Playing Hookey Hiking

I convinced Rus to take today (President's Day) off work. It wasn't too hard..."Rus, stay home Monday. We'll all load up in the van and you can take us wherever you want."
He researched trails and then emailed-in sick. Hoo-rah!
We woke up to grumpy kids, Rus to a grumpy wife, but somehow we all made it out the door by 9am and headed up to the Sandias. Rus chose Domingo Baca Canyon, a hike that is accessed from the Elena Gallegos picnic grounds. It was absolutely beautiful, with a good varied landscape that included big rocks for the kids to climb on and a stream farther up in the canyon. I'm just including one picture because Rus did a great post on our adventure blog with a lot of good pictures. Click here to get there and check out the rest of our hike. Then come back. :)
My favorite parts of the day were as follows:
* Jacob hiking with a stick that he called a gun. He shot mountain lions for me.
* Jacob jumping from rock to rock and saying, "And now I jump down. And now I jump off. Now I jump across. I jump up."
* Bekah being a great rock climber. Enough to make me nervous.
* Helping kids #1/#2 in the woods. Always an adventure.
* Beau's utter enjoyment at throwing sticks in the stream. It was especially great because it was the only time when he wasn't in the carrier that he was actually happy. Perhaps a little maniacal, too, but happy nonetheless.
* Bekah's incessant questions.
(On the way back to the van) "How many seconds are we from the van?"
"What are mountain lions?" (lions that live in the mountains. wow.)
"What is the name of this hike? Why is it called that?"
"Where did this water come from?"
"Will a mountain lion eat me?"
"Do mountain lions like kids more than moms and dads? Why?"
"Is there a mountain lion right behind me?"
If you are ever starved for conversation, just talk to Bekah. She can keep it going long after anyone would think was reasonably possible.
Ahhh...It was really a nice hike. We all hiked over four miles and the kids did a great job. I think it's the best they've ever hiked. They didn't really complain until we were about a half mile from the car, at which point Bekah lost all trust in her dad and his promise that the van was really anywhere nearby.
We drove home, kids napped, got home, I napped...what more could I ask for?

Good Dream

Jacob came bounding down the stairs at 6:30 this morning. He was beaming.
"I had a good dream, Mommy!"
"What was it about?"
"I had a cousin who was a tiger and he had claws and he showed me how to climb a tree really good. And I had a tail! And Beau had a tail too. And we all climbed the tree really good!"
I could see that he had woken up happy. [understatement]
It was adorable and I felt myself having a happy morning too when the vision of two growling, climbing, striped, tail-ed little boys washed over me.
Maybe that's why I noticed Beau's nose this morning...how it would wrinkle up when he thought he was tricking me by hiding his miniature Bullseye horse (from Toy Story) under his leg...and then my Woody guy would find him...and his nose just got the finest little happy wrinkles right below the bridge.
I had to kiss it.
Then I had to show him where his heart was. I pointed to his chest and said heart, and then I listened to his. Then I pointed to mine and said heart and pressed his ear up so he could hear. He was in awe. "Heart!"
Then I taught him that he is two. "Beau, how old are you?"
"Two!"
"How old are you?"
"Two!"
"How old are you?"
"Two." (like, "Mom, enough already.")
I tested him by calling my Mom having her ask Beau.
He passed.

I just love happy moments. In our Stake Conference the stake president said he had asked his wife if she was happy. They are a relatively young couple with four children under 9 (or 10?). She said, "sometimes." And he said, "She's German. She says it like it is." I could totally relate to her. I could go days without being happy...I have, probably. I've decided it's got to be on purpose. I have to purposefully have happy moments everyday. And I do. And I feel so blessed when I find them.

Here I tried to capture the wrinkly nose...Jacob was my first model because I thought Beau was still taking a nap.Then Beau came in. We had a little photo shoot. He was way more cooperative than I thought he would be...but still I don't know that any of these really capture his happy wrinkly nose.Then Bekah got in on the action.The wrinkly crew.

ReNamed

"Mom!! You forgot to call me Robot Boy again!"
"Yep, I forgot because you're not listening to me! Do what I asked the first time." (Of course I say this in a very calm, loving tone.)
"If you called me Robot Boy I would listen!"

