Hi. It's Thursday. Zorak arrived safely. The boys and I had a great week. I am officially useless after about seven, though, and it was nice to have him back today.
Yesterday we lost power yesterday and the phone line died, too. There was a cable cut somewhere down the road and I guess they caught e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g with whatever large digging implement they had on hand. We had power back within half an hour, but the phone line just never came back on. When I called, the nice Phone Guy said they should have it back up by Monday. (YIKES!) I guess, contractually, they have five days to make repairs. Weird. I gave him the "small children in the house" bit and he put me on the imaginary list that makes callers feel better. As if they could or would miraculously restore phone service to just my apartment rather than the entire complex, I know - and as if there aren't small children in all four complexes down this road, yes. I know. But you know, it does work, and "the caller" does feel better having been told they're on the "priority list". So I'm mentally frail at this point and a panacea actually works - I'm good with that.
The boys had their swim lesson tonight. I am thankful the instructor is so kind and diligent, and I'm even more thankful it's not on my shoulders anymore. Well, not solely on my shoulders. I've changed the plan for our weeks: we'll do lessons, go swim as a family, come home and hide from the hot 'n sticky afternoons. Then when Zorak comes home, I'll take one boy each evening down to the pool for some one-on-one interaction. I figure I'm not gettin' any smaller this summer, so any extra time in the bliss of less gravitational force is a bonus for me. The individual time with each of the boys will be fun. And... they really, really need it. Other than that, I'm just going to reiterate that I am. so. thankful. to have this man teach them this process. It was painful just to watch from the hallway. Ugh.
That's about all here. I had some thoughts brewing on motherhood and family the other day, but they're going to have to ferment a bit longer. I cheated and read the last chapter of Doctor Zhivago this afternoon, and now I've got to finish reading so I can find out how they got from here to there. Happy reading!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
If you don't mind the construction dust, come on in. The coffee's hot, the food's good, and the door is open...
Thursday, July 21
Monday, July 18
The Flight That Wouldn't Leave!
Wow, I should probably check the news to see if Zorak has arrived at his destination. At this point, however, I have no idea what airline he was on or which hubs he went through, let alone an actual flight number! Airline people despise callers like that, so until I know he has his luggage safely in hand, I'm not calling anyone!
It was a rough one for him, and that's bad, considering he hadn't yet been given his routine "random" search the last time we spoke (oh yes, every flight, every time, always). I don't imagine the trip got much better. On the painfully Pollyanna side, though, the repeated equipment malfunctions and stray terriors chewing on landing gear (or whatever the problems were) did allow us to go back to the airport a couple hours after we dropped him off and join him for lunch. That was a nice treat. Then it was back to the relative normalcy of our lives while he continued to try to get out of Huntsville.
Once we figured he was in the clear (or would call if things changed again), we drove around, enjoying the thrill of the open road. I gave the boys squishies and corn chips and they were happy little accomplices. Oh, sure, we did pay for swim lessons, explore the dive shop, pick up a new Bible for the boys, hit the market, check the mail, return some library books, and gas up the Suburban. But those were nothing compared to getting out 'n about! WEEEE!
Evenings without Daddy take on a whole different tone. They're more orderly, more efficient, and not nearly as much fun. My gypsy genes don't get me all the way through the day on "full performance mode". It didn't help that I cried and sniffled my way through tonight's Mowgli reading. I don't know if it's a good sign or not that the boys no longer get worried about me when I burst into tears during a story. *grin*
However, all is quiet, and I'm going to go curl up with Doctor Zhivago and a cup of coffee for a while. Just until Zorak touches base.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
It was a rough one for him, and that's bad, considering he hadn't yet been given his routine "random" search the last time we spoke (oh yes, every flight, every time, always). I don't imagine the trip got much better. On the painfully Pollyanna side, though, the repeated equipment malfunctions and stray terriors chewing on landing gear (or whatever the problems were) did allow us to go back to the airport a couple hours after we dropped him off and join him for lunch. That was a nice treat. Then it was back to the relative normalcy of our lives while he continued to try to get out of Huntsville.
Once we figured he was in the clear (or would call if things changed again), we drove around, enjoying the thrill of the open road. I gave the boys squishies and corn chips and they were happy little accomplices. Oh, sure, we did pay for swim lessons, explore the dive shop, pick up a new Bible for the boys, hit the market, check the mail, return some library books, and gas up the Suburban. But those were nothing compared to getting out 'n about! WEEEE!
Evenings without Daddy take on a whole different tone. They're more orderly, more efficient, and not nearly as much fun. My gypsy genes don't get me all the way through the day on "full performance mode". It didn't help that I cried and sniffled my way through tonight's Mowgli reading. I don't know if it's a good sign or not that the boys no longer get worried about me when I burst into tears during a story. *grin*
However, all is quiet, and I'm going to go curl up with Doctor Zhivago and a cup of coffee for a while. Just until Zorak touches base.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
New Things, Nice Days
Once again, we were not horribly late to church, AND there was no all-out grouch-fest in the process of getting there. Granted, sometimes John wears whatever pants aren't popping at the button, I throw on sandals whether they match or not, James still lugs my GIGANTIC Concordia Self-Study Bible to Sunday School since we haven't found his Bible yet, Smidge finds stuff to eat in the carseat and arrives sticky, and Zorak... well, actually, Zorak shows up lookin' pretty with-it and composed. I'll have to find out how he does that. Anyway, whatever it is, I think we're getting the hang of it.
James asked if we could sit up front so he could see the pastor better. We tried it, and it worked great. Smidge managed okay until just before the sermon began. That's about an hour into the service, so that isn't bad for a little guy, but it's really great considering church falls smack in the middle of naptime... he starts out "iffy" at best during Bible Study and descends into madness from there. Thankfully, everyone stood up to sing just as he started to gain momentum, so I slipped him out to the nursery without feeling like a moving target in a rice field. Whew. He slept for half an hour in the nursery and enjoyed the rest of the time playing.
John wasn't anywhere near as squirmy as he normally is. He did very well staying in his seat, listening to the pastor, and singing along with the hymns. At one point, he did get a little sleepy-snuggly, and I had to redirect him because he started making gentle semi-snoring noises that were excruciatingly penetrating, in spite of their low volume. Evidently, the drone carried rather clearly because before I could get John upright again, Zorak flicked me in the back really hard, thinking I'd fallen asleep. I guess he read about the Baptist-Grandma-elbow-to-the-ribs method I blogged about a few weeks back...
James paid a lot of attention to the service, and we had a great time talking about it over Sonic slushies after church. He's beginning to understand the flow and pattern of the service, which is opening him up to new questions and explorations. I remember this phase of growing up in the church. This is important stuff. If you don't have the answers to the questions, you've got to be willing to look for the answers. And although the questions are sometimes endless, they are good. Just think if there were no questions, if there was no curiosity, if there was no search... the questions are the meat of it, and the answers you provide - or, rather, how you provide the answers - are the heart of it. This is the good stuff.
