It's group participation time! Remember being in gym in high school and your gym teacher making you play volleyball or basketball or whatever sport you hated? Kinda similar except in this case you get to help yours truly!!
I return to work in 9 days. Yes, you read that right. I'm in a panic because I'm sooo ready, but I'm soooo not ready. It will be a 10 hour day (8 hours of work and 2 hours of commuting) and I'll have the little guy with me during the commute. We've decided to put him in daycare at work simply because of logistics. Alex can't drive until January (long story - don't ask) so we're carting his behind everywhere and it just makes it easier to have Andrew with me. Not to mention the fact that Andrew has become my third arm so it will be an easier transition if Mama is nearby!
So... where do you come in? Well, first, I want to know who you are and where you from. Why? Because I'm nosey like that and like to make friends (and read lots of blogs). I see lots and lots of states and countries on my sidebar but only know about 40 of you. Second, I need help with a few things that have added to my panic mode.
1. Dinner. Cooking Dinner. Oye veye. The way I've figured it out I will get home at about 5:30 and have to cook dinner, bathe a child, read books and get said child in bed, asleep no later than 8:00/8:30. What quick meals/recipes do you have? What is your "go to" dish of the week? How do you keep things relatively healthy?
2. My car is a freaking disaster. What do you do to keep your car clutter free but also keep your kids happy and entertained?
3. For those of you that have adopted and have gone back to work, what kind of advice do you have? Transition advice? Meltdown advice (for both mother and child)? Do I need to invest in some really good D0ve dark chocolate and up my anxiety meds?
I'll leave you with a picture of the kiddo. Hopefully that will guilt you into de-lurking, saying hi and helping me with my panic attack! :-)
Good things come in small baskets (and yes, that's a big ole' pile of laundry in the background!)Toodles!
Becky
42 comments:
Wow, time just flies! Going back to work, uhm? I can't even remember how it felt anymore!
Funny, even tough I don't work, I also have very limited time to fix dinner (about 30 minutes), because Diego still wants my undivided attention all the time! So for his food, I buy a lot of cans of organic soups such as meatballs, chilli, chichen noddles, potato cream (I try to pick the ones with lower sodium and high protein). Diego still doesn't chew very well so our options are limited. We now buy more pizzas, burgers, mash potatoes and easy to fix food like that for Mark and I so I don't have to spend my nights (when Diego is sleeping) cooking for the next day. My car is a mess, with cheerios and other food all over the places, so I don't really have any advice to help you!
I hope you get some good advices and find out more about your readers!
As usual, Andrew just looks so cute in the picture!
Hi! I'm Heather at www.russianblessings.wordpress.com.
We don't have our little boy home yet. My dinner advice is to check out www.savingdinner.com. We rely heavily on Leanne Ely's ideas and recipes. We have 2 cookbooks from her and some of the menu mailers (the freezer one where you can prepare a lot of things ahead of time and just add fresh ingredients/side dish when ready to serve).
Good luck!
heather
Hi! This is Amy from Michigan. I've followed your blog for a bit now, so I am one of the dots on the big mitten up there!
Still waiting for my little guy as well, so my tips will only be on the food. Do you have a crock pot? Seems very 70s, I know, but I know a bunch of working mom's who love using theirs. Plus it's a good way to work in veggies, etc.
My last minute dish is a quick baked pasta. Boil the noodles (whatever kind you have around), throw some sauce on it (Healthy Choice used to have a great sauce, but I can't find it anymore) stir in anything you'd like to add: mushrooms, peppers, ground turkey/burger, top with some cheese and stick in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Good luck!!
Hi! Barb from Finland (via Canada). I agree with Amy about the crock pot . . . it really works well. Also, Campbell's Soups has great recipes you can prepare in under 30 minutes (check out http://campbellsoup.ca/en/kitchen/index.asp ). In addition, my boys love anything with Stove Top stuffing and their website has some quick meal ideas http://www.kraftfoods.com/stovetop/st_index.html
As for the commute, we have a portable DVD player which has worked out well for us. Also you can find a soft fold-down table that attaches to the back of the driver's or passenger's seat and has storage for crayons, colouring books, etc.
We are between trips 1 and 2 to get our little girl from St. Petersburg. I remember you mentioned in one of your blogs from Moscow that you had some Russian fairly tales downloaded onto your iPod. Where did you find them? I think that's a great idea and would like to do the same.
Thanks, Barb
Hi. I am de-lurking. Never commenter but often reader. thoroughly enjoy your blog. My husband and I are preparing to adopt and are encouraged by your loving family.
Live in Nashville, TN.
I have heard fantastic things about Frozen Assets (never done it, but I understand it involves freezing prepared meals).
Keep up the blog
Allie
Hi, It's Joanna and Eric from www.russianboywonder.blogspot.com.
We live just outside of Denver, CO.
We are currently trying to adopt a toddler boy from Russia. We also have one bio daughter who is 4 yrs. old.
o.k....first dinner suggestions:
- Rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store is a quick guiltless dinner, just add fresh veggies and uncle ben's whole grain brown rice microwave-able pouches have pratically zero sodium and no preservatives. It's also ready in 90 seconds.
- I'm a huge fan of slow cookers. Just prepare the ingredients the night before and throw the stuff into the cooker in the morning.
- Costco has the best organic ravioli - they boil up quick - then saute in a pan for a couple of minutes - add sauce or prepared pesto.
- Stir fry - Chop veggies and marinade meat the night before. Throw everything in a pan the night of and dinner is ready in 20 minutes (with the rice again). My daughter LOVES tofu too. It's easy for her to eat.
