It's April! I think I'm supposed to have a burst of energy, review my Q1 goals, set some goals for Q2, and get ready for our awesome summer...
However, that's not the headspace I'm in at the moment. I'm going to consider April a "Planting" month. I will do small things that will plant a better May and June etc. For instance, rather than goals and adventures, I have decided to just have a Q1 tick list:
- Finally do Will (appointment booked)
- Eat more Fruit. (helps it's now 3 for 2 at Morrisons. I love fruit season!)
- Declutter (ongoing, forever)
- Visit 1 National Trust Site (Planned for an Easter Egg Hunt)
- Continue Monthly Budget
- Continue Time Tracking
- Continue Kids photo albums
I got overexcited with my library book ordering and have ended up with this:
The library stopped doing fines during Covid, which is cool, but also they will make your books "overdue" if someone else wants them, and I feel bad keeping a book someone else wants to read. I need to give "The Idea of You" back because someone else already requested it. I started Babel, which I have been waiting 6+ months for, and am really enjoying it but it's LONG. I need to carve out some bigger reading chunks. I'm also listening to Stolen Focus which is GREAT and I think under appreciated because of the time which it came out (Covid-times people were not super into the idea of using technology less, although Hari will probably argue we really should be.)
After two weeks of somewhat chaos meals we returned to meal planning this week. It's going OK. It's not particularly inspired. I wish I was a better cook who could make vegetable dishes and quick delicious meat free things. I can make quick delicious things of meat (like chicken sliders) or quick meat free things (like my decidedly average red beans) or delicious meat free things (which are not on the list below because I don't have patience for cooking right now)
We have started eating family style so the kids can serve themselves food at the table. This is how I ate growing up but my husband's family always plated up in the kitchen. We had been plating in the kitchen but were starting to have food struggles and "I don't like this" yelled by both a 2 and 4 year old. So far, dishing up at the table is going well, the kids are enjoying it and eating more and not resisting dinner immediately
On another food note, the kids tried waffles for the first time:
I did not get an after photo, but OMG were they messy and happy. Isaac ate... 10? (quarters, so 2.5 waffles). Coincidentally, it was also the first time they had tried chocolate spread.
There is a 100% chance I will be owning a waffle maker soon.
Did you eat family style growing up or was your food plated up for you? Do you own a waffle maker?
I like the tick list approach. Congrats on the will appointment, I promise that you will feel really good when it's done.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with plating everything and it is a lot easier for me as the cook to do that BUT my husband leans more toward self-plating and I think it's the better approach for kids, because they can chose what and how much to eat.
Meal planning tires me out!
ReplyDeleteWe do both with the kids, but lean towards self-plating in the kitchen (we all get a plate and walk down the line of whatever is on the stove/counter). Sometimes we take more control that others, but it mostly works well.
I have and LOVE my waffle iron. I used to make waffles every Friday, but it's a bit more infrequent now. Waffles also freeze really well, too!
You convinced me! I've ordered a waffle iron today :-) Self plating in the kitchen might be a better option when the kid are a bit older.
DeleteI am pretty sure food was plated for us when I was growing up, except on holidays. So that's what we usually do. Love that your kids are enjoying serving themselves, though! That's a great way to give them some autonomy over what they eat.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for getting that will appointment scheduled! I think you feel such relief when it's behind you. And hooray for more fruit!
Babel!! So good!! I am so glad you're reading it. I just found it great, interesting worldbuilding while raising such important questions. I admire that book so very much.
ReplyDeleteI read The Light Pirate in February and sometimes when I'm falling asleep at night, I think about some of the scenes in that book. I also really admire the writing in that one. Looks like you have some great reads ahead of you!
The Great Believers is one of the best books I've ever read. You are in for a treat!
ReplyDeleteDo own a waffle maker! Don't use it as often as I should. Waffles can be so FUN- for the kiddoes! In my childhood, I had my parents plate the food for me, we ate together sometimes but we should have eaten together more, I miss that part of being a kid. My family had/has a lot of trauma and I was jealous of families who ate together. So, I am making an effort with my own family.
ReplyDelete