Helping Mama in the kitchen

The kids love to get in on the action. Quinny will start saying “tower, tower” for me to get the learning tower over to where I am cooking. Today I had a brilliant moment - I have to celebrate those because there aren’t many!!

I had Tyler sauteing vegetables for our pizza and Quinn was wanting to stir them with her spoon. Tyler is quite possesive of his cooking tasks and I wasn’t thrilled with her being so close to the fire. So I got a pot out for her and put some cold water and oats in it and set it on the burner next to Tyler sans fire. Perfect! She was “cooking” with her brother, but away from burn danger!

Tyler did a great job with the veggies, but once he was done - he was eyeing her soup action. Quinn had been adding more oats and crackers to her mix and Tyler was wanting in on the play! It all worked out as she was done and got down and he made soup for a while and called it quits.

Oh and the pizza I made tonight was so yummy! Whole Foods pizza crust from their bakery (the best crust if you ask me), Muir Glen pizza sauce (the best sauce if you ask me), vegetables sauted in olive oil (onions, zuchini, red bell pepper), grated carrot, chard and covered with mozerella cheese! I made two pizzas and I would say that whole meal cost me $12 max - way cheaper than ordering pizzas and even more delicious (if you ask me!).

Then he went to play with his new railroad crossing, she went outside and I got the dishes done. Tyler got this new track railroad crossing piece that his Daddy and I thought he would enjoy. We decided to just go ahead and give it to him. We opened the garage door and met the delivery guy and opened up the package. At first Tyler was confused because he thought it was FROM the delivery guy and wanted to know why he brought Tyler this toy! I explained that no, Mommy and Daddy ordered it for him. Then he was trying to figure out what day it was…not my birthday….not Christmas….

Anyway, he played ALL afternoon long. It was awesome! In fact tonight was the quietest evening we have had in months. No out of control children. Tyler just played with his train contentedly. I wonder if the 4pm snack also helped - fresh applesauce and peanut butter crackers?

Anyway it was such a nice evening. I think I am figuring out more about our rhythms and what is needed - two words - sensory integration. That is what I am thinking right now. More on that later. I am tired and time to myself is incredibly rare with all Quinn’s wakings, so I am signing off! Gotta get their dolls finished.

Who Knew a Rail Road Crossing was so cool?!?

Here we have sesame noodles (the sauce ingredients include cashew butter, tahini and tamari among other things), fresh roasted butternut squash, celery sticks and raisins. Good stuff!

The other positive thing about not eating leftovers at lunchtime is I can cook at least one to two nights less a week. This week we had leftovers on Thursday, I made pizza tonight and the remaining leftovers in the fridge will be eaten for lunch this weekend. I am really bad planning lunches for the weekends, so now I can say - look in the fridge and make a meal!

Another Colorful Meal

Today’s lunch consisted of: avocado and carrot sandwich, apple slices and blanched boy choy (I do love that stuff!). The sandwich had mushed avocado and grated carrot on the one side and mayonnaise on the other. Everything was yummy and the kids chowed it.

I am really enjoying making lunch now as opposed to just warming up leftovers. I see much more enthusiasm in the kids and myself for lunch and as a result we all eat more and hence have more energy and seem to do better in the afternoon. I will post more fun combos as we try them!

Lunch is Fun!

Decorating Mama’s Counter

Quinn is many things…Tyler has started the labeling with “Quinn is a ripper.” because she likes to rip up books. If there is a spine that is sticking our she rips it off. If there is a flap book, she rips the flaps.

I have another one to add, “picker”. She has to pick at everything - stamps on envelopes, price/UPC stickers on anything and stickers.

Tyler has a Thomas sticker book and it is Quinn’s first love. She will sit there and pick off sticker after sticker after sticker. Some days she puts them on her shirt, some days on my shirt, some days on her belly and today it was on the counter.

This worked very well as I was finishing up dinner and this kept her quite content. She also sometimes gets the sticker border stuck on her hand or some other thing she can’t remove. So in the middle of her pick fest she will say, “hand!” wanting you to remove whatever item is stuck to it.

And she doesn’t quite have her “s” sounds down yet, so she says, “Ticker”  - very slight s sounds with a strong T sound.  She is too funny!

Today was a cold, rainy day and if I had my way a day like today would entail snuggling inside and relaxing. But I have two active toddlers, so typically - that moment never materializes. Then this afternoon around 4pm I was on the couch knitting. We had a fire in the fire place, Tyler was playing happily with his trains and Quinn was sitting next to me playing with some wooden people. I had to capture this absolutely picture perfect moment. Oh, and do notice my legs propped up on the coffee table - I was sinking in to the moment, relaxed, knitting and uber content!

Playing Trains by the fire

Chiling next to Mommy

Earlier Today….

We are typically outside no matter the weather - at least for a little bit. Today was no exception. It was misting/drizzling, but we got our raincoats and gear on and headed outside to find puddles in which to splash and to see if there was much of a river running along the curb. I seriously need to get my kids some galoshes though. If the rain keeps up all week, that might be an afternoon errand!

Checking out the curb stream

I am also trying out more suggestions for lunches from Feeding the Whole Family. This lunch was made up of kidney beans, blanched bok choy and sweet squash corn muffins made with fresh roasted butternut squash! We all chowed this lunch. It was so pretty I had to take a picture. This week we will be trying more combos which include a “growing food” (grain/bean combo or sandwich on whole grain bread) with a vegetable and some fruit! More food pics to come!

A Rainbow of Nutritious Colors!

I cook all the time and nothing makes me happier than a colorful meal. Somehow I know that meal is nutritious because it is just so beautiful. I think of all the wonderful vitamins, minerals and protein behind each ingredient. These days my favorite color is green! I am trying to add more greens where ever I can. This was the beginnings of a this mornings breakfast - a breakfast taco. I had sauteed onions, corn, zuchini and kale. Soon the eggs will be added to the picture below and the final product served on a warmed tortilla with avocado and salsa. Yum!! This recipe can be found in one of my everyday cookbooks - The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook.

The beginnings of a beautiful meal!