Dinner time....again

I love to bake and like to cook but I despise planning dinner.  I feel like I cook the same things a lot and would like a little variety.  One of the problems is that my family likes things very plain and simple.  Last week I attempted to get a little creative and made stuffed peppers one night and chicken kiev with ricotta cheese another night.  Needless to say, I enjoyed dinner but no one else in the family did. 
So, this week we have had pasta and meatballs, brats, and chicken.  Now I'm stumped for tonight.  No idea what to make.  Other than something simple-no casseroles or sauces or too much creativity.  (edited to add that its the next day now-last night I made hot dogs, mac and cheese and carrots, definitely falls in the plain and simple category but everyone ate all their dinner).
We recently signed up for something called Absolute Organics.  You pay them to deliver organic, mostly local, fruits and vegetables to your door.  We get a small box every other week.  I enjoy this because it has caused me to try some things that I normally would not eat.  This week I am contemplating what to do with the yellow wax beans and plums.  My kids have never had plums but they refuse to try them-ugh.  The good thing is that you can choose what food items you want delivered so if its something I know we won't eat I just cross that off the list.  Also, whatever we have left I can puree for Amanda and freeze, luckily she eats everything and is not picky yet!
So back to the age old question-Whats for Dinner???

Blueberries and Boone

Lauren picking her berries before
running off and playing

Nothing like an afternoon nap
outside in Boone, I miss those days....

We had a nice weekend in Boone and enjoyed the cooler weather they have up there!  Its blueberry season (usually runs July 4th-labor day), so we picked a bunch of berries.  Usually the kids pick a lot but this year they picked a few and then ran off to play with their cousins-I'll have to train them better next year, nothing like kid labor!

Cuddle time with Grandma

We also went to Howards Knob, which is about 1,000 feet above Boone so you get a great view of Appalachian's campus and the town.  The kids had fun climbing on the rocks and exploring.  I had Amanda in the sling and was just glad we all made it out of there alive!!

See why I was happy we all survived,
Lauren is becoming pretty adventurous

me-"please sit still and take one
picture with Mommy," is that too much to ask???

Jackson's legs were tired so he decided
to try using his hands

Laurens "secret cave" on Howards Knob

Busy Week!

-took a while to post this from last weekend...-

Our fourth of July weekend started off with cleaning the mini-van, not the most exciting thing you want to do on a holiday weekend.  Probably because of the van cleaning we tried to cram as much fun as we could into the rest of the weekend!  We are not ready to be on a swagger wagon commercial yet!

We love Aunt Sarah
and her blueberry lollipops!

On Sunday we got up and went to the Columbia Zoo.  It was perfect because we got there a little after 9 before it was too crowded or hot.  We saw lots of animals and even watched the penguins eat.  It would have been more fun if the penguin habitat didn't stink so bad!  That night Sarah came over for dinner and to hang out.  Its been nice seeing her more and spending time together (there's another "shout out" Sarah!!).

Lauren riding a pony

Amanda loved the
chocolate ice cream

We missed Sarah SO much that when we got up Monday we decided to go to Big View Diner for breakfast-yummy omelet for me!  Then we went to the neighborhood "parade."  Its just the kids riding bikes around the block and then they get popsicles and a fire truck sprays everyone with water.  The kids had a blast, Jason and I wondered why we go every year when its so hot out there?  Of course, the easy answer is we go for the kids and the fun they have! 

Popsicles after the parade

Having a blast getting sprayed
by the fire hose!

In order to make up for our lameness on Saturday we kept doing activities on Monday.  After the parade we went to see Cars 2.  Lauren liked it and Jackson did not-too scary for him.  Everyone enjoyed their popcorn "lunch."  We finished the day with a cookout at a neighbors house.  It was nice to get out and see some friends we haven't seen in a while.  However, we were the first people to leave-that was a startling realization for me, kinda like cleaning the van was for Jason.  I guess you have to grow up at some point...

Getting ready for first
day of ballet camp-So Excited!

This week Lauren has ballet camp and she loves it!  Its been nice spending time with Jackson, but hard too.  He is so used to Lauren playing with him ALL the time he was really lost without her and would talk about missing her-cute!

tonsils

At Jacksons 5 yr checkup the doctor noticed that his tonsils were very large.  When she started asking questions and I kept answering yes, she referred us to an ENT.  Examples-does he snore-yes; wake up a lot at night-yes; sleep with his head in a funny position-yes; etc...
We met with the ENT on Monday and had an appointment on Thursday to get the tonsils/adenoids removed.  It was hard to know how much to prep Jackson about the procedure, he is afraid of the tongue depressor at the Dr's office!  He got nervous when they drew his blood, Jason was holding him and probably equally nervous:).  But he let them do it and he still says the "red part" was the worst thing.