Zorak heads out tomorrow for a convention of scientificky stuff. The boys and I will fill our time doing the things Zorak would rather not be made to do, and while we'll have a grand time exploring, we'll be so thrilled when he gets back.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
James asked if we could sit up front so he could see the pastor better. We tried it, and it worked great. Smidge managed okay until just before the sermon began. That's about an hour into the service, so that isn't bad for a little guy, but it's really great considering church falls smack in the middle of naptime... he starts out "iffy" at best during Bible Study and descends into madness from there. Thankfully, everyone stood up to sing just as he started to gain momentum, so I slipped him out to the nursery without feeling like a moving target in a rice field. Whew. He slept for half an hour in the nursery and enjoyed the rest of the time playing.
John wasn't anywhere near as squirmy as he normally is. He did very well staying in his seat, listening to the pastor, and singing along with the hymns. At one point, he did get a little sleepy-snuggly, and I had to redirect him because he started making gentle semi-snoring noises that were excruciatingly penetrating, in spite of their low volume. Evidently, the drone carried rather clearly because before I could get John upright again, Zorak flicked me in the back really hard, thinking I'd fallen asleep. I guess he read about the Baptist-Grandma-elbow-to-the-ribs method I blogged about a few weeks back...
James paid a lot of attention to the service, and we had a great time talking about it over Sonic slushies after church. He's beginning to understand the flow and pattern of the service, which is opening him up to new questions and explorations. I remember this phase of growing up in the church. This is important stuff. If you don't have the answers to the questions, you've got to be willing to look for the answers. And although the questions are sometimes endless, they are good. Just think if there were no questions, if there was no curiosity, if there was no search... the questions are the meat of it, and the answers you provide - or, rather, how you provide the answers - are the heart of it. This is the good stuff.
Zorak heads out tomorrow for a convention of scientificky stuff. The boys and I will fill our time doing the things Zorak would rather not be made to do, and while we'll have a grand time exploring, we'll be so thrilled when he gets back.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, July 16
A pinch of this, a dash of that
Just highlights today. Enjoy with coffee and your favorite high fat content snack.
Useful tips of the day:
Everyone who has ever ingested pool water is familiar with that unique and powerful belch that only chlorinated water can produce.
1~ If you hear that belch come from a toddler, move to the edge of the pool and get out immediately!
2~ Forget pool ettiquette, turn the toddler away from you. Trust me.
3~ I don't care what time the American Red Cross recommends waiting to enter the water after eating, M&M's do not digest properly in an hour and a half.
The Cryptographers:
We speak in code, as most parents do. Our code, however, has moved beyond spelling things out, speaking in Spanish, or even pig latin. All three codes are useless for our troops. (And while James and John can decipher things spelled out in pig latin, I cannot. So that experiment was short-lived.)
Out of a strong sense of self-preservation, and an inherent shame in being unable to outwit critters who can't tie their own shoes, we've taken to creating extravagant, convoluted descriptions of things. The end result of which often takes some decoding before even the intended recipient can reply. After supper, I suggested to Zorak, "Perhaps we ought to pursue the completion of the South American produce combinations?" Before Zorak could answer, John leapt from the table and said,
"Did you say we're eating chocolate covered bananas?"
How do they do that?
The "Real" Mowgli
We've picked up Rudyard Kipling's "All the Mowgli Stories" again for a family read aloud. I had begun shortly before the move, but nothing really stuck at that point - stories, habits, lessons. Now, we begin as if it's the first time. *weak smile* It is fun to read aloud with all of us together, including Zorak in the peanut gallery, tossing his few cents here and there. Like having my own personal MST3K guy in the kitchen.
James hadn't checked the book out before I hefted it from a box and began to read. I read "The Night Song of the Jungle", a poem at the start of Chapter 1, and James said, "Wow, that sounds just like Rudyard Kipling's poems!"
Here's where I insert my best Spicoli laugh and think, "Dude! That is, like, SO RAD, man! The little guy knows his stuff, man, and he's like, all smart and stuff." (Or perhaps that's my best Beavis impression. Truthfully, I don't do impressions well.) BUT, the point being that for a woman who could not identify many poets, and who has committed few poems to memory beyond the ones about that poor neurotic woman and her freaky dog and all those shopping trips... this is major! This is one of those, "Oh! Exposure! It works! Hallelujah! It's works!"
Pegs. I feel drawn to tell Susan Wise Bauer about this. But I can't get the board to load, so I'm telling you.
Meanwhile, John is starting to question Disney's motives and/or sanity. Why did he change the story from the book so much? Why did he only use the first chapter of the stories? Why is this so different? Why is Shere Khan lame? Why isn't there a snake yet? Why do you keep saying "MOW-glee" instead of "MOH-glee"? (Because it's in the pronunciation guide in the back like that, just so's ya know.) "Why didn't they eat him?" "Will they eat him?" "Would you eat him?" EW! No. Just listen, will ya? "Why did the book come first?" OH, LOOK - it's a poem! (I'm going to incorporate that into my distraction techniques now. If Wonderful Neighbor could yell, "LOOK! A Polar Bear!" then I think I might be able to get a few miles out of the poem. We'll see.)
And that is pretty much our day. We had steak. Zorak made mine "medium rare, closer to rare". That screams "lovin' devotion", in my mind. *happy sigh* We piled on the living room floor to watch Ben Hur and eat the remnants of the popcorn. Now the boys are in bed. Zorak is still (I say "still", but honestly he's flying through it) reading his book. I keep picking mine up to read (The Battle for God), but it's far more boring than what he's reading. So then I put mine back down and go pester him, "Where are they now? Have you seen so and so yet? Did you get to such and such a part yet?"
*awkward pause*
He's so patient.
I'm going to go play.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Useful tips of the day:
Everyone who has ever ingested pool water is familiar with that unique and powerful belch that only chlorinated water can produce.
1~ If you hear that belch come from a toddler, move to the edge of the pool and get out immediately!
2~ Forget pool ettiquette, turn the toddler away from you. Trust me.
3~ I don't care what time the American Red Cross recommends waiting to enter the water after eating, M&M's do not digest properly in an hour and a half.
The Cryptographers:
We speak in code, as most parents do. Our code, however, has moved beyond spelling things out, speaking in Spanish, or even pig latin. All three codes are useless for our troops. (And while James and John can decipher things spelled out in pig latin, I cannot. So that experiment was short-lived.)
Out of a strong sense of self-preservation, and an inherent shame in being unable to outwit critters who can't tie their own shoes, we've taken to creating extravagant, convoluted descriptions of things. The end result of which often takes some decoding before even the intended recipient can reply. After supper, I suggested to Zorak, "Perhaps we ought to pursue the completion of the South American produce combinations?" Before Zorak could answer, John leapt from the table and said,
"Did you say we're eating chocolate covered bananas?"
