My Dinner Dilemma

Saturday's big batch cooking

I don't like making dinner. I'm not the biggest lover of cooking. Unlike some of my good friends, there's nothing in me that wants to spend all day making something that will be eaten in a matter of minutes. I like simple meals that don't take a ton of prep time. It's also a challenge with two toddlers roaming around, trying to take any opportunity to get in a cupboard, their toys strewn all over the floor and often needing attention. Because the boys are still napping twice a day, the late afternoon is often the best time to get out and go for a walk or play outside. Joel used to do a lot of the cooking. He enjoys it and he's good at it. But we like to eat dinner as a family so that means it now needs to be ready as soon as he gets home so there is time for baths and the evening routine before the glorious 7pm bedtime!

One of my goals for the fall is to make dinner less stressful. I have to feed my family so it's not really an option. Something I want to do more of is big-batch cooking... making large quantities of food to freeze so I can easily pull something out to defrost but it's still homemade. If you have the space I think a big freezer is a great investment. On Saturday I made five dinner's worth of one of our family favourites, chicken broccoli casserole. If you've hung around me long enough, I'm sure I've served it to you. Joel BBQ'd all of the chicken at once and I had a ton of broccoli from our trip to the farmer's market. The best part is that making large quantities doesn't require that much more work. I've also been pulling out recipes from magazines that I'd like to try and am hoping to attempt at least two a month. I'll let you know if I discover any good ones. My other ways to ease the dinner-time stress are to make a weekly meal plan. We brainstormed a list of all the meals we like to make so I can easily look at what we haven't had in awhile. And I want to do as much prep as possible earlier in the day. We'll see how it all goes.

In the mean time I'll share with you this weekend's recipe incase you don't already have it! Just double it, triple it etc. for several yummy meals. It's easy and freezes well.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 head of brocolli, cut into small pieces
2 cans cream of chicken soup (use more if you like it saucier)
1/2 cup mayo (I use Miracle Whip)
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. curry powder or to taste (I use a lot more)
cheddar cheese
breadcrumbs
rice

1. In a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray, spread out broccoli and cooked chicken.
2. Mix together soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry powder. Pour over top of chicken and broccoli.
3. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly. Serve over rice.

Let me know if you try it or have any dinner making tips!

Daycare Day One

Photo taken by Joel at the St. Jacob's market

Yesterday was a big day in our house. Although I plan to primarily stay home with my boys (read about my decision here), I do feel like it's best for everyone if I can get out of the house once or twice a week. I'll be supply teaching at my school which I'm really looking forward to. I know the people, it's a comfortable environment and it's work I enjoy. We are extremely thankful that we've found and awesome woman who is willing to watch the boys on a part-time and flexible basis. So yesterday was a trial day for her to get to know the boys and for them to get to know her.

I'm not going to lie. It started off rough. While Caleb adjusted as if he'd spent every day of his life there, Micah very quickly let us know that he was not happy with the situation, crying and reaching for us. I hadn't prepared myself for that. When we have babysitters or drop them off in the church nursery we don't have problems. I just assumed it would be more of the same, so I hadn't planned through our approach if there was resistance. In the moment we decided that leaving and letting him work it out with the help of our friend, would be best. After all, we knew he was in good hands. I sat on the porch for a few minutes listening to my child screaming in ways I've rarely heard, just wanting to run in and rescue him. He wasn't the only one in tears. If I could do it again and had thought it through, we would have eased him in, stayed for awhile, been slower. But once we left I knew it would be worse to come back. We stayed in the area for breakfast and received two reassuring phone calls from our daycare provider letting us know he had settled and was doing fine. A weight had been lifted off our shoulders. I'm thankful for the resilience of children despite the mistakes we make as parents.

Once the drama was over, Joel and I ended up having a wonderful day (he took it off so we could take advantage of no kids). We went tubing in the Elora Gorge, which was fun minus the few minutes of cold rain in a slow spot of the river. Then we enjoyed a Mennonite buffet and time wandering through St. Jacob's market. We ended with a competitive game of mini golf which I lost, although not quite as badly as I usually do (oddly enough I went to golf camp in high school and was the top putter in my class!). At least I am still the reigning champion of UNO! It was wonderful to have a day off from the usual work-home life and be together. We were eager to see our boys though and happily spied on them playing in the backyard when we arrived.

I'm looking forward to putting on my teacher hat once or twice a week come September and for my boys to interact more with other people. I know it'll be good for all of us!

