Dinner Time

I am sure I am not the only mother who experiences the joy of dinner time.  First just let me say that dinner time is important family time.  We try to have family dinner every night, except for swimming nights - 7:30 is just too late for the kids to eat and 4:45 is just not realistic for the hubs!  But all other night we usually have dinner together.  Last summer I got the crazy idea to try the "real food" plan, where you don't eat processed food.  My sister in law was here for a good chunk of the summer and we tackled it together and had a lot of fun.  We have each tried to maintain it to some degree but doing it 100% is pretty hard.  Perhaps if it was my only thing to accomplish in a day we could eat only real food, but that is just not reality!  I love to cook and really love to try new recipes - Pioneer Woman and Pinterest being some of my greatest inspirations!  But here is how the typical dinner usually goes...

I should mention the food opinions.  Brandon doesn't like casseroles.  Grant only eats meat that has a consistency of a hot dog and Elizabeth will praise me for whatever I make - extra gold start for her! Pretty much, no one like vegetables so I rotate between green beans and broccoli - I don't feel like corn really has much veggie value! Our menus are interesting...

I start texting Brandon "What time will you be home?" If I don't get a reply in 10 seconds I follow up with "Dinner is at 6."   I start preparing the meal and I am either helping Elizabeth with her homework, Grant decides he wants to do his speech words and Auggie needs to go outside to bark at some random object.  I boil over the potatoes on the stove, because this is my classic move and do it every time.  I ask the kids to set the table.  They argue about who is getting what item.  Somebody ends up with a knife that shouldn't have, someone else is missing a napkin, (oh no wait, Auggie has just snagged it off the table!), Brandon only likes his water in a large Tervis cup and Auggie is now dragging her food bowl around because she wants dinner too!  Brandon walks in and we are ready to sit down and eat and he will say "Do I have time to go change clothes?" Sure, because I have only dished up the kids plates and they need to be cut and allowed to cool anyway. I set the plates down and the commentary starts: "I don't like chicken," "I don't like this kind of green beans," "Is this spicy?" "Why is this on my plate?" "How much do I have to eat of this to get dessert?" "There's dessert?!"  ENOUGH! Can we ask a blessing please? To which each and every time the kids will say "Me! Can I go first? He/She got to go first last time!"  We will pick one to start and Grant will say it too fast and we will have to remind him to be respectful and speak clearly and to try again - every time.  He will say "Dear God, thank you for our friends, food and family, Amen!"  Elizabeth's is usually "Dear God, thank you for this warm house to keep us warm, all of friends and our family, Amen".  Sometimes she will surprise us with an additional line, but always doubles down on the warm house business!

So now we actually start eating and the poor manners start.  "Put your napkin on your lap. Elbows off the table.  Does your mother pass gas at the table? Please follow her example.  Chew with your lips together.  Sit on your bottom.  Sit down.  Three more bites!"  "Yes! You may be excused, take your dishes to the sink".

It is really all quite exhausting.  I eat super slow so I have a few moments at the end just to take a couple of deep breathes!  Luckily, Brandon is really good help with dishes.  Thank the good Lord for him!  So kids, in case you ever wonder why this mama is done when it time to brush your teeth - I spent all of my energy on feeding you!

Here are some of your favorite meals:
Meatballs
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Smoothies (with spinach - which I no longer have to sneak because you really can't taste it!)
Breakfast for dinner

We are trying roasted butternut squash this week...should be exciting!!