How do they do that?
The "Real" Mowgli
We've picked up Rudyard Kipling's "All the Mowgli Stories" again for a family read aloud. I had begun shortly before the move, but nothing really stuck at that point - stories, habits, lessons. Now, we begin as if it's the first time. *weak smile* It is fun to read aloud with all of us together, including Zorak in the peanut gallery, tossing his few cents here and there. Like having my own personal MST3K guy in the kitchen.
James hadn't checked the book out before I hefted it from a box and began to read. I read "The Night Song of the Jungle", a poem at the start of Chapter 1, and James said, "Wow, that sounds just like Rudyard Kipling's poems!"
Here's where I insert my best Spicoli laugh and think, "Dude! That is, like, SO RAD, man! The little guy knows his stuff, man, and he's like, all smart and stuff." (Or perhaps that's my best Beavis impression. Truthfully, I don't do impressions well.) BUT, the point being that for a woman who could not identify many poets, and who has committed few poems to memory beyond the ones about that poor neurotic woman and her freaky dog and all those shopping trips... this is major! This is one of those, "Oh! Exposure! It works! Hallelujah! It's works!"
Pegs. I feel drawn to tell Susan Wise Bauer about this. But I can't get the board to load, so I'm telling you.
Meanwhile, John is starting to question Disney's motives and/or sanity. Why did he change the story from the book so much? Why did he only use the first chapter of the stories? Why is this so different? Why is Shere Khan lame? Why isn't there a snake yet? Why do you keep saying "MOW-glee" instead of "MOH-glee"? (Because it's in the pronunciation guide in the back like that, just so's ya know.) "Why didn't they eat him?" "Will they eat him?" "Would you eat him?" EW! No. Just listen, will ya? "Why did the book come first?" OH, LOOK - it's a poem! (I'm going to incorporate that into my distraction techniques now. If Wonderful Neighbor could yell, "LOOK! A Polar Bear!" then I think I might be able to get a few miles out of the poem. We'll see.)
And that is pretty much our day. We had steak. Zorak made mine "medium rare, closer to rare". That screams "lovin' devotion", in my mind. *happy sigh* We piled on the living room floor to watch Ben Hur and eat the remnants of the popcorn. Now the boys are in bed. Zorak is still (I say "still", but honestly he's flying through it) reading his book. I keep picking mine up to read (The Battle for God), but it's far more boring than what he's reading. So then I put mine back down and go pester him, "Where are they now? Have you seen so and so yet? Did you get to such and such a part yet?"
*awkward pause*
He's so patient.
I'm going to go play.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, July 15
I've been tagged. Cool.
Laney tagged me, and I gave this a shot. She warned that it is harder than it looks. She's right. I, however, didn't rise to the challenge, and you'll find several partial answers. My public school education indicates that I'm going to take the hit and just rely on the bell curve to shoot for an A, or possibly a low B, when the tags are totalled.
10 years ago:
So that was July 1995? I was single, managing a materials testing lab. I lived within walking distance to the bar (a requirement for picking the apartment), and was working my way (ever meanderingly) toward medical school. I was months away from meeting Zorak, but had no idea that I was also months away from absolutely lifechanging decisions. Life was good, but not in a "let's do this permanently" sort of way.
5 years ago:
I had just had John. Zorak was in his second year at Riddle. My mother had just moved from our house to my brother's, and we were mid-move to a smaller place. I was struggling to adjust to being a mother of two and felt like I was failing miserably.
1 year ago:
I was in MD, a mother of three, and we were up late at night, looking at houses in Huntsville, "making escape plans," as Zorak says. I spent hot days hiding inside, cooler days at the beach and the pool with the boys, and enjoyed evenings on the commons with the Wonderful Neighbors.
Yesterday:
I braved the pool with the boys and had a blast, worked on barn plans, checked on Wee One4's development, read stories with the boys, and fixed a rockin' stir-fry for supper.
Today:
I already blogged about today. :-)
5 snacks I enjoy:
Peanut butter cups, otter pops, vanilla icing (yes, straight from the tub), potato chips with sour cream (sprinkled w/ garlic salt), & nachos w/ a gazillion jalapenos.
5 bands I know most of the lyrics of their songs:
I don't really know the bands themselves. I know the lyrics, but most of the time I have to ask Zorak, "Who sings this? NUH-UH! No way? Really? Hmm. I had no idea." When he does the pop quiz in the car, my default responses are usually, "Um, Thin Lizzy? The Cure? ELO?" or, guaranteed to be wrong, "Bob Seger?" (Guaranteed, because inevitably, when it IS Bob, I pick someone else.)
Things I would Do with 100 million dollars:
Invest the money in several different accounts of one million each (probably overseas accounts, as FDIC only insures up to 100K) - disperse the interest from those accounts accordingly (trusts, estates, perpetual donations, etc), and never touch the seed money. Some of the family would each have dividends off individual accounts. The boys would each have their college educations and first homes paid for. Zorak and I would just do more of what we do already; travel, hunt trips, perpetual student status, totally splurge on the boys' education. Lifetime NRA memberships for anyone who would take one.
5 bad habits I have:
I procrastinate. I lose things - important things, like the checkbook and the tax papers. I have very little fortitude unless there is no other option. I am really bad about laundry. I'm always late, even when I overplan to be early.
5 locations I would run away to:
Missoula, Montana; anywhere in Alaska; the western half of Wyoming; Pocatello, Idaho; Sonora, Mexico.
5 things I would never wear:
Clothing with evocative statements on private parts - ew. Other than that, I've been pretty humbled from time to time in my available attire options. So can I just leave it at that?
5 things I like doing:
reading, eating, hiking, studying, exploring - alone or with the boys and Zorak.
5 biggest joys of the moment:
Smidge's facial expressions, John's laughter, James' smile, Zorak's humor, central a/c
5 famous people I would like to meet:
(This one's not based on set criteria for me, and not all are ones I admire, but just out of a desire to sit down and talk...curiosity, if you will) Tom Selleck, Ari Fleischer, Gerry Adams, Pope Benedict XIV, Kurt Russell
5 movies I like:
Enemy at the Gates, U-571, 50 First Dates, Brigadoon, (why is this so hard? I like a lot of movies! But suddenly I can't think of just five to mention.)
5 TV Shows I like:
Malcolm in the Middle, Austin City Limits, Christopher Lowell (whatever he's calling his show lately, haven't seen it in a while), History of the Gun, South Park
5 favorite toys:
Toys? I miss my recurve. *sniff, sniff* Um, I can't think of any toys I own. Does my Bunn coffeepot count? Or is that more of a survival tool? Maybe Old Blue, my '71 Chevy pickup.
5 people I tag:
I'll tag three, and if anyone else would like to hop on, grab the free-tags! :-)
Melissa, Jill, KathyJo.
