Sound Off...

For the last three years we have been vegetarians, eating only a small amount of seafood on occasion. We made the switch because of health reasons which have been resolved now. We don't mind being vegetarians, but we also don't really think there is anything wrong with eating meat. It was just a lifestyle we chose. But lately we have noticed our oldest (M) has become very obsessed with this. This might possibly be because I have had to tell people (teachers, other parents, etc.) that we are vegetarians in order to make certain he didn't consume meat products and upset his stomach (because he hadn't eaten it in so long). M has a tendency to obsess about things anyway and we are concerned that us being vegetarians is just giving him one more thing to worry about. Also, I have lately become concerned about Z since he is starting to be a very picky eater and unwilling to try new things. These reasons combined with my desire to make sure our boys do not have a limited view of the world have caused numerous discussions concerning our food choices. So we bought a little bit of canned chicken, deciding that if we didn't use it we would donate to the food shelf. Tonight I put a bit on my salad and offered some to M. He ate it (I told him what it was), but then started crying that he would "miss being a vegetarian". We talked to him about it (was it because it made our family different, was it because he really liked being a vegetarian, etc.), but he just didn't know why he was so upset by this change. Chris and I think it is just because he fights change, but now I'm wondering if we are doing the right thing. Meat vs. non-meat aside, does our switching back to eating small amounts of meat make sense? I would really love your opinion on this.

Long Winded Post About Thursday...

I woke up Thursday morning and lay in bed for awhile mentally going over my to-do list. I was so excited when I realized I really didn't have that much that needed to be done. Plus M had drama and dance in the morning, so it would just be me and Z for 3 hours and he would be thrilled to just watch Thomas videos. So I planned my to-do list accordingly. I would catch up on my friends blogs, clean out my email in-box and download some new music with the i-tunes gift card I received for Easter. Here is how my day went...



7:15 Got up and went to give the boys cereal for breakfast. Remembered we were out of milk. Gave them oatmeal.

7:45 Took a shower, got dressed, dressed Z and made M change into shorts and t-shirt since it was 90 degrees outside and he was wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Explained to M that spring in Arizona is not like spring in other places and he needed to wear summer clothes anyway.

8:45 Took M to dance. Kissed Z's knee after he fell down trying to keep up with the "big boys". Stopped to talk to two of the moms at class about curriculum, pre-school, gym classes, etc.

9:30 Ran by grocery store to grab milk.

10:30 Left grocery store with $70.00 worth of food I suddenly remembered we "needed".

10:45 Unloaded car. Attempted to convince Z to come in the house and leave the neighbors Chihuahua alone while holding 80 pounds of groceries in both arms.

10:47 Put down groceries and drug Z kicking and screaming into house. Put him in time-out.

10:49 Ran back outside for groceries. Put groceries away. Washed and bagged grapes so they would be convenient for kids and husband to grab.

10:55 Remembered Z was in time-out. Let Z out of time-out. Hugged Z. Felt guilty so asked Z if he wanted to make cupcakes.

10:57 Made cupcakes with Z. Remembered hand-mixer broke. Attempted to stir up batter with "help". Finally suggested Z watch Thomas video.

11:15 Tried to figure why I only got 19 cupcakes out of the mix, instead of 24. Decided it didn't matter because the kids really didn't need all that sugar anyway. Realized how stupid that line of thinking was and swore to never tell anyone. Got cupcakes into oven. Cleaned cupcake batter of counter, stove, me and Z.

11:20 Washed breakfast dishes. Cleaned oatmeal off of dining room table, bench and floor. Swore to self we will never run out of milk again.

11:30 Started load of laundry. Briefly wondered if I should ask children about the 7 washcloths I found in bathtub, but decided to let it go.

11:32 Took cupcakes out of oven. Tried to explain to a 3 year-old why you cannot frost warm cupcakes.

11:34 Put Z back in time-out for throwing cupcake. Decide cupcake really didn't get that dirty and put it back on cooling rack.

11:37 Let Z out of time-out and told him to go play for a minute.

11:38 Z finishes playing and wants to frost cupcakes. Tell him no. Try again to explain why. Put Z back in time-out.

11:40 Sit down at computer and realize we have to go pick up M.

11:43 Get Z out of time-out and into shoes. Remember to grab movie to return and leave to pick up M.

11:55 Get to class too late to find on-street parking. Have to park in lot and and walk a block. M is last child picked up. Apologize to teacher. Hike back across parking lot and head home.

12:05 Turn into parking lot to return movie while being followed by police officer. Freak out when he approaches me after I get out of my car, but relax when I realize I know him and he is just returning his movie. Tells me the baby ducks will be here soon and to walk carefully. We laugh. (Long story, ask me later.)

12:15 Arrive home. Prepare lunch (mac and cheese and grapes for boys, soup for me). Swap laundry.

12:50 Clean up lunch dishes. Take out trash.

1:00 Home school M. Frost cupcakes with boys. Email list of judges to science fair co-coordinator.

3:00 Help finish habitat M is taking to home-school program tomorrow. Fell slightly disgusted that my home-schooler had "homework" over spring break. Make dinner so it will be ready when we get home tonight.

3:45 Husband arrives home. Tells me about breaking his glasses and that he left work early to have them repaired.

3:55 Go to gym with family. Leave children in child-watch and work out with husband. Notice how sexy he looks doing chest presses.

4:50 Head home for dinner.

5:00 Serve dinner to family. Prepare own dinner and play "three good things".

5:45 Kiss kids good-night and leave for children's choir practice.

8:45 Get home from choir and tell husband about running into policeman at the blockbuster. Husband laughs with me at comment. (Again, ask me later.)

8:50 I...come to think of it, what I did here is really none of your business;D

9:45 Take bath, brush teeth, comb hair, put on pajamas, etc.

10:00 Get in bed and suddenly realize I didn't get ANYTHING done!!!! Sigh...

My Easter Joke...

How do you tell the male chocolate bunnies from the female chocolate bunnies?

(Don't worry...its G-Rated.)

FYI...

I live in the middle of the city. We do not have alligators here. But I did appreciate your concern:).

Strangest Thing Said At My House Today...

"You can't play with Fred Fork unless you are actually eating."