SCFB Day 3

No picture today, because it looked UGLY!

I started off with one of my favorite breakfast casserole recipes. A friend of mine makes it for all the special events at school, yes, my birthday was one of those special days. :)

I went to bed thinking about this wonderful casserole that I just so happened to have all the ingredients, or so I thought...

First, I started with the ham. I knew I had some in the freezer, except it wasn't in there. That is ok, I will just substitute sausage. Next, I get the hashbrowns from the freezer. I'm pretty sure I just bought them like last month. Hmm... They expired in Febraury 2014. That is ok, I will just substitute Tator Tots. After that I added cheddar cheese. I dump in the cheddar, look at the bag; OOPS, I just dumped in Colby Jack. That's ok cheese is cheese. Finally, I added the eggs and milk. Thankfully, nothing needed to be substituted there. 

I basically messed up the entire recipe. That's ok, because it was the A Team's favorite so far. I was mad at myself, so it tasted angry to me. I guess I better get another serving and try to again. 

SCFB Day 2

Sugary Cereal Free Breakfast (SCFB) Day 2 

Today's SCFB was a HUGE success! Everyone loved their Breakfast Biscuits. We didn't deny the A Team their sweet stuff entirely. They also had yogurt and cherries to go with the biscuits. 

http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2015/01/breakfast-biscuits/

War on Breakfast

I broke the news gently this morning; NO MORE SUGARY BREAKFAST CEREAL FOR THE A TEAM. At least until the end of July. We are giving this healthy lifestyle stuff a real shot. 

So far...

We started with increasing water. All of us have our own water bottles and we try to drain and refill a few times a day. Easy Peasy

Next we (I) make sure every meal has a fruit AND a vegitable. Since it is Summer, most of these have been fresh fruits and vegitables. This change should have been a no brainer, but we got into survival mode and I was accepting potato chips and fruit snacks as our vegitables and fruit. I was LAZY! 

On Monday, we started adding exercise. A2 and I are doing the Couch to 5K program. We even had A1 and a friend join us on our second day. A2 especially loves having an activity that we do together. I'm not a runner, by any means, but running with A2 has been good for me. When I start to get that little voice in my that says, " Stop running, you could be sitting on the deck reading." I yell encouragement to A2 drowning out all the negativity. 

This morning I made sugary breakfast cereals my enemy.  The goal is for us to go until the end of July without them. I was afraid the girls would revolt if I told them no more Fruity Tooties, EVER. If they revolt we fail. This one will be the hardest for me. I like easy and sugary cereal is easy. No one complains. A1 and A2 even get it for themselves. Easy. With this healthy lifestyle change, I have added more work for me, plus I imagine I will encounter a few AM battles. 

This morning I made open Beeakfast Burrito Bites. I really liked them, but the girls weren't huge fans. I may have lost today's battle, but the war isn't over yet! 

In case you are more brave and adventurous than the A Team...

http://www.ellaclaireinspired.com/easy-breakfast-burrito-bites-for-brunch/

Not a Baby Anymore

It finally happened.

A3 was old enough to join her older sisters at VBS I know that isn't what it is called anymore, but I really don't like change, so it will always be VBS to me. This is the first year I have dropped off all the girls and didn't have anyone to tote back to the car. I have always used VBS as a time to catch up with the youngest A Team member. Now VBS is a time to catch up with me.

I almost had myself talked out of of leaving A3. She seems so much younger than the other two were when they were three. I just didn't feel right about leaving my baby with strangers, even if they were God's strangers. I was confident the other two would be able to hitchhike home if something bad went down, but not A3; she could hardly tell a stranger her name. What was I doing? I prayed all the way to church. I was doing my best to let God handle the worry. When we got to the parking lot A2 said she really felt bad for me since I was going to be all alone. Was that my sign? Was God telling me to keep Amelya so I wouldn't have to be alone? I still didn't feel confident one way or the other. We kept walking.

As we get closer to the door, I noticed a group of young moms. They had just dropped off their sweet preschool kids and had their tiny babies in carriers or strollers. I started to get stroller envy. I wanted to be the one pushing my baby back to the car in a stroller. About the time, A3 started getting crowd panicky. She went from not wanting to be near me to scaling my leg like a prisoner climbing a wall to freedom. She started to whine, "Moooooooomy, hold me. Hold me. Hold me." I told her no and that she needed to walk. She started hyperventilating, "Mommy, hold me. Pleaaaase! I am a baby. I am not big!" There is was that sign from God. Sure A3 acts younger than the other two girls at the age, because I treat her like the baby. I haven't let her grow up like the other two girls. She NEEDED to be allowed to go to VBS.    

I saw a couple familiar faces that made me feel even better about leaving A3. I walked her to her group and she was so distracted by all the kids, the singing, and the generally happy noises that she didn't even notice she wasn't with me. I slowly walked to the back to be the creepy parent who won't let go. I watched and watched. Thankfully, she was singing and dancing and happy as could be. I decided it was ok to leave...

I had three hours all to myself. I didn't know what to do with all that time! There were so many options...

• I could clean the house.
• I could write a post for the blog.
• I could read a best seller.
• I could write a best seller.
• I could read some potential musicals for next year.
• I could grocery shop without anyone complaining.
• I could watch totally and completely grown up non-kid friendly shows.
• I could start and finish T25 without any interruptions.