Notice there are no references to running, voluntarily, in my lists.
I think I'm going to see if I can tag Zorak, too!
Off to play! Kiss those babies!
~Dy
10 years ago:
So that was July 1995? I was single, managing a materials testing lab. I lived within walking distance to the bar (a requirement for picking the apartment), and was working my way (ever meanderingly) toward medical school. I was months away from meeting Zorak, but had no idea that I was also months away from absolutely lifechanging decisions. Life was good, but not in a "let's do this permanently" sort of way.
5 years ago:
I had just had John. Zorak was in his second year at Riddle. My mother had just moved from our house to my brother's, and we were mid-move to a smaller place. I was struggling to adjust to being a mother of two and felt like I was failing miserably.
1 year ago:
I was in MD, a mother of three, and we were up late at night, looking at houses in Huntsville, "making escape plans," as Zorak says. I spent hot days hiding inside, cooler days at the beach and the pool with the boys, and enjoyed evenings on the commons with the Wonderful Neighbors.
Yesterday:
I braved the pool with the boys and had a blast, worked on barn plans, checked on Wee One4's development, read stories with the boys, and fixed a rockin' stir-fry for supper.
Today:
I already blogged about today. :-)
5 snacks I enjoy:
Peanut butter cups, otter pops, vanilla icing (yes, straight from the tub), potato chips with sour cream (sprinkled w/ garlic salt), & nachos w/ a gazillion jalapenos.
5 bands I know most of the lyrics of their songs:
I don't really know the bands themselves. I know the lyrics, but most of the time I have to ask Zorak, "Who sings this? NUH-UH! No way? Really? Hmm. I had no idea." When he does the pop quiz in the car, my default responses are usually, "Um, Thin Lizzy? The Cure? ELO?" or, guaranteed to be wrong, "Bob Seger?" (Guaranteed, because inevitably, when it IS Bob, I pick someone else.)
Things I would Do with 100 million dollars:
Invest the money in several different accounts of one million each (probably overseas accounts, as FDIC only insures up to 100K) - disperse the interest from those accounts accordingly (trusts, estates, perpetual donations, etc), and never touch the seed money. Some of the family would each have dividends off individual accounts. The boys would each have their college educations and first homes paid for. Zorak and I would just do more of what we do already; travel, hunt trips, perpetual student status, totally splurge on the boys' education. Lifetime NRA memberships for anyone who would take one.
5 bad habits I have:
I procrastinate. I lose things - important things, like the checkbook and the tax papers. I have very little fortitude unless there is no other option. I am really bad about laundry. I'm always late, even when I overplan to be early.
5 locations I would run away to:
Missoula, Montana; anywhere in Alaska; the western half of Wyoming; Pocatello, Idaho; Sonora, Mexico.
5 things I would never wear:
Clothing with evocative statements on private parts - ew. Other than that, I've been pretty humbled from time to time in my available attire options. So can I just leave it at that?
5 things I like doing:
reading, eating, hiking, studying, exploring - alone or with the boys and Zorak.
5 biggest joys of the moment:
Smidge's facial expressions, John's laughter, James' smile, Zorak's humor, central a/c
5 famous people I would like to meet:
(This one's not based on set criteria for me, and not all are ones I admire, but just out of a desire to sit down and talk...curiosity, if you will) Tom Selleck, Ari Fleischer, Gerry Adams, Pope Benedict XIV, Kurt Russell
5 movies I like:
Enemy at the Gates, U-571, 50 First Dates, Brigadoon, (why is this so hard? I like a lot of movies! But suddenly I can't think of just five to mention.)
5 TV Shows I like:
Malcolm in the Middle, Austin City Limits, Christopher Lowell (whatever he's calling his show lately, haven't seen it in a while), History of the Gun, South Park
5 favorite toys:
Toys? I miss my recurve. *sniff, sniff* Um, I can't think of any toys I own. Does my Bunn coffeepot count? Or is that more of a survival tool? Maybe Old Blue, my '71 Chevy pickup.
5 people I tag:
I'll tag three, and if anyone else would like to hop on, grab the free-tags! :-)
Melissa, Jill, KathyJo.
Notice there are no references to running, voluntarily, in my lists.
I think I'm going to see if I can tag Zorak, too!
Off to play! Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Don't Look Ethel!
It's official. Zorak has ruined me and left his indelible mark on my psyche. If something should happen to him, I can never remarry. I realized the transition was complete today, driving home from the consult, alone in the car... and I voluntarily butchered the lyrics to a song I love! On purpose! Just because! It came so naturally, too. That was the scary part. Can you guess which song it was?
Anyhow, on the house front, I bring good tidings, but no details, yet. Let's just say... it might be very good.
Mamabird left words of encouragement under the comments from yesterday's section that y'all must read if you haven't already. Pool Freedom - maybe that's what the bear is looking for over the mountain? The thought that my boys will soon develop aquatic autonomy is both encouraging (as it means they're growing and developing well) and a bit sniffle-inducing (as it means they're growing up!) Bittersweet is a word coined by a mother. I'm certain of it. However, this season is great fun. The next season of the boys' lives will have its comforts and joys to offer in consolation for the loss of this season's joys and comforts. Life is like that. Good replaces good. Joy comes upon joy. Accomplishment and success build upon accomplishment and success.
The rest of y'all just cracked me up with your stories and anecdotes! Thank you so much for sharing your humor and insights. It's nice to know some things are virtually universal. (Or, to put it more bluntly, that I'm not totally bizarre.)
Zorak has every other Friday off. Today is an Other Friday, so we made pancakes, worked on loan info, gathered tax papers, made paper airplanes, built cap bombs (using the cap gun caps and some kind of falling unit - I wasn't privy to that project) and went swimming. The boys had a blast. Zorak and I spent a lot of time making googly-eyes at one another over just how great life is.
I met with the doctor this afternoon for a consult about the NAET therapies for the boys. We're going to do it. Now we just have to wait for the tax money to get here so we can pay her and get it going (had to wait for Smidge to be cleared for citizenship before we could file). I'm actually quite excited about doing this. If it doesn't work, there is no harm done. But if it does work, it will be worth quadruple what we will have invested, and then some. If John can walk into a restaurant and order a pizza without his whole universe coming apart the following two days, it will be worth more than we could ever pay. If James can go the rest of his life without his eyeballs ever expanding exponentially, it will be worth more than anything we could muster. I know a couple of you are watching to see what happens. I will be sure to keep y'all informed.
The school year planning has begun to gel. We are going to continue to focus on the Latin, math and reading skills as we go along. The only materials we'll need to purchase this year are support materials for Latin, and I can wait until we're settled in before we make those purchases. I think for my birthday, though, I'm going to splurge on my very own copies of Climbing Parnassus and Henle. That counts as an educational expenditure, doesn't it?
