Fall is in full swing. We are actually starting to feel some cool air in the morning here in San Diego. So I’m pulling out soups and stews, like chili, in this rotation. I’m also set on developing a red beans and rice recipe. I’ve decided to make Thursday Stew/Soup night, Friday ethnic (mostly Asian) and Sunday square meal. Sometimes I swap Thursday’s meal for the weekend meal depending on our plans.
How’s your rotation going?
Cooking Kids, Organizing and FOMO
I’ve been writing a lot about getting my kids in the kitchen so I wanted to update you on progress. Each of my kids gets one small job at dinner but with activities and homework this has been challenging. I find really easy tasks are key. Little D prefers to set the table and spread butter on toast and Big A doesn’t mind helping if it’s something she knows how to do.
For example, I’ll ask her to watch and cut fruit to put out with dinner and she likes to do that. She has also mastered flat bread toaster pizzas, grilled cheese and guacamole. She is eager to get drinks for everyone come mealtime. These aren’t big jobs but they are a good starting point. I’m going to focus on new kitchen skills on weekends and time off.
Last time I mentioned about getting organized with help from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I’m happy to report I have gone through my clothes/towels/linens, books and paper work. Even though I recently went through my clothes and linen closet, I still had 8 bags of stuff to give away! I even started folding clothes it the way Kondo recommends in the book. I looked on you tube with the kids and they tried folding too.
What is really amazing is it’s so much easier to get dressed now because I have fewer choices and can see all the clothes I really love. I no longer have a corporate or hospital job so it seemed silly to keep those clothes. If I go back to that kind of job, which is very unlikely, I can get a few new things. I also got rid of stuff that I like but that I don’t feel comfortable in.
I also found that I had innumerable sheet sets. Why is this? All you really need are two for each bed, right? I doubt Little D is going to be into Thomas the Train again or that we are going back to a queen bed. So now those sheets can go to someone who really needs them instead of sitting in my closet.
Now if I could just figure out what this is for. It seems important but we haven’t needed in the last 5 years we’ve lived here. hmm….
This is not just about my things but a change in attitude. I truly can see that less is more in almost everything I do these days. Professionally, I’ve been saying no for a while now. It’s left my pockets empty but has left space for me to think about what it is I REALLY want. I’m grateful to have many choices but that can too easily morph into FOMO – trying to do it all. So I’m making those tough calls – saying no to lots of stuff so I can say yes to the important things.
That means there will be some changes around here too. More on that next time. Stay tuned.
Links to Love
Perfect timing! KJ Dell’Antona asks the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo, about how to clear up clutter with kids.
Jill Castle writes about the 9 Awesome Picky Eating Resources You Need to Know About (including my book).
News flash: beans are as filling as beef even if you don’t expect them to be.
Good advice on how to evaluate the latest study and health news. I’m happy to report my “Where’s the Evidence” series will be kicked off in a few weeks starting with examining claims on grains and gluten.
Don’t miss The Lunch Tray’s It Takes a Village to Pack a Lunch Series. Guest posts include Lunch Box Packing for the Picky Eater (originally appeared here), Overcoming Lunchbox Struggles, How to Avoid the Dreaded Lunchbox Rut, 6 Steps to Seamless Packed Lunches and Best Lunchbox Gear
Need some ideas for after-school snacks? Sally from Real Mom Nutrition has 24 of them.
Do your kids have dessert insecurity? Dina Rose at It’s Not About Nutrition Explains how she handles it in: Why I Gave My Daughter Chocolate Cake for Breakfast.
That’s it for now. Have an awesome week!
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