Dinner with Lemons April 22,2009

We all have those days that we just flat don't want to deal with meal planning. I had one of those days yesterday. I dropped into Walmart and bought two twelve packs of Ramen Noodles. Chris fixed dinner for us. We also had some Spicy Buffalo wings from the 5 for $25 sale that is always available at Marvins in Chouteau.

Tonight however, I am going to make the dish that can be found on this link. I sure hope my friends check it out and take interest in saving their family some money!

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2009/04/mexican-chicken-skillet.html

I don't even have to cook it to know that the family is going to love it!

I have heard it all

My son approached me last night and asked me to sign a form for him to be eligible to be chosen as a student aid or library aid for school next year. Last night I happen to be on the ball, so rather than just sign the letter and continue on, I took the time to read what I was signing. I just happened to look on the back of the form and found the stipulations to becoming a student aid. The very first paragraph states that the student must have excellent grades (A's & B's) {Check yes for my brilliant son}, a history of outstanding class conduct {Check yes again} and a signed permission form signed by their parent or guardian {I am willing to give it a shot}. Students who have multiple discipline referrals {Check none for my brilliant son} and/or poor attendance records will not be selected as Office or Library Student Assistants. This is where the breaks screeched loudly. There have been occasions that I have removed Chris from class for doctors appointments for both of us. I am also aware that he has had several tardy's at school. I pointed this stipulation out to him.

Oh, they mean if you like miss three entire days in a row mom, I was told. I logged into the school website to express to Chris that he had a less than stellar attendance record. I am not sure what the school considers poor. He has 8.5 absences and 11 TARDY'S!!! I have no idea how this child has managed to stay under the radar. The school policy is after school detention for every 3 tardy's. Chris has never had detention.

I figured while I was logged in, I would glance at his grades. All I can say is oh my. This quarter started March 9. The last progress report I was given showed that he had all A's & B's. The first think that caught my attention was the 12 missing assignments in one class. Whoa. After checking all of his classes I layed into him. He has 18 missing assignments. He has a D in geography. Upon more than one occasion he has commented that his geography teacher gives stupid homework. In his opinion it is stupid to give kids homework over a three day weekend, because what child is really going to do that? We asked him where the assignments were. "I was walking down the hall at school with my papers and notebook in my hand. This kid came running up to me, grabbed my papers, and took off running so fast that I couldn't tell who it was." These are seriously the words that came out of my son's mouth. What can you say to that?

I told Chris that he might as well have said that the aliens took his homework or the dog ate it. He proceeded to tell me that if one could provide the slobbery, wet, pieces of paper that remained to the teacher that this would be a realistic excuse. My response to this was "do you really want to go there right now?" His eyes quickly met with the carpet on the floor and in a quiet shameful way he said no.

I believe that with this conversation, I have the ability to say that I have heard it all now. I am not sure that there is a more ridiculous excuse out there.

Dinner with Lemons April 20, 2009

Unfortunately, we have been eating out a lot lately. We just haven't had the time to prepare meals. Last night, I made momma's yummy salmon patties. I didn't think the kids would like it but it turned out to be a hit. All it takes is two cans of salmon, you can find it by the canned tuna and potted meat :D, remove all the bones you can. If you can't get them all removed, simply squish the meat, like meatloaf, and the bones will blend in. Add an egg per can of salmon, and enough bread crumbs to combine. Shape into patties, like hamburgers, season with S & P and Garlic salt. Fry in a skillet with vegetable oil or EVOO. I found it best to let them cook long enough to crust up and then turn them. Otherwise, you will have jambalaya type food instead of patties. I fixed my favorite Thick & Creamy Mac N Cheese and corn to go along with it. Fairly easy to prepare and cook and super yummy!

Whats for dinner April 8, 2009

Yummy! Tonight we had chicken salad sandwiches and chips and salsa. I just got a rotisserie chicken and pulled the meat off the bones. I added enough mayo and mustard to suit, sliced up a stalk of celery, chopped an onion and mixed well. I added some S&P, garlic salt, and a sprinkle of smoked sweet paprika. Spread on some onion buns and top with the cheese of choice! I found a recipe for Tuna salad that is mayo free and more figure friendly, I will have to see if I can find it again! Everyone ate every bit of their food and no one complained. This is the sign of success in my book!

Rice Krispies

I cannot believe it. Why does most everything have to be a battle with kids? I mean, really. I am stuck on this trivial Rice Krispies problem. What started out as a simple solution for an excess amount of cereal has turned into such a pain. It seemed easy...'we have two large boxes of Rice Krispies that are just sitting in the pantry...eat all that we have, then we will buy different cereal.' Boy did I fool myself.

These three little guys have become a major source for a power struggle. Kayla has expressed opposition to them since the moment we discussed it. She feels that this cereal is not worthy of consuming because you have to add sugar and there is no defining way to ensure that you are adding the correct amount. Really!?! Talk about a Princess complex. She has managed to stretch the Frosted Flakes that she has for a week now. This morning, before she would eat she scoured the pantry for another option. Having found nothing she gave in. She asked Chris what he did to his Krispies. 'Nothing? You just ate them?' As if this is such an absurd thing! Then she educates us by announcing that one can make Krispies Treats. She sat down at the table and ate the first spoonful and exclaimes...'these are good'. Whoa.