Well, if I keep blogging, I'm going to spill beans that aren't done simmering yet. So I'm going to sign off and go visiting.
Oh, and Amy, I would do the sprinkler thing. I'd planned to do the sprinkler thing. We've been here nearly three months now and I have never once seen sprinklers going. Coming from the Southwest deserts, it is the strangest phenomena I have ever seen! They don't have to water the grass - and yet it's lush and they have to mow it twice a week! It's weird...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Anyhow, on the house front, I bring good tidings, but no details, yet. Let's just say... it might be very good.
Mamabird left words of encouragement under the comments from yesterday's section that y'all must read if you haven't already. Pool Freedom - maybe that's what the bear is looking for over the mountain? The thought that my boys will soon develop aquatic autonomy is both encouraging (as it means they're growing and developing well) and a bit sniffle-inducing (as it means they're growing up!) Bittersweet is a word coined by a mother. I'm certain of it. However, this season is great fun. The next season of the boys' lives will have its comforts and joys to offer in consolation for the loss of this season's joys and comforts. Life is like that. Good replaces good. Joy comes upon joy. Accomplishment and success build upon accomplishment and success.
The rest of y'all just cracked me up with your stories and anecdotes! Thank you so much for sharing your humor and insights. It's nice to know some things are virtually universal. (Or, to put it more bluntly, that I'm not totally bizarre.)
Zorak has every other Friday off. Today is an Other Friday, so we made pancakes, worked on loan info, gathered tax papers, made paper airplanes, built cap bombs (using the cap gun caps and some kind of falling unit - I wasn't privy to that project) and went swimming. The boys had a blast. Zorak and I spent a lot of time making googly-eyes at one another over just how great life is.
I met with the doctor this afternoon for a consult about the NAET therapies for the boys. We're going to do it. Now we just have to wait for the tax money to get here so we can pay her and get it going (had to wait for Smidge to be cleared for citizenship before we could file). I'm actually quite excited about doing this. If it doesn't work, there is no harm done. But if it does work, it will be worth quadruple what we will have invested, and then some. If John can walk into a restaurant and order a pizza without his whole universe coming apart the following two days, it will be worth more than we could ever pay. If James can go the rest of his life without his eyeballs ever expanding exponentially, it will be worth more than anything we could muster. I know a couple of you are watching to see what happens. I will be sure to keep y'all informed.
The school year planning has begun to gel. We are going to continue to focus on the Latin, math and reading skills as we go along. The only materials we'll need to purchase this year are support materials for Latin, and I can wait until we're settled in before we make those purchases. I think for my birthday, though, I'm going to splurge on my very own copies of Climbing Parnassus and Henle. That counts as an educational expenditure, doesn't it?
Well, if I keep blogging, I'm going to spill beans that aren't done simmering yet. So I'm going to sign off and go visiting.
Oh, and Amy, I would do the sprinkler thing. I'd planned to do the sprinkler thing. We've been here nearly three months now and I have never once seen sprinklers going. Coming from the Southwest deserts, it is the strangest phenomena I have ever seen! They don't have to water the grass - and yet it's lush and they have to mow it twice a week! It's weird...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, July 14
I feel soooo brave!
Today is a day of great import to the Zorak clan. Today falls among other such great days in my mothering career: the first day I ran errands with just me and the baby (and didn't leave him anywhere, which was my biggest fear! He was such a quiet baby); the first time I got out of the house, with two children, *squeaky voice* before nine thirty AM (John was six months old...); the first time I managed to sit in any office with all three children without losing my place in line because somebody had to pee (I still beam with joy at that one).
Today, *drum roll, please* I took all three children to the pool BY MYSELF!
I've been such a coward with this issue. Not one of the three is a proficient swimmer. I have only two arms, and being a land-based predator, my eyes are not designed for 360' vision. I had fears embedded in my head that I just can't articulate. I've tried to wait for Zorak to go with us in the evenings, and he agrees to go, but poor Zorak really isn't up for heading to the pool after a long day's work. He just wants to wrestle with the boys, enjoy a hot meal, and curl up for a quiet evening. I don't blame him. Heck, I don't even want to swim at the end of a long day. The few folks we know who we could invite to swim with us have more children than we do, so that wouldn't improve the adult/child ratio one bit.
I dig around looking for things to read to them while the boys are growing heavier and less inclined to be active with every day. The extent of their outside activity has been to stand inside and try to gauge the humidity by breathing on the glass. Meanwhile, summer's wasting, and these boys need to learn to swim! So I quit whining. I sucked it up. I also made three false starts getting out of the house (making each child try the bathroom again after each, just to be on the safe side), and we *gulp* did it.
It wasn't so bad. James just needs to be submerged daily for a while and he'll be a regular fishboy. He's overcome his fear of the water, and spent the majority of the time today under water. His enthusiasm is wonderful to see, but I need to do some brain/body connection exercizes with him. That boy just did not inherit his father's coordination (I'm not saying where he got what we're loosely referring to as coordination, mind you.) He'll dive under water and convulse there for 30 seconds, then pop up and shout, "How far did I go?" We definitely need the help of a professional, but the situation isn't hopeless.
Jacob actually swam today with the floaties on - kicked his legs, moved his arms and made forward progress! He just blew me away. Last time we went swimming, he was wound tight as a screw and we could not PRY him off my neck. This time he leapt into the water (to me), begged to swim around off the step, and cried when it was time to go.
John, however, needs serious sedation. Or shock therapy. Two out of three - that's not bad! Do y'all think Rescue Remedy might help his anxiety any?And since the other two aren't palpating my neck for good veins, I can give the extra attention to the one partially-paralyzed child with the Vulcan Death Grip. I am. So. Happy.
After much screaming and wailing on John's part, and a short stint sitting poolside, he did manage to float with the noodle for a millionth of a second before lunging at my head like a flaming lemur. Evidently, the feeling of success was intoxicating (or we've caused some kind of mental trauma and he can now block bad memories within seconds of their occurrence...) As we toweled off and loaded the trusty red wagon, he said, "I was so scared, but I did my best and it worked. I will try that again tomorrow." I raised an eyebrow and thought carefully before opening my mouth (I'm so not good at taking a moment and running with it sometimes). "Oh?" (Eloquent, huh?) "Yeah," he said. "We should come every day." I'm so very proud of him and his attitude toward trying again.
I think we can do this. It was so much easier than I had convinced myself it would be.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Today, *drum roll, please* I took all three children to the pool BY MYSELF!
I've been such a coward with this issue. Not one of the three is a proficient swimmer. I have only two arms, and being a land-based predator, my eyes are not designed for 360' vision. I had fears embedded in my head that I just can't articulate. I've tried to wait for Zorak to go with us in the evenings, and he agrees to go, but poor Zorak really isn't up for heading to the pool after a long day's work. He just wants to wrestle with the boys, enjoy a hot meal, and curl up for a quiet evening. I don't blame him. Heck, I don't even want to swim at the end of a long day. The few folks we know who we could invite to swim with us have more children than we do, so that wouldn't improve the adult/child ratio one bit.
