Can kids cook?
Published November 27, 2009 @ 17:33 in Recipes
My kids love to help me bake. It seems to double the time required, and at least double the mess. Plus there is always at least one broken egg, and one fight because somebody got to stir more or pour more.
Last night we made my (almost) famous chocolate chip cookies for the school bazaar today. I was actually thrilled that it only took an hour and 15 minutes to make the five dozen cookies. Yes, I had three helpers. You should see the state of my kitchen. I just can't motivate myself to clean it!
Today, Son Two, the fiercely independent one of my offspring, made himself popcorn. Microwave popcorn. It was great - he can read enough to press the "Popcorn" button on the microwave, and then his sister made melted butter to go along with it.
Only one problem. He didn't know to take the plastic wrapper off. Just so you know, it doesn't really seem to matter. The popcorn popped well. Half the wrapper was melted into the bag, the other half just feel off when he took it out of the microwave. No gross burning plastic smell. We were golden!
I have some friends who when renovating their kitchen choose to put their microwave in their island so that the kids to could access it. Other friends did the opposite, placing it over the stove so that the kids knew not to touch. Ours is over the counter, so the kids need a chair to access it.
I haven't explained the "no metal in the microwave" rule yet, though I have cautioned about burns and things being really hot. It seems like we are entering a new phase where the kids can start to prepare their own snacks and meals. If I teach them how, isn't that sort of like phasing myself out of my job? And is that a good thing?
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My little girl
Published November 27, 2009 @ 17:23 in Amazing Kids
Husband and I often comment on how feminine our little girl is compared to her big brothers. Where they seem big, beefy and strong, she seems petite and soft. Where they are loud and rough, she is gentle.
However, after her last dance class before Christmas mini-recital, I've realized that as soft and feminine as we consider her to be, there are loads of little princesses out there without big brothers who are even shocked by the rough-around-the-edges little princess of ours.
First, the teacher asked the students to all find their special spots on the floor. While all of the other girl dancers walked over, toes pointing, hands on hips, my daughter ran then slid on her knees to her spot.
Later, when doing their corner work, Daughter was the fastest across the floor, often running and sliding up to 6 feet. Note: the goal of corner work is not to be the fastest.
Finally, they finished up with a free dance exercise. The teacher played three different pieces of music, telling the dancers to be birds, cats and horses. Then she played music and they got to dance anyway they wanted. At the end they showed one another their steps, and the other dancers had to guess what each of them were. There were cats, butterflies, ballerinas, princess and figure skaters.
My daughter, whose dance consisted of sticking her arms straight out and running around the perimeter of the room as fast as she could, was an airplane.
There goes my shot at having a ballerina in the family.
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Hockey Hater to Hockey Lover
Published November 25, 2009 @ 00:18 in Being Mommy
It is hard for me to imagine that just a short six months ago I was just starting out my hockey career. Long over due? Perhaps. But I had never had a desire to play. Why am I am playing, then, you ask? Peer pressure. My friends wanted to, and I like being social.
Here I am six months later, playing twice a week, and loving it. Here is the thing, though. I still don't actually get to play. Yet.
We do drills, powerskating, puck handling etc. Tonight our drills were even almost like scrimmages. However, still not actually playing.
I am OK with that. I don't need to play. I don't really want to play. Honestly? I am afraid to play. Some of these women are pretty tough and I might get hurt. I didn't sign up for hockey to get hurt, you know.
Tonight our coach (instructor?) mentioned that we have only one more week left and then we will scrimmage. Most women cheered. I froze. I am not convinced that I am meant to be a hockey player. I guess we will soon find out.
In the meantime, I am really looking forward to getting out on some of these FREE City Outdoor rinks that are in with my kids, so I can see if my skating has really improved, or if I can even manage not to hurt myself since I can't really justify wearing my equipment for a family skate. Maybe just the hockey pants.
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Bah Humbug
Published November 24, 2009 @ 09:22 in Being Mommy
No, I haven't gone to see the new Jim Carrey movie. I am just not in the mood to start getting ready for Christmas.