What I ended up doing;

• Cried in the car for about 10 minutes.
• Went to the grocery store.
• Played the "What If Game
• What if A3 was crying?
• What if A3 wasn't crying?
• What if A3 was too scared to tell someone she had to go to the bathroom?
• What if A3 had an accident? I didn't bring a change of clothes.
• What if A3 wanders off from the group and gets lost?
• What if A3 sees the older girls and won't go back with her teachers?
• What if A3 punches someone?
• What if A3 calls the other kids, "Vaginas"? Sadly, this has been a very entertaining new name she calls her sisters. Why couldn't she stick with "Buttface?
• Watched a Hallmark movie.
• Ate a chocolate chip cookie and didn't have to share it with anyone.
• Left the house 10 minutes before I needed to because no one was there to slow me down.

When I pick up the girls, A3 said, "Mommy, I cried and cried and cried. You left me."  I sure did and I am doing it again tomorrow. Your preschool teachers will thank me and someday you will too!

On the way home the older girls excitedly told all of their A3 sightings. Funny, no one saw her crying the 5 different times they passed her...

Poor Middle Child

Last night A2 tearfully told me she was ready to go back to school, because this has been the worst summer ever. She said she was bored because she wasn't allowed to ever do anything.  My initial reaction was to blow it off. She was just being dramatic. I then tried to guilt her into thinking she was having a fun summer.  I told her she was having a great summer.  I reminded her she was in a fun camp last week. I compared her to A3 and pointed out that she is the one who hasn't done anything. A2 didn't care. She was upset and I was ruining her summer, and quite possibly, her life.

I couldn't let it go, even after she seemed to have gotten over it. The truth is, no matter how I wonderful I thought her summer was going she thought it was blah. And really, the more I thought about it, she was actually right her summer wasn't that great. All it has really consisted of so far is get in the car, buckle up, drop off A1, get out of car, eat lunch, get back in the car, buckle up, pick up A1, get out of the car, argue with A1, eat dinner, get in the car, buckle up, drop off A1, get out of the car, go to bed; oh and rain, so much rain. Poor kid has spent most of her summer in and out of the car. Her whole summer has been centered around A1's schedule and it was really starting to wear on A2. Poor middle child.

I decided I needed to do something to change her horrible summer. Tonight became A2 night. We did all things A2. I thought like A2 and we went with it. After dropping off A1 at rehearsal we went to the grocery store. I told her she could pick out anything she wanted; she picked out bananas. Then we went to rent a movie. This whole renting movies concept blew her mind. Too many choices and not enough choices all at the same time. She rented Annie. Totally appropriate, since she has had such a Hard Knock Life... Next we went to McDonald's. It seemed like a great night for Happy Meals, plus A1 has been treated to some type of McDonald's every night after rehearsal and it has become and issue between the girls. Thanks Nana. 

As we were leaving McDonald's, music from the bar next door filled our car. I decided to think like A2. I pulled into a spot closest to the bar, but still in McDonald's parking lot, rolled down the windows and had a car picnic. The girls giggled and ate every bite of their food. They both car danced while the cool breeze blew through the car.  A2 described what each of the singers looked like based on the picture in her head. She was having a great time. She even said it was the best night ever.

I win, she wins. #Bestnightever, until she gets mad and tells me her life is horrible.

Not Black and White

Friday afternoon Mac and I were discussing the Rachel Dolezal situation while A2 colored with her brand new summer crayons. Surprise! Sometimes I do watch things that aren't on Sprout, Disney, or Dance Moms. Sometimes I am up to date on current event issues, not always, but sometimes.

After hearing us talk, A2 looked at me. She was puzzled and completely serious when she asked, "Wait, did you say there are white people?"

I gave her an equally puzzled look trying to figure out if she was joking with me and I hesitantly said, "Yes." and watched to see if she would laugh because she was pulling my leg.

She gave me the same look to see if I was pulling her leg, "You have got to be kidding me. There aren't really white people are there?"

She was being completely serious. I told her there were white people. I asked her what color she was out of fear that she possibly had the same condition as Ms. Dolezal. Before she had a chance to answer, I told her she was white. She laughed at me and looked at her arm, "I am not white! I am more like a pink or whatever that color is. People aren't white mom. Well, except Baby E. She is a white person with red hair. It would be really weird and creepy to see a bunch of white people walking around."

Friday I blew A2's mind, but more important than that, she blew my mind. I forget how simple and beautiful the world can be. She doesn't look at people and put them in groups or categories based on how they look. Why do we? The world isn't just black and white; it is also pink.

How Well Does A1 Know Me?

A2 was not impressed with A1's answers. A2 thought A1 was being too serious and NOT FUNNY AT ALL! A1 is more of a suck up, try hard and less of a class clown :)

1. What is something mom always says to you?  Go clean your room
2. What makes mom happy? Chocolate Malted Eggs
3. What makes mom sad? When we eat your chocolate malted eggs and really any of your candy
4. How does mom do to make you laugh? Dance and sing
5. What was mom like as a child? Just like me, not exactly like me, but better than me and a little ornery, so a good kid
6. How old is mom? 36
7. How tall is mom? 4ft 5in tall
8. What is her favorite thing to do? Have family time
9. What does mom do when you're not around? work
10. If your mom becomes famous what will it be for? being the best mom on earth
11. What is your mom really good at? Teaching
12. What is your mom not really good at? This is hard because you are good at everything; probably sleeping.
13. What does your mom do for a job? special ed teacher
14. What is your moms favorite food? chocolate malted eggs
15. What makes you proud of your mom? just to have you as a mom
16. If mom was a character who would she be? Rose from Bye Bye Birdie
17. What do you and mom do together? Go get our nails painted and get milkshakes
18. How are you and mom the same? We are both the oldest child.
19. How are you and mom different? You are older, you have brown hair, and you have gone through puberty
20. How do you know mom loves you? Because you give me kisses and say "I love you."
21. What does mom like most about Dad? That he buys you candy
22. Where is moms favorite place to go? McDonald's
23. How old was mom when you were born? 27