Dinner Vacation

I've been in a cooking rut lately.  I just don't want to cook.  At all.  I think this stems from the fact that: a) life has been really busy lately and by the time it's time to start dinner I just don't have any energy left, and b) my food is met with little appreciation.  It's mostly b.

My kids are jerks when it comes to dinner.  No matter - NO MATTER - what I am serving they will find something to complain about it.  I've ignored it for years, but lately it's really been getting to me.  It's a bit disheartening.  (I must be said that Lance never complains. Thank you, Lance. And how wise of you.)  And it's not like I'm making completely bizarre foods that no one likes; we've been having staples like chicken and noodles, pasta, quesadillas, etc.  And I always make sure to have at least one side that I know they've eaten and enjoyed in the past.  But they've been putting their noses up at the sides as well, and I just throw my hands to the heavens in frustration.  

Then I hold those hands back so I won't strangle the darling angels when they complain about being hungry.

I would love nothing more than to leave these children to their own devices when it comes to dinner.  But family dinner is important and I'm pretty sure they'd all starve or get scurvy.  Or eat all the cold cereal in the house.

Last week I finally cleaned out the freezer in our fridge upstairs.  It was long overdue.  Admission of guilt: I actually found some of the homemade baby food I had made for Tess.  Yikes.  (In my defense, it was fruit and I think I had saved it at one point for smoothies but then forgot about it.)  I got rid of a ton of stuff, but I also found a lot of perfectly good frozen leftovers.  Because when 2/3s of your family doesn't eat dinner you tend to have leftovers.

So this past week we've eaten a leftover freezer meal each night.  It's been awesome, mainly because it's so nice not just pull something out of the freezer, defrost it, and dinner's done!  The kids have been punks about it, of course, but it's not quite as offensive when I've only put 10 minutes of work into the meal.  And the meals have been pretty good, so that's a bonus, too.  (The curry on the stove right now smells heavenly!)

I know some people spend a full day just cooking meals and then freezing it all.  I've never really wanted to do that because generally I like trying new recipes and cooking fresh.  But now I'm beginning to see the draw... maybe I could freeze a bunch of meals and then just use them once or twice a week?

Well, tomorrow we go back to first-run meals.  I feel a little more invigorated and have really enjoyed my little vacation from dinners.  Too bad other household chores can't be "frozen" or done in advance so you could take a vacation from them.  I would totally get on board with that.

Random October Conference Thoughts

Another conference weekend come and gone.  The older I get the more I come to love General Conference.  (When I was a kid?  Not so much.  Two FULL days of church?!  In a row?!  No thanks.)  I feel like it's a little weekend holiday now, an excuse to say no to all the other things that can fill up our schedules and just put our focus on our family and hearing all the wonderful talks.

I know we don't have perfect children.  There's no way they're gonna play games like conference bingo or whatever else is out there on Pinterest that I don't even look into because I know it would be a waste of my time and more frustration for me and ain't nobody got time for that... you get the picture. I do not expect them to sit through all of the talks.  Or even half of them.  Or even some.  Quite frankly, I would prefer it if they would just leave me alone so I could listen closely.  However, Spencer's getting old enough that next conference I suspect I will need to do a little more to get him pay attention to at least some of the talks.  (Read: turn off that dang computer.) In the mean time I will bribe my children into silence and some listening with yummy treats they get to eat on the floor of the basement.  (A treat!)

I figure I got to hear about 60% of each talk due to different children needing different things at different times.  But it seems to me that two main themes stood out at this conference: making and keeping covenants and remembering the Lord's laws, not the laws of the world. (In other words, just because something is legal doesn't mean we should accept or do it if it's contrary to the Lord's laws.)

My two favorite conference quotes so far (at least until I get to listen/read all the talks again) are:

(Source)

True Story: 30 minutes before the Stake Relief Society conference we had last week (which was held prior to the General RS Session) a friend of mine called and mentioned that she and some of our other friends thought it would be more fun to watch the broadcast at someone's home rather than stay at the Stake Center.  I quickly agreed and asked her where we would watch it.  Then I sensed a little hesitation and quickly realized what she was saying.  "Are you looking for an invite to my house?" I laughed.  But I was also really glad that she asked, and more than willing to have some friends over.  (We ended up having at least 12 sisters there that night!  And I have to say that they were all much more reverent than my children!)  When Lance and I were going through all the drama of buying this house I remember specifically praying and promising the Lord that if the sale went through we'd open it up for any type of church thing that came our way.  So far we've had seminary in our basement for several months, countless presidency meetings, a YW's activity, tons of LAN parties (not exactly churchy, but lots of LDS guys come so I'll take it), tons of missionaries over for dinner, and much more.  So, long story short, I was happy to open up my home and hope I can do it more in the future.  (Hopefully next time I'll be able to vacuum and dust before hand.  Or, I guess I could just always have an immaculately vacuumed and dusted home... yeah, that's not gonna happen.)

True Story: Lance and I lived in a little apartment about a mile away from the Conference Center the year Spencer was born.  Lots of people would park up in our neighborhood and walk down to the Conference Center and Temple Square during conference weekend.  I remember one time it was snowy and cold and Lance and I snuggled on the couch in our jammies as lots of people dressed in their church clothes walked briskly by our apartment window.  I remember thinking how weird it was that we were so close to conference but not actually going there.  But then I realized how much more infinitely comfortable we were compared to those other people.  Each conference since then I've thought of that day and then purposely worn comfy clothes.  (Hey, a week I don't have to get all dolled up for church?  I'll take it!)

Sad Butterflies

Me: What should I wear today, Tess?

Tess: Butterflies.

Me: Hmmm... I don't have any clothes with butterflies on them.  

Tess: So sad, Mommy.  So sad.  I sorry.

Me: Umm... okay?  That's okay, I don't really want butterflies on my clothes.  But I like your butterfly dress!

Tess: Pritty! I pritty!  Sorry, Mommy.  No butterflies you.

Patio Furniture

We've lived in this house for three years and still don't have patio furniture.   I went outside to discover the kids using five gallon buckets, camping chairs, and a cooler while they were trading Pokemon cards.

Every fall I search high and low for good deals on clearance furniture, but no luck.   Maybe I'm expecting too much: I need something that looks good, is durable, seats 8, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  So, you know, just the impossible.

Oh well.   The kids seem to be fine with this arrangement.

Dang.   I just caught Cole IN the cooler with the lid on.   This patio furniture situation just became life and death.

Signs There's a Two Year Old In The House

Random crumbs, toothbrush, and half-eaten grape tomato on the table.

Little People animals who now "live" in the "pritty" haunted house on my bookshelf.

The unmistakable aroma of dirty diaper as the child hides so she doesn't have to have a diaper change.

The random assortment of sippy cups, socks, blankets, books, and other toddler detritus found scattered around the house or in little toddler "nests".

New Wreath

Every year I say I'm going to make a Halloween Wreath and every year I don't. I just run out of time or ideas or whatnot.   I didn't make a new one this year, either, but I did make a new fall wreath and I'm calling that close enough! 

The best part about this wreath is that I either already had everything or it was free.  Well, I had to buy the M, but it was like $2, so whatever.

Josh asked if the M stood for Mommy.   This tickled me to no end, since yesterday I amazed him with the fact that I have bought all of our Halloween decorations and daddy hasn't bought a single one.  Perhaps daddy SHOULD buy me a pumpkin. (And stop referring to them as my addiction. ) ((Even if he's right. ))

Can't Write Now... It's Pumpkin Day!