shrimp. And he has specifically asked not to eat the leftover shrimp. But I was so proud. Is it crazy that I enjoyed watching my little guy tough it out and succeed? What do you do to encourage your kids to be good eaters and try new foods? Do you have consistent rules or does it depend on the meal & the situation?

• Kaylee is a climbing maniac. Danny was not. If there is something to be climbed onto or out of, she's on it. High chairs & shopping carts are merely towers to be stood upon. Today I moved her off the table at least 20 times. She would go right back, climb on top, do a little dance, & then laugh and try to run away (on the table) when I retrieved her. Her sassy grin & mischievous eyes while she's atop the table, or sofa, or counter always make me laugh. But yesterday, she had her first big fall. She was trying to run away from me so I wouldn't take her off the table. She slipped on the table cloth before I could get to her and fell flat on her back. Fortunately, she didn't hit any corners or chairs. There was no blood, only tears. But, how many falls can a little kid take? And, how do I teach her that it's not a game? Do I just remove all chairs (because she pulls them out and climbs up on them) and stools? Any tricks for shopping carts & high chairs? Straps are useless . . . she wriggles right out of them every time. Maybe she'll be a magician . . .
  

• I need a new fitness goal. Having the marathon to train for kept me motivated and focused. It was great to have a plan and something to look forward to. Now I'm only looking forward to Halloween Candy, a Thanksgiving feast, and Christmas cookies. Any ideas?

• This past Saturday Matt and I did something we haven't done in a really, really, really long time. We didn't have any trips, activities, or commitments (unless televised college football counts as a commitment). Normally, this means we would go to a museum or a park. But instead, we just stayed home and worked almost all day. And it was SO much fun. We accomplished all these jobs that we never seemed to have time for before (Mostly ones that I'd wanted to do). Washed the windows inside & out, cleaned the grill, trimmed some bushes & trees, swept out the gutters, reorganized the office, & set up my cansolidator (see next bullet point). Danny LOVED it. He was my squeegee man during window cleaning & he was thrilled to help Dad haul the branches to the yard debris can. Though I remember many Saturdays working together as a family growing up, I forgot how invigorating, fun, & unifying it is! We rewarded ourselves with dinner out at Pogacha's, a local Croation joint. A delicious way to end a perfect Saturday.
  

• Why is it that the right gadget/gizmo/accessory can make a chore SO much more fun? I love making my bed. I didn't use to, but earlier in the year I used a gift card to buy a new bedding set with big pillows & a fun design. It's nothing too fancy or expensive (just Target bedding) so I don't worry about my kids (or dogs) climbing onto our bed. But, I love the bedding & it makes me actually want to make my bed every day. I look forward to the polished hotel look. My other favorite gadget (much to Matt's dismay) is my cansolidator. Technically it's a Shelf-Reliance free standing, can rotating system. Regardless, of the name, I love it. Silly, I know, but it brings me such great joy to get my food storage because I love seeing that cansolidator brimming full. It's so fun for me to put the cans in the top & hear the swish, clink as it rolls around and hits the next, older can. Everything is kept in order and there are no crazy, toppling stacks of cans. A friend of mine once posted about a new pair of rubber gloves that helped her fall in love with dish washing. What is your favorite gadget or gizmo? And why is it that the right tool makes something previously so awful suddenly fun?
  

• I have realized I need to spend $ on clothes. I'm still in a high school mindset, looking for the cheapest deal I can possibly find. However, now that I'm not growing (except during pregnancies), I've realized I don't have the same clothing changeover that I once did. Most people figure this out a little sooner than I have, but you really do get what you pay for. I'm always so excited when I get $4 t-shirts at Old Navy during a wicked sale, and then so disappointed when two wears and a wash later, they're faded and stretched out. On the other hand, I'm always scared to pay more than $30 for a shirt at a nicer retailer, and yet, my more expensive clothing, from many years ago, is still holding strong. I'm confident that I have wasted far more money buying mediocre clothes because they sort of fit and they're a great deal, than buying more expensive, quality clothes. Don't get me wrong . . . I'm still not going to shell out $100 for a pair of jeans that will get paint, playdough, and sticky fingers on them. However, (as Matt will tell you from our recent shopping excursion), I'm no longer going to limit myself to the deal of the week.

Wow. I think I've rambled enough. For those of you who plowed through . . . thank you for listening.