Playing leapster and spending
time with Amanda before surgery

When we got into a room they had a matchbox car for him and crayons on the bed, telling him that he could color on the sheets and make a track for his car.  Jason had also bought a new game for his leapster so he was all set.  He actually went back into the OR playing the leapster even though he was starting to have trouble focusing because of the "happy drugs" they had given him.  One of the nurses said he was the video game kid of the day!
The surgery center was where we did the in vitro procedures, right next to the hospital where I was on bed rest and had the girls and also connected to the children's hospital/nicu.  It was hard for me to wander around all the places that had become so familiar back in December but overall it wasn't too bad.  At least Jason and I knew where to go and get some breakfast and coffee while Jackson was in surgery.

Post-op, watching tv with Dad and giving
Mom an interesting look.  Notice the popsicle
stained lips??

Everything went well and the doctor said that in relation to body size , Jacksons tonsils were some of the largest he had ever removed and that we could expect to have a totally different kid on our hands.  That made me nervous, was he saying that Jackson will be more rambunctious than he already is???  So far the only difference we have noticed is that his voice sounds higher and "squeakier," we are hoping this will change back some after everything heals.

he requested and ate an entire grilled
cheese sandwich the afternoon
of surgery(about 30 min after Sarah
watched him puke!)

The surgery was six days ago and he is doing great, eating and playing normal.  He even slept through the night last night, I'm definitely hoping he keeps that up!!

siblings

the coveted Clifford bowl

The other day Lauren brought back memories of my own childhood, and especially of my brother, Michael.  We have one bowl that Jackson and Lauren both like, a Clifford bowl.  And guess where it came from.....a neighbor!  (i just realized that as I was typing, good tie in to last post!)  The other morning Lauren came in the kitchen first for breakfast and went to get a bowl.  She pulled the Clifford bowl out and licked it, saying, "now Jackson won't want it and I can have it," with a big smirk.  I have NO clue where she got the idea to lick the bowl but I remember Michael licking things growing up so I wouldn't want them.  Maybe he has been sharing his secrets with Lauren.  My mom would only go to the grocery store once a week so we had one to two days of yummy junk food and then we would have to eat the healthier stuff the rest of the week.  It always seemed that treats came six to a package and there were four of us, so someone would always get two.  Michael would take one and then lick one so no one else would take it!  And yes, over 20 years later I still remember how disgusting I thought that was.  I wasn't sure what to say to Lauren, I was so surprised by that big lick and how her cute little face showed exactly what she was thinking.  Maybe its something that the second born in families do.  I'd ask Jason (hes second born) but I'm afraid he'll just give me a funny look and say, "Leigh Ann, just because your family does that, most do not," and he's probably right...

neighbors

Our latest bag of "treasures"
Check out the long strand of hair bows

The other day I looked out the front door and there was a bag.  Interesting, I thought.  After bringing it in the kids and I discovered it was full of hair bows, head bands, purses, shoes, a baby grass skirt, a pink boa and other miscellaneous items.  The kids had a blast playing with everything, Jackson even got all "dressed" up!  There was no note or clue as to who had left it.  This is not the first time this has happened. 

boa and grass skirt-enough said....

When we got back from the beach in May there was a HUGE box full of ponyville stuff by the front door and a baby float by the garage.  About two weeks ago there was a bag of pool toys and floats by the garage.  In the past we have gotten bags of stickers left on the front door.  Our basketball goal and kid picnic table were also left by different neighbors.  We have had a couple of play sets offered to us.  Laurens princess bike is from a neighbor, and the list goes on and on.
This got Jason and I thinking, are we the neighborhood charity case???  or just fortunate to inherit most of this stuff?  Its always fun to get new things to play with, especially for the kids. 
I am grateful that we live in a neighborhood where we have great neighbors.  Some of our closest friends are in the neighborhood, which makes it easy to have a last minute play date, cookout or a Friday afternoon happy hour.  The kids and I play outside a lot and I have gotten to know many of the neighbors from just being outside.

So to the neighbors-thanks for your smiles and waves and feel free to drop off any "treasures" you think we may enjoy!

6 months!

Jackson, 6 months

Lauren, 6 months

Amanda, 6 months

We went yesterday for Jacksons 5 yr checkup and Amandas 6 month.  Here are the stats for all 3 kids at six months:
Jackson-18lb9oz(75%), 27 3/4" (90%)
Lauren-13lb12oz (10%), 26 3/4" (80%)
Amanda-14lb5oz(25%), 26"(50%)

Jackson, at five years-49lbs (90%), 46 1/4" (95%)

Overall their checkups were good.  Amanda is going on medicine for allergies-hopefully that will help with her noisy breathing that mom always comments about and her cough.  The doctor referred us to an EENT dr because Jacksons tonsils are really big.  She said that would explain why he snores and wakes up frequently at night-sleep apnea.  We go next week to see what that doctor says but are expecting to have the tonsils removed-I'm sure he will really enjoy that.... 

Off to watch the kids contine to grow!