I dig around looking for things to read to them while the boys are growing heavier and less inclined to be active with every day. The extent of their outside activity has been to stand inside and try to gauge the humidity by breathing on the glass. Meanwhile, summer's wasting, and these boys need to learn to swim! So I quit whining. I sucked it up. I also made three false starts getting out of the house (making each child try the bathroom again after each, just to be on the safe side), and we *gulp* did it.
It wasn't so bad. James just needs to be submerged daily for a while and he'll be a regular fishboy. He's overcome his fear of the water, and spent the majority of the time today under water. His enthusiasm is wonderful to see, but I need to do some brain/body connection exercizes with him. That boy just did not inherit his father's coordination (I'm not saying where he got what we're loosely referring to as coordination, mind you.) He'll dive under water and convulse there for 30 seconds, then pop up and shout, "How far did I go?" We definitely need the help of a professional, but the situation isn't hopeless.
Jacob actually swam today with the floaties on - kicked his legs, moved his arms and made forward progress! He just blew me away. Last time we went swimming, he was wound tight as a screw and we could not PRY him off my neck. This time he leapt into the water (to me), begged to swim around off the step, and cried when it was time to go.
John, however, needs serious sedation. Or shock therapy. Two out of three - that's not bad! Do y'all think Rescue Remedy might help his anxiety any?And since the other two aren't palpating my neck for good veins, I can give the extra attention to the one partially-paralyzed child with the Vulcan Death Grip. I am. So. Happy.
After much screaming and wailing on John's part, and a short stint sitting poolside, he did manage to float with the noodle for a millionth of a second before lunging at my head like a flaming lemur. Evidently, the feeling of success was intoxicating (or we've caused some kind of mental trauma and he can now block bad memories within seconds of their occurrence...) As we toweled off and loaded the trusty red wagon, he said, "I was so scared, but I did my best and it worked. I will try that again tomorrow." I raised an eyebrow and thought carefully before opening my mouth (I'm so not good at taking a moment and running with it sometimes). "Oh?" (Eloquent, huh?) "Yeah," he said. "We should come every day." I'm so very proud of him and his attitude toward trying again.
I think we can do this. It was so much easier than I had convinced myself it would be.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, July 13
Shirking Responsibility?
No, I'm not really. But I do plan to really drag my feet and whine for a while. In reviewing next year's school goals, I've discovered that... I don' wanna!
We are on track for reading, writing and math. I'm very pleased with the boys' progress in those areas. We could still use some "fun stuff" for James' math and for John's reading, but those are somewhere down the priority list, among new socks and sheets.
Zorak dreads the thought of bringing more stuff into the house - only to have to store it and move it before long. I don't have quite the same aversion, you know, since most of it's books, which don't really count... but yes, I do understand his sentiment. So, we wait. And stare at one another. And time ticks by. The boys get older. We don't make as much progress as I'd like. Yet I'm not willing to forge ahead until we're really there, ready to do it together.
We are supposed to begin our study of The Middle Ages (have the AG, just need to get the hardback SOTW Vol.2), but it looks like we're also going to use Famous Men of Rome with our Latin program. I'm thinking I might like to just drag out Rome for a while. It's a great period to study, particularly in this testosterone-filled, centurion-loving household of youngin's. And we've been poised over Romulus and Remus for two months, anxious to dive into Rome because of all the great projects available... yet holding off for the fact that you can't do great projects when all you have on hand is three partial rolls of narrow masking tape and four crayon remnants. The tin foil comes in handy, but only goes so far without some backup supplies.
Art. Art. Art. False starts. No starts. Talking to myself a lot, here. I would see if I can bribe Thomasina to come stay with us for an art intensive, but if we were successful in our bid, Melissa would stop speaking to me and poor Thom would really miss all those great funky joints she gets to eat at. Ryan's buffet has a model train, but no tiramisu. That's bad.
Music. The boys want to resume their recorder lessons. I would love that, and we would have done just that if it weren't for a few small factors. Namely, the Smidge Factor. This child has a serious aversion to music that is not professionally played. If we sing, he screams. If we play the instruments, he screams. If we break out the recorders, he bops people on the head with the tambourine. I set him on his bed to throw his fit, but as the apartment is a thousand square feet divided by the construction standard equivalent of rice paper, it doesn't help much. The discipline factor helps, but the noise level doesn't actually decrease. We've also tried nap time. He can sleep through rapid gunfire from the Army range across the street, but the sound of recorders tooting out Hot Cross Buns will bring him flying from bed in a Moses-like foul mood. Sorry, kids, but music seems to be another on-hold.
Science? Even our laid-back Charlotte-Masony method seems to have pretty much exhausted itself at this point. (The grounds here are lovely, but manicured beyond belief.) Besides, have you noticed it's summer out there? Ew. I'm not too worried about this, as once the temps drop, we'll be out there like little Livingstons. It'll be good. Right now, though, we're dead in the water and without much inspiration.
I cannot even begin to touch on the transportation issues that currently plague us without betraying some serious "anger issues" on my part. Let it suffice to say that art classes at the museum are not an option. Nor are regular trips to the library. Or even the park. That's not helping my whine-factor at this point, nor is it helping me make the most of our current resources. Whine. Cheese. Whine. Thank you.
It'll be okay. I'm just peeking over the mountain and wondering what in the world that bear found so appealing.
Stoopid bear.
Ah, well, kiss those babies! They like the stoopid bear, so he's good for something.
~Dy
We are on track for reading, writing and math. I'm very pleased with the boys' progress in those areas. We could still use some "fun stuff" for James' math and for John's reading, but those are somewhere down the priority list, among new socks and sheets.
Zorak dreads the thought of bringing more stuff into the house - only to have to store it and move it before long. I don't have quite the same aversion, you know, since most of it's books, which don't really count... but yes, I do understand his sentiment. So, we wait. And stare at one another. And time ticks by. The boys get older. We don't make as much progress as I'd like. Yet I'm not willing to forge ahead until we're really there, ready to do it together.
We are supposed to begin our study of The Middle Ages (have the AG, just need to get the hardback SOTW Vol.2), but it looks like we're also going to use Famous Men of Rome with our Latin program. I'm thinking I might like to just drag out Rome for a while. It's a great period to study, particularly in this testosterone-filled, centurion-loving household of youngin's. And we've been poised over Romulus and Remus for two months, anxious to dive into Rome because of all the great projects available... yet holding off for the fact that you can't do great projects when all you have on hand is three partial rolls of narrow masking tape and four crayon remnants. The tin foil comes in handy, but only goes so far without some backup supplies.