I have at least 3 dozen people on my list, Christmas baking, cards to be sent, preparing and decorating the home etc, etc, etc.
Really, I would LOVE to take the $5000 + that we spend on Christmas every year and run away to some Island with the Husband and kids. Does that make me a Scrooge? I think that Christmas is so over done. All of the work, money and prep for one day (sort of like those Bridezillas who go over board for one day)
I love the idea of spending time with my friends and family and sharing some Christmas Cheer. I actually love Christmas trees, though I hate the decorating and undecorating (especially the undecorating).
I love watching the kids all excited opening their stockings and gifts on Christmas morning. I hate that a month of shopping and wrapping is over in an hour, and all of the gifts that they wanted and needed are never played with after New Years.
I don't know how to bring Christmas down a notch (or two or three).
Here we are, a month away, and I haven't written my list or bought a single present. In fact, I was still eating the Halloween candy left overs this morning. Bah Humbug.
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Why TV is bad for your kids, Babe.
Published November 17, 2009 @ 12:23 in Add category, Amazing Kids
This weekend we unplugged the TVs. The kids were all being rude, obnoxious and temperamental, and I am not exactly sure how we arrived at unplugging the TV as punishment, but the next step could be locking them in their rooms until they are 18. Just keeping our options open.
Son Two is getting ready for go to school, but first he and Daughter were having a pretend playdate. All was going well until this:
S2: Hey Babe. Thanks.
Daughter: MOMMY! He called me Babe!
S2: Do you think Babe is a bad name, or a good name?
D: A bad name.
S2: No! It's a good name!
Me: Son Two, why do you think it is a good name?
S2: Well, when guys call girls "babe" they like it.
Me: What girls? Where have you heard that?
S2: On TV.
Me: What kind of TV are you watching?
S2: I just like calling her Babe.
Me: Well she doesn't like it, so please stop.
S2: Babe. Babe. Babe, babe, BABE!
D: STOP IT! I AM NOT A BABE!
S2: I am not calling you a Babe, I just like saying the word.
I think that it is almost time to get the locksmith in...
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Homework Nightmares
Published November 13, 2009 @ 11:33 in School
A few nights ago I had a nightmare about Son One's homework. Me, not him, losing sleep over how much homework we've been doing and whether or not to confront his teacher about it.
The nightmare was me in a classroom with his teacher and lots of other parents. I brought up how the amount of homework seemed excessive for grade two (about an hour a night) and none of the other parents backed me up.
I've spoken to other parents and was even warned before the year started that this teacher seems to really like giving homework. I am torn between being impressed by her thoroughness and please that Son One will be well prepared for next year, and cursing her for her invasion of the peace and tranquility of our home life.
I need more information before I go on the attack. Though ever parent in his class seems to be complaining, I wonder how much is a factor of the kids just not buckling down in class and getting it done. Seeing as it is a split class, I assume that at some point after teaching the grade twos their lesson, she would switch over and teach the grade threes leaving the grade twos to get some seat work done. Right?
It is more the stress and pressure of homework on a seven-year-old. Yes, I am sure that it is helping give him a framework for organization and responsibility. But he is seven! Maybe you can't start too young. At least once a week we have tears and threats with the homework (tears are his - threats are mine). Not conducive to the loving, caring, supportive home life I want. Not only that, his brother and sister get pushed aside for that hour of work (usually they sit in front of the TV to keep them quiet - wonderful babysitter).
I used to have nightmares when I was in school about missing homework, forgetting to do it all, having it get ruined, or leaving it somewhere... and now, I have to relive it all through the eyes of my grade two.
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lazy PA Days
Published November 13, 2009 @ 11:25 in Amazing Kids
Kids love PA days. A day off school - yay! An extra long weekend - double yay!
As a stay-at-home mom, PA days aren't too bad for me either. No getting up early, making lunches, packing homework, and rushing out the door. Instead we all get to sleep in, and can stay in our PJs as long as we want (Daughter is still in her nightgown, and it is almost lunch time!)