Jacob seems to be unsatisfied with his name. He has had us call him "Jacoob" because he wanted two "o's" in his name instead of one, Flash, Hero, Spiderman...Each time he asks me to change his name and I tell him we'll try it out for a day. It's pretty funny the stuff he comes up with, and last Friday he even bequeathed the rest of the family with name changes. Rus and I spent the day with Robot Boy, [two minute timeout: I have to leave because I have a "mommy arm" that can reach under the stove to retrieve a lost car...mission complete.] RoBeau, and Becky. Becky. I have never ever thought of Bekah as a Becky, but she informed me that Bekah is a good kid name, but not a grown up name and she preferred "Becky" for that. Not "Rebekah" like I suggested. Becky. I don't think I can do it.
Jacob and Bekah then named me Super Love Mom, and Rus got to just be Lloyd. (lame.)
Then yesterday it changed again. Jacob (formerly), inspired by a puzzle, decided to be called Star Wars. He even wrote his new name in church and did a fantastic job. Seriously. Better than he ever wrote Jacob. Maybe it's meant to be. Then he taped the sign to his room to remind the world of his true identity. (Didn't he do a nice job writing?!) He might be on to something...he does look to have a little Chewbacca in him. Kidding. He's totally Hans Solo.And Becky. please, please don't stick...Here posed with her trouble making Frenchy. That dog inspires more fits that anything. I'm thinking of buying a stuffed tiger to maim her stuffed dog. Irreparably. But I think she might not like that...in a Romeo-Juliet sort of way.And I just want to mention here that my last post title "Rare Snow Day" proved completely false. Tuesday off turned into Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. It was slightly brutal...but okay because sleeping in balanced out fighting kids. Turns out NM is not meant for sub-zero temperatures and no person (or school) can function until sufficiently thawed.

What to do on a {rare} snow day

Yesterday, like today, was declared a snow day: No School. Bekah was overjoyed, and we celebrated by making cinnamon rolls for breakfast (since we had the time), and then later we decorated for Valentine's Day. We made these wax paper hearts as shown on Martha Stewart. They look so pretty in our front window. I might have ruined a cheese grater in the process - it said to use a pencil sharpener, but mine was too fat so I used my cheese grater which worked beautifully but is now adorned with an array of wax-colors.I also took the opportunity to clean out all my stashes of bills. I have a pile that I keep by my phone downstairs and another by my computer. I have a perfectly adequate file cabinet in the closet near my computer, but I have discovered that I'm not really a filer, I'm a stacker. And it works just fine, um sort of, until everything builds up too much and I have to sort it all out, like this: and the one thing that kept catching my eye was this paper, I thought it was perfectly fitting and ironic. Maybe I should get smart and do what it says. See above pic. See below pic. See above...see below...Today's project was making this fun V-day scarf from my stash of felted sweaters. I thought it turned out really cute. Look at the scarf, not me...remember it's a snow day. :)Sometimes having Bekah at home all day is kind of hard because she loves to boss around the boys and gets mad when Jacob doesn't want to play her games...but I have to say that the last two days have actually been really nice. Besides all the schemes she uses to divert Beau's attention from whatever she's doing (so he won't "bother" them), she's actually been playing really well with Jacob and being a good helper. Hooray! Oh and I haven't minded sleeping in until 7:30 because I don't have to get up at 6:30 to watch a little girl that we usually take to school with us.
But with all that being said, I will be just fine when tomorrow is a return to the norm!

Veggie Recipe Review

Bekah "enjoying" peaches (or was it sweet potatoes?) when she was about 6 months.

I wanted to thank everyone for your tips on eating more veggies and, from much earlier, navigating Disneyland.
I thought I'd review for you the recipes we tried last week...and then I'll share with you a typical dinner routine at my house, just in case you wonder why I have a hard time with my kids and um...food in general.

First: Green Bean and Grilled Onion Salad with Feta from the Biggest Loser
This was a very flavorful dish. The shallots with the onion and garlic really defined the flavor. You're supposed to cook the red onions a little, but the shallots and garlic are just mixed in later. I think I'd saute those too, next time. I actually forgot about the feta when we had this for dinner and then remembered it the next day when I had leftovers, and I have to say the feta really makes a difference - it mellows the flavors of the onions and makes it so much better. I would make this again. Kid Factor: Zero interest. I set plain green beans aside and they liked those, but the onions and garlic were too intimidating for my kids. (Because they don't actually like flavor.) They all liked the green beans, which ups their veggie count from broccoli to broccoli and green beans! Hooray!