Art. Art. Art. False starts. No starts. Talking to myself a lot, here. I would see if I can bribe Thomasina to come stay with us for an art intensive, but if we were successful in our bid, Melissa would stop speaking to me and poor Thom would really miss all those great funky joints she gets to eat at. Ryan's buffet has a model train, but no tiramisu. That's bad.
Music. The boys want to resume their recorder lessons. I would love that, and we would have done just that if it weren't for a few small factors. Namely, the Smidge Factor. This child has a serious aversion to music that is not professionally played. If we sing, he screams. If we play the instruments, he screams. If we break out the recorders, he bops people on the head with the tambourine. I set him on his bed to throw his fit, but as the apartment is a thousand square feet divided by the construction standard equivalent of rice paper, it doesn't help much. The discipline factor helps, but the noise level doesn't actually decrease. We've also tried nap time. He can sleep through rapid gunfire from the Army range across the street, but the sound of recorders tooting out Hot Cross Buns will bring him flying from bed in a Moses-like foul mood. Sorry, kids, but music seems to be another on-hold.
Science? Even our laid-back Charlotte-Masony method seems to have pretty much exhausted itself at this point. (The grounds here are lovely, but manicured beyond belief.) Besides, have you noticed it's summer out there? Ew. I'm not too worried about this, as once the temps drop, we'll be out there like little Livingstons. It'll be good. Right now, though, we're dead in the water and without much inspiration.
I cannot even begin to touch on the transportation issues that currently plague us without betraying some serious "anger issues" on my part. Let it suffice to say that art classes at the museum are not an option. Nor are regular trips to the library. Or even the park. That's not helping my whine-factor at this point, nor is it helping me make the most of our current resources. Whine. Cheese. Whine. Thank you.
It'll be okay. I'm just peeking over the mountain and wondering what in the world that bear found so appealing.
Stoopid bear.
Ah, well, kiss those babies! They like the stoopid bear, so he's good for something.
~Dy
The Household Quandry: Getting It All Done in the Kitchen
It seems that as spring blossoms fade and the green of summer pervades the air around us, we begin turning to the fall, to the future. The impending transition from one school year to another starts to bud; the "how do you do it" themes begin to bloom. Some people find these cycles tiresome, but I think they're great. They offer all of us a chance to look around and see if we've found anything worth sharing, or if there's anything we might like to keep an eye out for to help us make improvements. It's a mentorship free-for-all - at it's loudest, most chaotic, and finest, in some respects. I grew up with no idea how to do much of what is now part of my daily existence, so I'm thankful for the ladies who've said, in essence, "Spray a little windex on it." More often than not, those little tidbits passed over the back fence, or shared on the front porch (both real and virtual) are priceless and valuable.
There are still many, many (shamefully, m-a-n-y) areas where I can offer only insight into what is guaranteed to blow up in your face. Repeatedly.
But once in a while, when the question has nothing to do with laundry, or mopping, or organizational skills, or debt management, I let out a squeal of delight in feeling like I might have something to offer. It's the feeling of being able to repay that loan your parents never thought they'd see when they lent you the money, of being able to do something for that friend who is always there with a helping hand and a cheerful heart.
*woohoo* I've done this! It's worked! I haven't poisoned/lost/maimed anyone doing this! I might be able to help!
Jules asked about meals, groceries, and menu planning. I was going to just leave her a comment, but instead I'm going to blog about it (because, honestly, it's a lot of fun for me - I love food) and then I'm going to ask y'all to head on over to her spot and do a little brainstorm sharing - since we're kinda weird, and what I'm about to share may be of absolutely no help to her whatsoever. Here's my not-quite-up-to-Proverbs-31-quality-plan-of-meal-preparation...
I've tried to do the menu thing, tried the planned-shopping-excursion thing... they fail miserably b/c I have A) little self-discipline, B) moods for foods (and I get cranky if there's something else planned that I feel compelled to make - ew), C) we like to experiment, but how can you plan experiments (I mean, you can... but where's the fun in that?)
So, this may be absolutely NO HELP at all, and might be a great model of what not to do, but it works for us.
I make a list of the basics that I know we'll enjoy and buy those at the store (chicken, for example). Then I have the rest of the week to dig through the cookbooks for just the right way to fix said items (bbq, fried, baked, stewed, casserole... mmmm). This method basically saves me the dreaded all-in-one chunk o' time trying to figure out on Saturday what we'll be in the mood for on, say, Thursday. I have three small children. There are no large chunks o' time in my week to waste on futility.
My weekly grocery list looks pretty much like this:
Meat
Veggies
Fruit
Creamer
Pasta (both wheat-free and regular)
Bread (again, wf and regular)
Eggs
Milk
Yes, it's vague. It's meant to be. This is the beauty of my insanity: I have the flexibility to decide on pork ribs or pork loins, depending on the sales (and mood). Yet the list keeps me out of the aisles of budgetary destruction. They are like little blinders to help guide me to the checkout aisle in one piece.
About once a month I stock up on crackers, rice, potatoes, canned meats, sauces, and the occasional treat. But this is the basics. Each item has its own caveat that I don't write down anymore, but used to. Now that I'm familiar enough with the meal-planning thing, I don't have to leave notes to myself not to buy the salmon unless it's less than xx dollars, or that it's time to stock up on whole chickens and tighten the budget belt for a bit. But those do help - don't be afraid to put notes on your list! If Zorak requests something I don't normally buy (or something I didn't even know markets carry) he'll put parameters in the sidebar ("sardines if < $2.50/can")
Then meal-making is easy. Particularly supper - just pull out the main dish and brainstorm from among the fresh goodies what sounds good. If I can't think of anything, I'll ask the boys. Sometimes they will request a certain side-dish (like yams) that needs a certain main dish (wouldn't go well w/ goulash, for instance) and it's easy to work that direction, too.
We keep the price down by working with the market fluxuations. Before everyone knew how to fix fajitas, the meat used in fajitas was dirt. cheap. Sometimes people confuse that with poor. quality. This isn't always the case. That same meat now costs about four times what it used to, because there's a high demand for it. It's worth it to learn a little bit about judging meat - you can save money by purchasing the less popular cuts and giving them a little TLC to create a splendid product!
When we had to go wheat-free, I had a shocking realization that we blew a lot of money on snack foods without realizing it. Cheez-its, nutri-grain bars, teddy grahams. Things I would have put in the "normal expenditure" category are now in the, "yeah, that's not in the budget" category. I've found the wheat-free counterparts for nearly everything, but they're no longer so easy to slip under the budget radar. (It's easier to justify two dollars for a quick snack; not so much when it's six dollars for the wf equivalent!) I've learned to make our foods work for us, and they have to earn their keep. It's been a good change, not just for the children's health, but ironically, for our budget, as well. If you're looking to cut the grocery bill, look at the little buck-fifty items that sneak in and add up quickly.
We use rice, potatoes and pasta a lot! You can add veggies, spices, sauces, and meats to all three of these things to create attractive, nutritious, inexpensive meals.
