Crafting with the kids

DIY moon sand!! Done 6/2/11. I'm not sure how much we like this one.

Food

I never really cared about food. I didn't want to cook frequently. Hated shopping for food. Really hated having to stop whatever I was doing and eat. That was fine through college and early married life before the kids started coming.

Now, I feel like I'm always thinking about it. When pregnant and nursing I had to start eating regular food at regular times. Hungry toddlers and children need to be fed. Cooking from scratch requires planning. I'm thinking about the next two meals while eating.

I keep working on planning our menus because that seems to take some of the work out of the middle of the whole cook-three-meals-every-day process. But, it adds work up front. The menu for this week worked out pretty good. Now I'm working on next week's food because I have to plan for the groceries. Six kids don't eat cheap. What used to last me and Charlie a few weeks barely lasts one week. I never buy one of anything. Even the family-sized stuff doesn't always cut it.

I'm not complaining. Usually it's funny to think about how much our kids eat. I love it when they like my food. I just don't like having to think about it all the time.

6/12/11 - 6/18/11 Meal plan. What worked and what didn't.

Sunday

B) soaked oatmeal with applesauce. Loved by all but me.

L) eggs, grits, and bacon. Nothing simpler.

D) spaghetti pie. Just another way to serve the same thing.

Monday

B) cereal. Easy for me.

L) oatmeal muffins with frozen banana pie. Awesome. The muffins were not sweet, but the banana pie was almost too sweet. No sugar added.

D) Meatloaf with green beans. Sauteed the beans in bacon with garlic. Yum.

Tuesday

B) Hot chocolate popovers. These were OK. I'm trying to have fun food while we aren't in school.

L) eggs with cheese

D) Greek salad. We added chicken to it.

Wednesday

B) cereal again. Bad start to bad day.

L) blender drinks.

D) Loaded baked potatoes and ham.

Thursday

B) cereal. We're bound to run out soon.

L) Coconut blueberry muffins. Pasta with alfredo for some.

D) Welcome to Moe's. Mom wanted a break.

Now I have to go plan the next 7 days.

Busy

I'm tired. I've had an extra kid every day this week. Poor girl, she's an only child. Then she comes here to my house. I wonder what she thinks of all the noise and activity. It's been me and the littlest two most of the day during the week with my big four at PROCLAIM camp. The last time I was a mom of two little ones I was 29. Sadly, I am no longer 29. Their personalities are so different when it just them. It's fun to watch, but it is also a lot more hands-on without my big ones to help.

Last year's grades are almost done, and I've started planning for next year. Planning for the new year is always more exciting than wrapping up the old one. I will have 9th, 8th, 6th, 3rd, and K5 grades.