Milestones

No, not the restaurant although it is quite good! I'm taking about baby milestones. Or I guess they are toddlers now! Last week Micah took his first real steps. He had taken a few small ones before but it was the first time that he actually walked across the room. Although his main form of transportation is still crawling, he's starting to walk more and more, usually hanging onto something and then taking off until he falls on his knees. He is quite steady and it's fun to watch. Caleb on the other hand, although not so interested in walking yet, is developing quickly in language. His vocabulary is growing and he mimicks many words and sounds. They are both also starting to take off with sign language. While the first few signs seemed to take forever to learn, they are picking it up a lot easier now. A week or so ago, Caleb needed help. Not knowing the sign for "help" I made one up on the spot, tapping my hand on my head. The plan was to look up the real one later, but they both picked up on it right away so now that's the way they ask for help, which they currently love to do! I love how different they are and the things they excel at. This toddler stage is so busy, they are into everything and sometimes I lose my patience. But watching them learn new things and their joy in discovery is wonderful. It makes the hard times so worthwhile. I LOVE that I get a front row seat to their lives. What a privilege!

I Triple Dog Dare You...

Are you really going to back down from that? :)

So as I'm starting to get back into blogging a bit more, I'm curious who's reading this. I've never done much to gain readers and I don't care much about numbers. For me, the blog is a chance to get down my thoughts about whatever is currently on my mind... a lazy version of a journal since I rarely put pen to paper anymore (a lost art I would like resurrect someday). Just like flipping through the pages of old journals, it's fun to look back. And for those who are interested, I'm happy for you to read along and share your thoughts. But lately the curiosity has been growing about who lands here. I know there are a faithful few who sometime leave comments. I'm not great at leaving comments on other blogs although I'm trying to get better as I know how much I love when someone does here. So, if you're willing, take 30 seconds and indulge me. Let me know who you are, that you're reading. And if you'd prefer, it's easy to remain anonymous... if you don't want to give your name, perhaps tell me where you're from or how you found this. I know there aren't a ton of you, but regardless it's nice to know your audience. Even if you've never left a comment before or never do again, it would still be great to hear from you just this once. I triple dog dare you!! Thanks in advance to those who take the time!

Worn Out & Unmotivated

Sorry, I know that's a depressing title, but that's how I'm feeling today. I'm currently worn out from motherhood. Although my boys aren't walking yet, they are into everything. I love that they are curious little creatures and constantly discovering new things, but it is tiring. They can now open every single cupboard in my kitchen, they love to pull out the heating duct covers (who knows what treasures I will find down there) and they often throw food from their high chairs. I know it's all just a phase and "this too shall pass" is constantly running through my head, but in the middle of it, it's a bit overwhelming. I'm of the camp that believes you can teach and train kids certain things, even at a young age, while being realistic about where they are at developmentally. My challenge is, being a rookie at this whole mom thing and only taking one course in child psychology which I've long since forgotten, I don't always know what's developmentally appropriate. For example, I've chosen not to put child locks on all my cupboards. My goal is to teach my boys that they are out of bounds. They have two drawers they can go into and I'm thinking of adding one cupboard, but the others aren't for them. Cleaning supplies and other harmful substances have been moved to top shelves, but of course they are still fascinated by a cupboard full of pots, or lifting the lid on the compost bin. I am constantly redirecting them and when I'm pulling one away, the other sees that as a perfect opportunity to go for it. Smart little guys! I know lots of people who didn't do child locks so I know it can be done. It just takes a lot of time and effort. And it's tiring me out!! It's the path I've chosen with lots of trial and error and adjusting along the way, but I really hope to see a pay off soon. And I totally get why people do a ton of babyproofing. No judging here!

On the unmotivated side, I've been having a few weeks of laziness. I realize I take care of twins and that IS enough, but I have other things I want to accomplish. I think we generally do a good job of keeping our house in order. Dishes get washed three times a day (not the permanent norm, but I'm washing trays and bibs anyways), we go to bed with a clean kitchen and tidy house, I keep up with the laundry. But it's those little, or not so little things like scrubbing the shoe mat after a winter of sludge, cleaning out the fridge (can someone please explain to me how so much crap gets under the crisper drawers??), organizing recipes I've pulled from magazines, or just purging all the stuff that doesn't get used. My boys still nap twice a day so I DO have time to work on some of it, but lately I have no motivation to do any of it. I waste time surfing the internet or other mindless things. I don't really feel guilty about it. That's not the problem. My value doesn't come from how many things I can check off a list each day and I think it's good to have down time. The issue is that I really want to get organized and press the res-set button on our house. But obviously my actions prove that I want to rest more. Oh well. Eventually I'll get my butt in gear.

How do you motivate yourself to do things when you just don't feel like it?

Inequality

I believe in equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation. A friend posted this blog on Facebook which I found very powerful. I'll let it speak for itself. Please take a look. I just have to share one of my favourite quotes heard recently from Whoopi Goldberg... "If you're against gay marriage, then don't marry a gay person." Love it!

Consumerism

Yesterday I needed a break from my boys (yes, it happens once in awhile!), so while Joel was in charge of things on the homefront, I got to do whatever I wanted. Wanting to do something I haven't done in awhile, I decided to go shopping at the nearby Heartland Town Centre where you can find just about any store you want. I hadn't been since sometime before the boys were born. I started walking from store to store, browsing the aisles of clothes, shoes and fashion accessories. But while I was enjoying the time outside of my home, I quickly became uncomfortable. I've been thinking a lot lately about the kind of life I want to live, the kind of life we want to live as a family. Simplicity is a big part of that. It's something I'm not good at. I fail all the time, but I really want to practice going against the cultural norm of accumulating more "stuff". I started to see slogans like "must haves for the fall", "because you deserve it" etc. Such lies.