When we do snack, it's intentional. Now that we don't have a lot of the grab-n-go snacks in the cupboard, having a snack is a time for the boys and I to sit at the table and spend time together. So we prepare for it. Sometimes we'll chop veggies, make little cups of dip (salad dressings, bbq sauce, etc) and just enjoy that. Some of the boys' favorite snacks: crackers and peanut butter, ants on a log, popcorn, sliced fruit with nut butter, yogurt with granola, toast and jam. We spend less and eat better without the walk-by-snacking we did before.
For the days I don't feel like cooking? Well, I must admit... um, I just tell Zorak that I was thinking we'd have pasta for supper. There's a slight pause while he waits for me to tell him what we'll have with the pasta (for him, it's a side-dish, not a meal) and when I don't say anything, he'll offer to cook. I try not to abuse this little technique, but there are days that noodles are about all I can muster the energy for. And then, there are leftovers. Leftovers are great things.
This is already huge and rambling, so I'm going to stop now and will post some favorite meals later. For now, though, I'd better get to bed or the boys will find themselves scrounging in the fruit crisper for breakfast!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Oops - edited to take you to Jules' page, for real! Sorry!
There are still many, many (shamefully, m-a-n-y) areas where I can offer only insight into what is guaranteed to blow up in your face. Repeatedly.
Do not attempt these things at home. Consult a physician before beginning this or any household routine. The views expressed by this woman are not necessarily the views held by her husband, children, or household plants. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a lawyer, professional maid, or your mother.
But once in a while, when the question has nothing to do with laundry, or mopping, or organizational skills, or debt management, I let out a squeal of delight in feeling like I might have something to offer. It's the feeling of being able to repay that loan your parents never thought they'd see when they lent you the money, of being able to do something for that friend who is always there with a helping hand and a cheerful heart.
*woohoo* I've done this! It's worked! I haven't poisoned/lost/maimed anyone doing this! I might be able to help!
Jules asked about meals, groceries, and menu planning. I was going to just leave her a comment, but instead I'm going to blog about it (because, honestly, it's a lot of fun for me - I love food) and then I'm going to ask y'all to head on over to her spot and do a little brainstorm sharing - since we're kinda weird, and what I'm about to share may be of absolutely no help to her whatsoever. Here's my not-quite-up-to-Proverbs-31-quality-plan-of-meal-preparation...
I've tried to do the menu thing, tried the planned-shopping-excursion thing... they fail miserably b/c I have A) little self-discipline, B) moods for foods (and I get cranky if there's something else planned that I feel compelled to make - ew), C) we like to experiment, but how can you plan experiments (I mean, you can... but where's the fun in that?)
So, this may be absolutely NO HELP at all, and might be a great model of what not to do, but it works for us.
I make a list of the basics that I know we'll enjoy and buy those at the store (chicken, for example). Then I have the rest of the week to dig through the cookbooks for just the right way to fix said items (bbq, fried, baked, stewed, casserole... mmmm). This method basically saves me the dreaded all-in-one chunk o' time trying to figure out on Saturday what we'll be in the mood for on, say, Thursday. I have three small children. There are no large chunks o' time in my week to waste on futility.
My weekly grocery list looks pretty much like this:
Meat
Veggies
Fruit
Creamer
Pasta (both wheat-free and regular)
Bread (again, wf and regular)
Eggs
Milk
Yes, it's vague. It's meant to be. This is the beauty of my insanity: I have the flexibility to decide on pork ribs or pork loins, depending on the sales (and mood). Yet the list keeps me out of the aisles of budgetary destruction. They are like little blinders to help guide me to the checkout aisle in one piece.
About once a month I stock up on crackers, rice, potatoes, canned meats, sauces, and the occasional treat. But this is the basics. Each item has its own caveat that I don't write down anymore, but used to. Now that I'm familiar enough with the meal-planning thing, I don't have to leave notes to myself not to buy the salmon unless it's less than xx dollars, or that it's time to stock up on whole chickens and tighten the budget belt for a bit. But those do help - don't be afraid to put notes on your list! If Zorak requests something I don't normally buy (or something I didn't even know markets carry) he'll put parameters in the sidebar ("sardines if < $2.50/can")
Then meal-making is easy. Particularly supper - just pull out the main dish and brainstorm from among the fresh goodies what sounds good. If I can't think of anything, I'll ask the boys. Sometimes they will request a certain side-dish (like yams) that needs a certain main dish (wouldn't go well w/ goulash, for instance) and it's easy to work that direction, too.
We keep the price down by working with the market fluxuations. Before everyone knew how to fix fajitas, the meat used in fajitas was dirt. cheap. Sometimes people confuse that with poor. quality. This isn't always the case. That same meat now costs about four times what it used to, because there's a high demand for it. It's worth it to learn a little bit about judging meat - you can save money by purchasing the less popular cuts and giving them a little TLC to create a splendid product!
When we had to go wheat-free, I had a shocking realization that we blew a lot of money on snack foods without realizing it. Cheez-its, nutri-grain bars, teddy grahams. Things I would have put in the "normal expenditure" category are now in the, "yeah, that's not in the budget" category. I've found the wheat-free counterparts for nearly everything, but they're no longer so easy to slip under the budget radar. (It's easier to justify two dollars for a quick snack; not so much when it's six dollars for the wf equivalent!) I've learned to make our foods work for us, and they have to earn their keep. It's been a good change, not just for the children's health, but ironically, for our budget, as well. If you're looking to cut the grocery bill, look at the little buck-fifty items that sneak in and add up quickly.
We use rice, potatoes and pasta a lot! You can add veggies, spices, sauces, and meats to all three of these things to create attractive, nutritious, inexpensive meals.
When we do snack, it's intentional. Now that we don't have a lot of the grab-n-go snacks in the cupboard, having a snack is a time for the boys and I to sit at the table and spend time together. So we prepare for it. Sometimes we'll chop veggies, make little cups of dip (salad dressings, bbq sauce, etc) and just enjoy that. Some of the boys' favorite snacks: crackers and peanut butter, ants on a log, popcorn, sliced fruit with nut butter, yogurt with granola, toast and jam. We spend less and eat better without the walk-by-snacking we did before.
For the days I don't feel like cooking? Well, I must admit... um, I just tell Zorak that I was thinking we'd have pasta for supper. There's a slight pause while he waits for me to tell him what we'll have with the pasta (for him, it's a side-dish, not a meal) and when I don't say anything, he'll offer to cook. I try not to abuse this little technique, but there are days that noodles are about all I can muster the energy for. And then, there are leftovers. Leftovers are great things.
This is already huge and rambling, so I'm going to stop now and will post some favorite meals later. For now, though, I'd better get to bed or the boys will find themselves scrounging in the fruit crisper for breakfast!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Oops - edited to take you to Jules' page, for real! Sorry!
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