Son One is my busiest child. But he also demands to be busy. He was given the choice between doing nothing today, and in going to an all-day hockey camp. He chose the camp. So, I had to get up early, dress him, make him breakfast and pack a bag of water and snacks (a hot lunch is included). Luckily, a friend of his was going as well so we get to carpool.
Son Two is having a friend over for a playdate. The friend has food allergies, and his mom packed him a lunch box with his snack options. I let the child talk me into licorice from the Halloween Candy. Will be in trouble with his mom?
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Gosh Darn City of Toronto
Published November 10, 2009 @ 16:58 in Shopping and Stuff
I am the only one who is really, really annoyed by the plastic bag tax?
For lunch today I went through the drive through at Swiss Chalet. They asked if I wanted a bag with that. Are you kidding me? I get charged 5 cents on top of my order at a fast food restaurant? All food should have to be packed in paper. That should haven't been part of this stupid bylaw. I am tired of ordering $40 or $50 worth of food, and having to pay an extra 5 cents for a plastic bad.
Look, I don't want to trash the planet for my kids any more than the next person. However, I am far from being an environmentalist. I actually used to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store before the bylaw was in place. Now, I seldom do, my own private protest against this city that sucks.
I have a hard time believing in global warming, since I haven't seen the docudrama with the polar bear falling into the ocean. Instead, I read Michael Crichton's State of Fear. And I have suffered through the past few years of terrible winters and mediocre summers. (NOTE: This is my first time ever in my life getting snow tires on my vehicle, so my prediction is that it will not be a snowy winter.)
Honestly, I think that almost 7 billion people on our planet is far too many, and we haven't exactly allowed Malthusian Population Checks to really keep our population in check.
It is not that I love wasting plastic bags, or sticking them in land fills for a few hundred years. I just hate ordering from Green Mango and having them ask me if I want a bag with that.
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The Flu Shot
Published November 9, 2009 @ 08:12 in Being Mommy
My seven-year old wants me to explain H1N1, and why it is any different from previous influenzas. I am not a doctor, not a health care worker at all.
My plan was for me and the children to get our flu shots for H1N1 this fall. I am pretty sure that most of us had it in the spring (Daughter's 3 day 105 fever), however I wanted to be safe. I have asthma, and I am pretty sure that Son One has mild, though undiagnosed, asthma.
My plans for the flu shot were thwarted. First off, I don't have three hours to drag my kids to a clinic to wait in line with strangers, some of whom are probably ill. Plus, Son One is not eligible and I am not sure about Son Two since he is 5. I was going to my Dr. for the flu shot Friday AM, but received a call from her office canceling because she was home sick.
At this point, I don't think that we will end up getting the H1N1 shot.
I am pissed off at all of the queue jumpers (like the hospital administrators). My understanding is that women in early thirties are the MOST likely to end up hospitalized with H1N1. Add to that my asthma (ok, so I am little older than early thirties at 35, but close enough!) and you'd think that I would get a shot. The media has highlighted two cases on Ontario, a 10 year old in London and the 13 year old Toronto boy.
I tried to explain to Son One that what is so scary about H1N1 is that normal flus seem to hit the elderly hard, and yes, people do die of the flu every year in Canada (still not sure if H1N1 has a higher or lower mortality rate) HOWEVER, with H1N1 the traditionally hard hit groups are not being hard hit.
I've heard that those seniors, who are front of the line, probably were exposed to a similar illness in the late 60s, and therefor have some natural immunity.
I've also heard criticism of those of us who aren't getting the shot. Come on people! The government never planned on this being a total inoculation program, and you need over 85% immunized in order to get herd immunization benefits. Plus, we are already deep in the first wave of fall flu here in SW Ontario, and the shot takes a few weeks to gain effectiveness.
Wishing that I would have bought stock in Shoppers or Purell this summer, it actually sort of saddens me when I see my Daughter's dance teacher spraying all of their grubby little hands before they go in. Touch would we have had a fairly healthy household so far this fall.
One plus for me that has come from all of this concern is that SICK PEOPLE ARE FINALLY STAYING HOME!!!! YEAH!!!!
