Loading the car- baby buckled in, check. Got a spare dummy in case he wants to go to sleep? check. Two kids shuffling into their seats in the back, check. I'm doing laps to the car with a mental checklist: Sunnies, wallet, phone. Nappy bag. Snacks. Everyone's got shoes on. everyone's got clean faces - oops, no, quick - go get a face washer. Drink bottles? check. Woops- No, Nate, you can't bring that lego creation to the playground. Give it here. Take it back to your bedroom. Start the car, get the air con running. Where's the house key? Hang on, I'm missing a kid... where's Theo?
I find Theo tucked in the corner of his house with his little lego car. He is routinely constructing and deconstructing the car. He is so involved in taking the pieces apart and putting them back together that he seems unaware that people are leaving the building, but i know he is aware.
Come on, Theo! get in the car! have you got your shoes on?
Just a minute, Mum. He only has to put the little lego man in the little lego car and then he should be right to come out, I think. There we go! Lego finished. Come on, Theo!
Yes Mum, coming. Just a minute, he says, and starts taking it all apart again.
I feel impatience brimming from within. THEO!!! no! It's time to go! The lego car is already completely in pieces... it would be quicker to let him rebuild it than to start a fight about it. There are no more minutes Theo! Let's go!
Coming Mum, just a minute.
Flashback. Two hours beforehand: me, sitting here on the computer, doing my tasks. I am halfway through writing an important email and I have several pages open, links everywhere, copying and pasting, chatting on skype- the ultimate virtual multi tasker. Theo approaches with his cup. "Mum, can i have a drink of water." "Yes Theo, just a minute." "MUhuuhuuumm, can i have a drink of water!" "YES! Theo! Just , wait, a , minute. I'm nearly finished." Ten minutes later. "MUM. can i have a drink of water!" (Dammit, i forgot.) "Hughie, can you please get Theo a drink of water?" Theo comes back in another 5 minutes. "Muuumm, can i have a drink of water?" Ahw, crap, Hughie either didn't hear or completely ignored me. I say, "Just a minute Theo" and take my sweet time before the requests and volume point to the only answer- just get up and get the boy a drink!
The car is running, three boys are belted in, i have got everything i need. Come on, Theo. But I will wait just a minute.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
A very simple menu plan!
Well, this is something i've been wanting to do for a long time. It's very simple and probably boring for most of you, but it's what we need in our family right now! I certainly have not had the time or energy to be creative in the kitchen when it comes to our every day meals.
We have settled into a little routine of a few basic meals that I've made ever since I can remember. But NOW! i'm excited... I finally sat down with the time and space, and headspace! to write down exactly which meal, exactly which day, and exactly what food i need for it. This was a little overwhelming for me to try and dream up at first, when i thought of it ages ago. So today I drew out a big calender for Term 2. I entered all my commitments and weekly routine and figured out which days I have more time to spend in the kitchen and which days are better to have tea ready for me. It became apparent for the first time, looking at it like this why the slow cooker meals haven't been convenient for me - because the days I want to come home to dinner already taken care of, are also the days I need to get out of the house quite early, so i don't have time to prepare it in the mornings.
So here's what we'll try.
Sunday (church day): a roast chook with heaps of veg, then using the rest of it to make 2 lots of chicken stock to freeze.
Monday (gym, food shopping, housework day): Tacos, also making a lasagne for wednesday night.
Tuesday (toddler jam and gym): Butter chicken with one lot of aforementioned chicken stock..... steamed rice and veg
Wednesday (gym, cleaner, home group): Pre-made lasagne with salad
Thursday (bible study, skype date, music practise): Lamb chops with mashed potato and steamed veg, or rice salad
Friday (gym): swedish meatballs with pasta and salad; Friday is also the day to make snacks such as muesli bars and biscuits and tikka paste if we need it
Saturday: BBQ
There it is in all it's glory! The hardest thing to get around for me has been finding variety amongst a limited diet (witholding additives and preservatives) as well as fitting in with our busyness and having food that we "feel like" on the day - soup on cold days, salad on hot days.
I now have a list of stuff I have to make sure we have everyweek, and i'm hoping that this will minimise those extra shopping trips we need to do. Taking into account the lunches and breakfasts and snacks and portable snacks. Wow! Food is such a huge part of our life and it's so important with the kids learning about tastes and health and all. I wish i did this years ago!
We have settled into a little routine of a few basic meals that I've made ever since I can remember. But NOW! i'm excited... I finally sat down with the time and space, and headspace! to write down exactly which meal, exactly which day, and exactly what food i need for it. This was a little overwhelming for me to try and dream up at first, when i thought of it ages ago. So today I drew out a big calender for Term 2. I entered all my commitments and weekly routine and figured out which days I have more time to spend in the kitchen and which days are better to have tea ready for me. It became apparent for the first time, looking at it like this why the slow cooker meals haven't been convenient for me - because the days I want to come home to dinner already taken care of, are also the days I need to get out of the house quite early, so i don't have time to prepare it in the mornings.
So here's what we'll try.
Sunday (church day): a roast chook with heaps of veg, then using the rest of it to make 2 lots of chicken stock to freeze.
Monday (gym, food shopping, housework day): Tacos, also making a lasagne for wednesday night.
Tuesday (toddler jam and gym): Butter chicken with one lot of aforementioned chicken stock..... steamed rice and veg
Wednesday (gym, cleaner, home group): Pre-made lasagne with salad
Thursday (bible study, skype date, music practise): Lamb chops with mashed potato and steamed veg, or rice salad
Friday (gym): swedish meatballs with pasta and salad; Friday is also the day to make snacks such as muesli bars and biscuits and tikka paste if we need it
Saturday: BBQ
There it is in all it's glory! The hardest thing to get around for me has been finding variety amongst a limited diet (witholding additives and preservatives) as well as fitting in with our busyness and having food that we "feel like" on the day - soup on cold days, salad on hot days.
I now have a list of stuff I have to make sure we have everyweek, and i'm hoping that this will minimise those extra shopping trips we need to do. Taking into account the lunches and breakfasts and snacks and portable snacks. Wow! Food is such a huge part of our life and it's so important with the kids learning about tastes and health and all. I wish i did this years ago!
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