Cooking with kids

Let's just say I don't let my kids cook very often. I let them cook with me and hope they learn. So, I thought I would give them a chance. I told them, "why don't you make some macaroni & cheese and some hot dogs." I figured it would be pretty simple. My favorite dish to make at Logan's age was beans and dogs. I figured I was in the next room, in case something went wrong..I was still there, but I let them pretty much go on their own.
After about 30 minutes Uriah says, "Mom....do you use the same amount of water that the box calls for?" I told him no.....that you are just bowling macaroni so it really doesn't matter. About five minutes later I hear, "are you sure? My mac and cheese doesn't look like your mac and cheese." So then I asked them if they added the milk, the answer was yes. The butter? Yes. Did you add the cheese packet? Yes. The ENTIRE cheese packet? (I had visions of Logan treating the cheese packet as a Lik M Aid candy packet.) Yes mom....the entire packet. After I questioned Uriah, I then questioned Logan geting the same answers....and then.....it dawned on me. I looked at both boys and said, "and at what time.....did you drain the water off the macaroni?"
You are supposed to do that????????????
That's you answer ha ha ha........ they never drained the water off the macaroni......

and yes, I ate every bite on my plate.............BLEAH!!!! But don't tell the kiddies......I hated it. I think they know it...but I never voiced it. All I said was...it's OK....you'll know better for next time...it's how we learn.

Children grow so fast - Uriah

On Sunday, Mom was over at my house (I have 2 Moms). She was talking to Uriah and said, so what grade are you going into next year? "Seventh" was his answer. OMG.....seventh grade...he is going into seventh grade! Seventh....wow that brings back some memories. I was held back in fifth grade, so my son is one year younger than I was in these grades, but to compare as far as grade wise, we'll just have to go with it.

My seventh grade year....Alta Loma Elementary...in Peoria AZ. A year I was trying to figure out who I was. Keep in mind.....I was meek, mild, geeky.....big time geek that refused to accept that. Clothing would be jeans.....usually 2 different colored pair of socks (slouched) to match whatever shirt you happened to be wearing. Rubber bangles and rubber rings, plastic earrings....some is shapes like arrows that actually looked like they were going through your ear. Freindship bracelets, and for some reason Metallica sits heavy in my mind.

His 7th grade year.....Reagan Middle School...and we have lived in the same school district/town his entire student career.

I was in the choir. I think I sang quite well and I enjoyed it. He is in band playing a saxophone.

I also tried, and I emphasize TRIED to play volleyball with the school team. An Alta Loma Lobo. I made the team, I was on the team, they kept putting me in and for what reason I have no idea....cause to look back at it...I SUCKED. I probably volley'd the ball behind me EVERY time. But they let me play.......sucking or not.

I may have been geeky, but I had alot of energy and could follow a beat. I joined clogging with a freind of mine named Mandy. I loved to clog, and I was good at it. Dance dance dance....... loved it. Messed my knees up something awful....but I enjoyed it.

I also remember doing paper mache. It was then I found another freind. A dark haired hazel eyed boy. This was my first crush. He was in a different grade, so he was on the other side of the campus wall. This was also when I learned if you want something to stay a secret, you don't write it on a piece of paper and give it to another student figuring they would respect privacy and pass said note to person you asked them to give it to. Instead they will look at it, laugh and then show EVERYONE, much to your embarrassment. It takes a long time for a "geek" to live ANYTHING down.

My first crush on a boy..........makes me wonder about my own little man. I know he has talked about a "girlfreind", which I approved of.....her Mom is a freind of mine. But Uriah has not gone out on a "date"......I think they are too young just yet. But it still seems kind of cute. Uriah had a "girlfreind" and I have also noticed these kids swap girlfreinds/boyfreinds like they swap notes in class.

I was also taught by some young lady freinds who took pity on me, on how to properly "tease" hair. Before then I always seemed to have "little kid" hair styles. They don't know how that one act, actually boosted my confidence enough to actually feel like I finally belonged. I am sure to them, it meant not much, but for this young lady, it made a HUGE difference.

I never really felt I had belonged for a long time. Of course I did move around alot for a few years. Utah, Arizona, Utah, Arizona, Utah, Arizona, and it continued until my freshman year at Peoria High School...... where nearing the end of the year, we moved and settled in Illinois.

Anyway........that one statement, "I'm going into 7th" just brought back a flood of thoughts and memories.....some good, some bad. Don't get me wrong..... geek or not...I still had an excellent year. I still have some good freinds from those years I can still count on. You know who you are.......you know your in my thoughts alot. Even one is now a Sister in Faith.....no longer just my freind, but a Sister.

Please Lord, don't let me fail my children and please make life a little bit easier for them. I know at the time I thought it was dang tough...but looking back, it was just learned lessons.

By the way.......I'm still a geek...... LOL

My son is too...but hopefully he accepts it a whole lot better and easier than I did.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

My day started out awesome...actually my Mom's day started yesterday. I came home from work, ate lunch and then sat down in the recliner. I passed out of exhaustion. I wasn't even meaning to take a nap, I just did. I woke up to fiond the dog laying on my side, my right leg completely numb and then it occurred to me I had a blanket covering me. I got up, and the house was quiet. They had covered me up and left to go shopping. How sweet was that? Dave wanted to take me out to dinner, but I begged off and instead we had chili at home. To me...it was great. I mean his plans were great too. He had given me a choice of three restaraunts....excellent choices... I would have loved nothing more than to go. But exhaustion said no and truthfully I would rather not spend the money...though you know inside I was drooling big time. But like I said, instead I made chili...an we stayed home...then here the fam had went shopping and spoiled me. He bought some ghiradelli choclates, Lindt truffles, chocolate cake, flavored coffee, roses, pistachios and that was just my surprise Saturday. Sunday morning I woke up to fresh coffee, cinnamon and spice oatmeal and a blueberry bagel. Then came the presents. Both boys made me homemade cards, and I had a store bought card. A little trinket here...a little trinket there, some jewelry, some from the store, some they acquired somehow, some plastic. I was spoiled :) I did get a set that I am slightly concerned with. Logan got me a necklace/earring set from Wal-Mart. I put them on anyway....saying a small prayer....please don't have nickle...oh please oh please, don't have nickle. I'll find out by morning..... but there was no way I wasn't going to put them on...he really likes the set he picked out. The necklace is a locket in the shape of a heart.....and the earrings are heart as well. I may wake up in the morning with swollen earlobes.....and then jewelry has been getting better at not adding nickle......let's just hope this is one of those cases.

Now I am just cleaning while I still have some energy. Working two jobs can take alot out of ya. I started putting my laundry away and that led to cleaning my room......the cat hair...holy cow..... can them cats shed. Then I worked my way into the laundry room. My dryer vent has ripped and I was leaking moist air into the house and lint. It has been like that for a while..I finally got tired of it and fixed it LOL yeah for duct tape. LOL vaccumed up the lint in the laundry room...which led to vaccumming the hallway LOL

Now I am sitting on my butt...waiting for the dryer to finish so I can do another load..the boys are in the shower and soon I will heat up the leftover chili and we can have dinner.

My little men love me :)

Happy Mother's Day to all :)