Then we have Chris. He has made small attempts to avoid eating the Krispies. His attempts have been trying to eat the emergency supply of PopTarts...in case we wake up late...or today, he tried a PB&J. While this is not a bad selection, it is still avoiding the inevitable. I had a discussion with him about trying to avoid eating the cereal. I left the room and came back a moment later to find him sitting at the table with a bowl of Rice Krispies and the sandwich packed for lunch. Oh, I am such a heel. I felt like such a jerk. I told him that I loved him and that he was a great kid no matter how much I complained. He has really stepped up lately and displayed some angelic behavior.

I think I will give this little problem another day. This morning, I envisioned my self shoveling spoonfuls of cereal down the throats of my little monsters...or waiting until they were sound asleep and then covering them in the cereal. Or, force them to eat only the cereal when they complain about hunger pangs. Their attitudes have shown improvement. I think that I will simply let this go for a little while. If they eat them with no protest for a day or two then I think they will be rewarded with the biggest box of the cereal of their choice. Maybe it will help them see that if they don't fight it they will get what they want in the end.

Whats for dinner April 7, 2009

I was really lazy today...so dinner was an easy family fav...TACO's!!!

I love it, brown the meat, add the seasoning, heat the refried's, chop the veggies, and serve. So simple. I don't cook the tortilla's like mom and dad...I just use plain flour tortilla's. Takes about twenty minutes total and the family raves about it all night long.

Taco's...One of the things I am thankful for!

The Audacity of Me

I know that it is not a problem that I suffer with alone. I know that moms everywhere face the same battles. I am seriously considering a support group. Moms of bickering children. I hear it all too often. Let me explain the first part of our evening yesterday.

I have been volunteering in Kayla's class on Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's, all things permitting. I was in her class yesterday. She & I picked Chris up after school as usual. I don't remember what got them talking about it, but they began debating about whether there was an elementary school in the Claremore district that did not have buses drop off or pick up. They debated on this subject from the Junior High to Reasor's. I tried to explain to them that it was a terrible waste of time to bicker about something that has no effect on us at all. But, oh, bicker away! I finally put the kibosh to the topic. As we were walking into Reasor's, Kayla asked if she could push the cart. No problem with me, just one less thing I have to do! Little did I know, this was the begining of yet another debate. The topic of this debate was whether Chris would walk in front, or behind, Kayla while she was pushing the cart and the events that took place during the last trip when Kayla pushed the cart. Another five minute debate in which I made the same failing attempts and had to squelch. We made it out of Reasor's and headed home. The next debate began moments into the house when Chris felt that he needed to turn his mommy switch on and inform Kayla that she needed to be aware of how many ice cream bars she was eating because they are worthy are preservation. After reminding them to turn the mommy's buttons off they let this one go as well. That was the first thirty minutes of interaction for the siblings since before school. What a night to look forward too.

Tom & I discussed our ever so pleasant afternoon when he got home from work. He and I decided that we would handle this in a manner that would leave a lasting impression. We told the kids that if they decided to bicker with each other again during the evening they would have to move cinder blocks from the back yard to the front and back 10 times.I guess Kayla thought we were bluffing. Unfortunately, they decided to bicker some more. We bought cinder-blocks.

Chris was at a scout meeting. Kayla went with us to get the blocks. She protested the entire trip. She even expressed that she wished that she were like the Hulk so that she could smash Tom's head right then. They had to move the cinder blocks when we got home. Kayla protested and complained the entire time. The blocks were pretty heavy for her small body. It seemed as though she thought she could use that to her advantage. Ya know, if she complained and cried enough we would let her off the hook. No such luck. She did manage to have a reduced number of trips because we didn't want to overdo it. Chris was a champ! He did not complain one single time, and, he was quick to be a cheerleader for Kayla. I was so proud of him! He was very encouraging to Kayla and even slowed down to make sure that she was not alone!

I hope that a lesson was learned by both children. Kayla did start her morning off this morning on the same path she was on yesterday. We decided that we weren't going to buy any more cereal until all of the old cereal was eaten. Kayla feels as though this is unfair. Her argument to the situation is that you have to add sugar to Rice Crispies. And, you don't know how much. This is her reason why it is so terrible that she has to eat the Rice Crispies before she can have a different type of cereal. Unbelievable! The audacity of me to ask such a thing!

RH negative

When I was in high school I donated blood to the American Red Cross. They typed me as O+. When I was pregnant the first time, the Dr's office typed me as O-. I explained to them that the Red Cross had already typed me and that they said I was O+. The OB took another sample and typed it as O+. I have donated four times to the Red Cross and four times to the Oklahoma Blood Institute. All donations have been typed as O+. Now I am pregnant again and the new OB typed me as O-.

How is this possible? I inquired about it at the Red Cross. The RN I spoke to said that I must be a weak positive. I have no discovered that my dad has been through the same thing. When he enlisted in the military they typed him as O-. When he donated blood they typed him as O+. I wonder how many other people there are with the same scenario?