How in the world, with a closet and drawers FULL of clothes, did I end up looking for more? Why has shopping become a hobby, something to do just for fun, not because we need something... and I use the word "need" very loosely as few things are necessities. I don't need any more stuff. Really, I don't. I don't need that shirt just because it's on sale (my weakness) or because I don't have one in that exact colour. I don't need those boots because they are the latest trend. And yet, I came home with a new shirt. It wasn't expensive but I don't need it. The excuse in my head was that the store supports the company Joel works for. Pathetic, I know. The truth is, it was $16 I could have given away to help someone in need. If a hungry child was put in front of me as well as the shirt I would have chosen to feed the child. I don't think it's wrong to have nice things, but if I do, I want to make sure I'm giving a heck of a lot of money away. We are wealthy. No, not middle class. Wealthy! The majority of people reading this are among the wealthiest in the world, having FAR more than most around the globe. But we feel entitled. I know I do. It's a constant struggle and the tension we live in. I'm trying to figure out how to do it well. How do I enjoy a nice dinner out with my husband, when they money we spend could probably feed hundreds? I think there's a way to do it, without feeling guilty about every dollar I spend, but also thinking beyond the norms of our culture and giving generously.

If you are someone who values simplicity and generosity, or at least wants to, what are some ways you're working towards it? Ideas always welcome! :)

Famine in Africa

Photo via

Hopefully anyone reading this knows by now that there is a famine in the horn of Africa. If you don't, please get yourself caught up. The UN is calling it the world's worst humanitarian disaster. It's estimated that 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the last 90 days and millions are at risk. Media attention seems to be picking up but I'm still shocked at the limited amount of coverage it's getting. I listen to CBC radio every morning which includes several news reports and the "World Report" and I rarely hear this famine mentioned. It baffles me. When people die in terrorist attacks, riots, natural disasters it is all over the news (rightly so). Maybe because this is ongoing it's not the top story, but it needs to be. In some ways it is complicated... why this is happening, the politics involved. But in other ways it's very simple. Thousands of people are desperate and dying and I believe it's our responsibility to help. Period.

I have given money, signed petitions and am trying to stay informed. I'm also trying to get the word out on places like Facebook and it's obvious some people do care which is encouraging. But I want to do more. I know I need to give more. I have a hard time spending extra money on the luxuries of life when people are days, minutes, seconds away from starvation. Last night I watched this great video featuring Bono and K'naan. I found it challenging. Some mothers are having to choose between children to feed or leaving their dead children on the side of the road so they can continue on to look for food. I know this is on the other side of the world, but as a mother if I try to imagine what that's like, enter the situation as best as I can, I want to do more. What can I go without so that I can give more and help save lives? There is plenty. Have you done something to help? If not, can you? Will you? To quote Bono, "It's not our intentions, it's our actions."

Summer Vacation

This past week Joel took the week off work for a much needed vacation. His last vacation days were over Christmas which was a bit of a bust. My Grandma had just passed away, we were all sick on Christmas day and then ended up in the hospital for several days with the boys. Not very relaxing or enjoyable. His other vacation days last year were spent at home helping in the early weeks of the boys. We were ready for a break!

Since the boys are still napping twice a day and mobile, but not yet walking, we figured we'd stay with the familiar. So we headed to the farm for several days. We saw both of my brothers and their families and my parents were there as well. Highlights included lots of time reading (I was on my third book when we left), sleeping in every day (a bonus of having a husband who LIKES to get up early...crazy, I know!), riding the waves of Georgian Bay with my brother on a stormy day, Micah's first steps (and last for the moment... no new attempts) and watching my boys explore the farm. I'm thankful to have such a wonderful place in our family to go and relax. Every season there is beautiful and unique in its own way. When we came home we enjoyed a day with friends and some more relaxing at home.

Vacations aren't what they used to be. As a teacher I have great time off, so that would often mean a March Break trip to Cuba, camping or cottaging in Muskoka, day trips to Niagara-on-the Lake or Stratford. Now with two little toddlers in tow, we don't go too farm from the comforts of home or the farm and we don't DO much. It's a new normal, but I like it. I know as our kids gets older we will get more adventurous again. There's lots of time for that. But for now I enjoy the simple pleasures of getting out of my house and being together as a family. Joel is such an involved dad that having him around really is a vacation.

As I'm back to the usual stay-at-home mom gig. I have a big "Household Projects" list on my fridge, left-over from my spring cleaning attempts, that I'd like to get done before my summer ends and have my life in some kind of organized order. But summer's not over yet. I plan to enjoy a few more BBQs, lots of fresh Ontario peaches and corn-on-the cob, bike rides, sitting on our patio and long evenings with my favourite people. What do you like best about summer?