BTW - if the flu shot was easy and convenient to get, I would have gotten it and so would my children. However, the last time I went to a flu shot clinic I stood in line for over an hour only to have NONE of us actually receive the shot because the nurse wasn't comfortable giving it to young children and wasn't sure about a lactating mother.
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Redoing Grade Two
Published November 8, 2009 @ 18:25 in School
A phrase I have used far too much so far this school year is, "You know, I've already passed grade two."
Son One gets a lot of homework. Far too much, in my opinion. He is in grade two, averages three subjects a night, and we struggle through about an hour minimum each night. When Husband is home, he is in charge. This is not because he enjoys doing homework, but rather he knows that about 10 minutes after Son One and I sit at the kitchen table together to work on his homework, I am ready to rip my son's head off and feed it to the raccoons scavenging in the backyard.
I have not yet complained to his teacher about his crazy homework. Ideally, I would like to point out to her that we have a family life that doesn't only revolve around sitting at the kitchen table redoing grade two with Son One, and that homework is not really seen to improve learning especially in the lower grades, AND it causes undo stress and pressure on already precarious family situations.
However, I am trying to be supportive and Son One, though often has to be dragged kicking and screaming to get his homework done, is generally doing a great job. (Note: How many times do you really need to sharpen that pencil before you sit down and start?)
At curriculum night (formerly "Meet the Teacher"), his teacher pointed out that if we don't get all of the homework done, simply sent in a note explaining why and don't worry about it. She sounded so reasonable and nice. The rumour is that we have lucked out and that she is one of the best teachers in the school.
Our neighbour, whose son is in the same class, told me that at her Mother's Birthday dinner (on a school night) her son sat an did an hour of homework until she said, "enough is enough!" and closed the books for the night, writing a note to the teacher about why it was not completed. He got to stay in and finish his homework over recess, lucky kid.
Today I finished a project on Ireland for grade two social studies, with the help of Son One. I really hope that I get an A.
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Hello Again!
Published November 8, 2009 @ 13:00 in Being Mommy
OK. Life is getting crazy. And I am getting lazy. Maybe...
Every time I've sat down to write, I've had Daughter jump onto my lap demanding nursery rhymes on Youtube, or one of the boys wanting to do something with the computer. Really, the computer sits here idle and bored until I try to use it, and then we have line-ups and fights. Oh what fun!
Quick updates - Halloween was fun for the kids. A little problem - they really don't seem to care about all of the candy they worked so hard to collect, so I am eating about 20 pieces a day (ok, let's be honest, maybe a little more). UGH! I so don't need the candy. A friend was telling me about her year without candy. I may give it a try, if only I could go a day without temptation.
Daughter is taking skating. She can't skate. She can't even stand on skates (though she could last spring). Part of me thinks it is a waste of money. Another part of me loves to see watch her smile, laugh, fall, get up, and come of the ice beaming about how super fast she is.
My hockey is going well. I've learned how to do cross-overs! I bought myself a new stick yesterday. The women in both my Monday AM and Tuesday night groups are amazing.
I am starting to really love ballet, and it is a nice leg workout. In my head I am a beautiful and graceful dancer. I just wish that they didn't have the huge floor to ceiling mirrors - the prancing hippo look isn't what I envision.
Son One is preparing for his First Holy Communion. I get to help out at the church. Today was another beautiful Sunday where we walked to church together enjoying the lovely fall day. This was after I yelled at him to get his church homework done. "God Loves You!" "Jesus died so you won't go to hell!" Husband, United and slightly amused by Catholicism, just smiled.
I've been reading. LOVED The 19th Wife, my next book club book. On Friday I picked up a book from the library that I had put on hold over the summer. It was called, Hard and Fast and the cover was borderline pornographic, so I had to grab another book just so I wouldn't be embarrassed about ordering the chick lit. I picked up, The Slap. Read both books already, and returned them to the library on my way to church this morning.
This week I am off to see Michael's movie before Tuesday Night Hockey. I'll let you know how it goes!
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