Next: Roasted Vegetable Medley from Allrecipes
This was SO good. I really, really enjoyed it. All of the veggies got cooked really well (very soft), and I loved the addition of the roasted red bell peppers at the end along with the basil and garlic. I couldn't stop sneaking bites before dinner...mmm. I didn't find parsnips, so they were omitted, but I just added more carrots. I halved the recipe because I knew my kids wouldn't eat any of it. It was just right for Rus and I with no leftovers. Kid Factor: They did eat the carrots but complained because they had black on them from roasting. Any normal, adventurous kid with better parents than me and Rus would probably have no problem getting their kids to eat this. It was delicious.

Fried Tomato, Onion, and Mushroom Ragout
This was disappointing. I think my tomatoes didn't have the best flavor, and there weren't really any added seasonings, so the flavor was pretty acidic and tart. I added minced garlic and a little sugar, but still...I won't make this again.

Grilled Portabello Mushroom Sandwiches
These were pretty good. I forgot to buy Kaiser rolls so we just used bread, and I also didn't do the roasted garlic mayonnaise or tomatoes (because I used them all up on the previous recipe.) It was basically a mushroom "burger" with grilled onions, roasted red bell peppers, and basil and mayonnaise. I used jarred roasted bells to save time. I liked the flavor, found it filling, but didn't really experience a wow factor. I'd make it again, though just for a change of pace. Kid Factor: They had turkey burgers and pineapple tidbits. They were happy with their meal, so I consider the night a success.

Since you're probably noticing a trend with my kids, I'd just like to take a minute and invite you to a "virtual" dinner with my family. Here it goes. Pretend we're having chicken (breaded, oven baked), steamed broccoli, and rolls.
Jacob: What are we having for dinner?
Bekah: Is it spaghetti?! (By which she means noodles with cheese - no sauce).
Mom: Chicken, broccoli, rolls.
Jacob: I LOVE rolls!
Bekah: Groan...
Dad: BEKAH! Tell your mother sorry. We don't complain about dinner.
Bekah: Sorry. (Said with another groan.)
Then mom starts dishing out the goods to each plate.
Jacob (pointing to his chicken): Have I had this before?
Mom: (thinking to myself, yes, you're five and you've never had chicken before.) Yes Jacob, you've had this before. It's just plain chicken with nothing on it, I promise.
Bekah: I don't want a roll. (She says this while sectioning off her food to separate sides of the plate so they can't touch, and then picking up her broccoli with her fingers. Six years old and she still doesn't understand forks.)
Beau: Doesn't talk because his mouth is full of broccoli. He's favorite right now. He hums while he chews.
Jacob: Can I have another roll?
Mom: No, you have to eat everything on your plate first. (Which includes three pieces of chicken and the same amount of broccoli.)
Jacob: *&*&^&#!!!Whine. All of it?!
Mom: Yes! All of it.
Jacob: More whining.
Dad: Jacob, do you want to go to your room?
Jacob: NO!!
Dad: Force feeds Jacob a bite of chicken. Jacob keeps this in his cheek for the next 4.2 minutes, silently crying while the insides of his mouth apparently are blistering from the toxic meat. He mumbles that he wants to spit it out. We tell him no. Somehow he manages to swallow and then needs a gallon of water to wash it down. This is just one bite of chicken. He moves on to the broccoli, without any complaints at all, but his eyes are still watering.
Beau is now putting chicken in his water and then taking it out and then feeding Colonel a piece and then making a broccoli tree dance on his plate before hitting Rus in the arm and yelling "MORE!" pointing to the rolls. Rus gives him some of his and Beau throws it. A piece of broccoli gets chomped and another chicken is drowned in the water, hid under the plate, or launched at Bekah.
Jacob has finished all of his broccoli. He asks for a roll. We comply.
Bekah has now cleared her plate. The breading from the chicken has been completely stripped off and left in a mound on the side of her plate. Of course she did this with her fingers. "Mom, can we have spaghetti tomorrow?"
Rus leaves the table to do something important, I mediate the rest of dinner and then do the dishes, mentally tallying up my time in the kitchen from start to finish and determining to never eat again.
And this was just plain chicken, plain broccoli, and rolls. One day my kids will like food. And flavor. And they will cook for me. And I might, just might be the bigger person and not mention any of these wonderful memories.
Maybe.

Foot Age and Veggies

Jacob: "Mom, I just left a message for Cutesy."
Me: "Oh really? How did you do that?"
Jacob pointed to the "2" button on the cell phone - the speed dial for my mom. "I pushed that."
"Oh, and you left her a message?"
"Yep."
"What did you say?"
"I told her to bring me a new bakugan next time she comes."
"Yeah, and what are you going to give her?"
"Um, I'll buy her some shoes...Um, Mom, what age are her feet?"

Oh how I love my Jacob...My favorite thing to do is look at his dark brown eyes and the freckles on his nose and kiss his soft cheeks. One day he'll be big and tough (he told me so), and I won't be able to do that anymore. I love that I am his favorite person right now (unless I'm not and Rus is), and I love how he tells me that all the time. He just learned our home phone number and has had a lot of fun using my cell phone to call me...from the next room. Today he was cleaning his room and gave me progress reports via phone call every five minutes. I'm sure that Gail, the piano tuner who was here, was shaking her head at "children these days," and the gadgets they are accustomed to. Gail was here to tune my very out of tune piano because Bekah just started piano lessons and I thought that the keys should make the sounds they are supposed to. I've been trying to talk Bekah into piano lessons for months and finally just set it up and dropped her off. She had a great time and has spent the last week playing the same song on the piano, over and over. I love it. Really.
On another note...I spent at least an hour last night looking for recipes that are veggie-heavy. I have been shifting to more veggies steadily the last several months and I've just needed more recipes that have them. I was stunned by a quote that said, basically, if Americans were to eat the five vegetables a day that we are supposed to, there would not be enough vegetables for every one because our country does not grow enough. Our country is heavy on meat, not vegetables. I like meat, believe me...but I understand how unhealthy it can be when fruits and vegetables are neglected or ignored completely. So I'm trying to incorporate them more so that the meat is the "side" and the vegetables are main and delicious. I am trying this, this, and this recipe this week and we'll see how it goes. And if I kill Rus or not...he's a reluctant sidekick who I'm sure will enjoy plenty a hamburger or steak on his lunch hour. Do any of you have favorite-must-have recipes that showcase vegetables? I'd love it if you shared!

Sister to the Rescue!

This past weekend I was really planning on driving to Flagstaff to visit Amy and her kids - it had been a long time coming and it was my turn to make the drive...But when Friday morning came around I was sick and felt incapable of making the drive or surviving the weekend there if any of the kids didn't sleep (like Beau is prone to do when we travel). So I called Amy in tears and she said, "It's okay, I'll come! I'll leave in one hour."
How amazing is that? It really took her five more hours to leave, but still...I'd consider that "the drop of a hat," wouldn't you? It worked out great because her husband Mike was taking the two older boys camping for the weekend, so she just brought the two youngest, Sarah and Mikey.
She came, we hung out, played games (including Scrabble for breakfast - because that's when you know you're on vacation), went garage sailing, and even filled her tiny wish of having something really big to hang on her wall. We made something like this: I made these two years ago, they hang behind my bed, but we made her's three panels instead of two so it could go behind her couch. It is four feet tall and eight feet wide, a terrific use of $26 and a big wall. It turned out really beautiful and I can't wait to hear what color she has painted it.
One of the nights I utilized my face-painting set again and the kids requested to be cheetahs and a lion. After getting painted they spent the next thirty minutes roaring at everyone. It was really fun.Jacob's was my favorite, I think...just ferocious...and clean cut...Sarah looks like a super-tough cheetah here.Bekah didn't sit still long enough for me to get a shot of her.
That same night Amy cleaned out my pantry and my over-filled corner wall cabinet. They are so refreshingly organized now, I can't help but think of her every time I reach for bread or my paper towels. Somehow I came from a really clean-conscious family without being a clean-freak myself, and sometimes that backfires, but this time it worked out well for me. :)
Thank you Amy for being so terrific!