Car Suggestions
- I don't let my daughter eat much in the car which helps tremendously. Instead, I stock toys in the back in a basket at the bottom near her feet. At stop lights I can reach back and hand her stuff. Also, it's fun to point stuff out to her while we're driving to distract her. Now she loves staring out the window and observing things.
Going back to work:
- I waited until my daughter was 3yrs old (like Andrew) where I knew she would have a lot of fun with kids her age and lots of stimulation. She quickly got over not being with Mommy at home and I quickly enjoyed having uninterrupted time to work (at home). I worried at first of course but love to hear all about her day when I pick her up from school. She goes 3 days a week from about 9-4.
Keep the photos and posts coming. We really do enjoy your blog and seeing pictures of the cutest kiddo ever!
Best, Joanna and Eric
Hey Becky,
I'm not delurking as such but I am a new reader so I'll introduce myself anyway!
I'm Colette and I live in Scotland. I'm addicted to adoption blogs as I hope to adopt one day long into the future and I also love stocking up on child rearing tips to use if I'm blessed enough to become a mother.
Right now I won't be much help to you via your current dilemmas as I'm still in school! But good luck finding tips for quick dinners and car journeys.
hi i'm votemom from michigan. can't remember how i found your blog but i do read pretty regularly. your little man is such a doll!
we adopted two toddlers from russia 13 months ago... they joined our much older 3 bio kids.
i'm home full time so have no advice, but want you to know that you are in good company with the dinner thing. it doesn't matter how much time i seem to have, dinner is a big drag and i'm overall pretty bad at it.
do you have any of those places where you live (here we have Entree'Vous) where you can go in a cook 2 dozen meals and put them in your freezer? they are good for a smaller family and the ingredients are all very fresh and overall quite healthy. i did it a couple times, but the portions weren't quite enough for our larger family.
wishing you well as you make yet another transition in life.
Quickie Dinner. 2 boxes of Angel Hair pasta with cheese, store brands just as good, (I stock up when 10 for $10, frozen shrimp/scallops, fresh green beans/snow peas. When pasta 1/2 done, throw in seafood, 1/4 to finish, throw in fresh veggy/and sliced water chestnuts are good too. Serve salad and done in 20 min. Ask Alex and Rob. They loved it and it's cheap.
Hi I am Carrie in Virginia. I don't know how I found your blog but have been following it for a while. I even think I have commented before maybe about nap/bedtime routines. Anyway I stay home and still can't find time to cook or know what to make. I think the secret is planning ahead which I don't do. I also have a very messy car so I really am no help.
I have very little to contribute here...but I will say that I am a fan of Super Suppers (and for an extra $15 they'll put it all together for you - you just pick it up). And I'm from Florida :)
As far as the car I commute about 45 minutes one way and in the past I have found that if I do not remove the trash after each trip.
As far as cooking I use a crockpot. Favorite dinner is roast beef, potatoes, garlic, carrots and beef stock set to high and cook for 7 hours or 10 on low.
Joy
Hey There-
I am new to the comment area, but have been able to check in on your blog every once in a while. This is Holly from Massachusetts. (aka, crazy friend from H.S.,and yes I remember gym days all too well)
I am a stay at home mom but I totally understand the time constraints when it comes to dinner and bedtime routines. Best ideas for dinner I have come across is frozen veggies! Buy bags of them, and you can put them in with alot of different things. A quick yummy meal for the kids is to cook up brown rice, add veggies, and ground beef. Kinda like a stir fry.
And of course, left overs, left overs, left overs always good.
Andrew is soooo cute and it makes me so mad when I hear about rude pediatricians and nurses! Hello- isn't that their profession, to take care of and work with kids and their parents?!?!?!
Take Care-
Holly
Hello:
I'm from Puerto Rico and been following your blog for a while. We have a five year old daugther.
My sister in law adopted two beautiful girls from Russia recently (about two months since they are home) and I've been reading a lot about russian adoption.
About the car, I am afraid mine is a mess so no advice whatsoever.
I am also sorry to say that I may not be as helpfull with the dinner issue either. My commute is like 10 minutes and I get off my job at 3 pm.
Even so, for what I've been reading, you are getting this motherhood bussines just fine. So, don't you worry I'm sure you are going to sort this out in no time.
Good luck!
Maria
We are Heather and John from Milwaukee. We are getting ready to travel on our 1st trip in 3 weeks. My only advice is crock pot meals, spaghetti with veggies put in the sauce, and my DH will grill extra meat on Sunday so I just have to add some steamed veggies and rice to it. I have a programmable rice cooker that is fabulous. Thanks for sharing your story, we love to read it!
I'm Jodi from Chicago. I've been following your blog for a while as well. We have a private blog, so you can email me at jciarlette @ hotmail dot com if you want to read. We leave to pick up our little guy in 9 days. We adopted his brother 9 months ago so I do have some experience in these areas.
1. Definitely recommend the crockpot for the fall/winter months and the grill for the spring/summer months. The crockpot can be prepared relatively quickly the night before and the grill is quick if you have the necessary items on hand.
2. Give up the idea of a clean, uncluttered car:) I just make a commitment to clean it out every couple of weeks.
3. Our original transition to daycare went really easily. I think our guy actually found comfort there since he was previously used to being around so many kids and having a strict routine. It wasn't until several months in that it started being hard for him.
Hi, I am Gillian. My husband and I are in the very beginning stages of international adoption- we are finishing up our homestudy this week. I don't have any advice- and, actually, I read your blog as a helpful guide for me and our experience. our blog is..http://whenwebecamethree.blogspot.com. We are just getting our blog "off the ground." Would you mind if we included your blog on our "favorites" list?
Becky,
I'm from Goose Creek, SC and have followed your blog every since I found it when you were on the first trip. I found you through the Wilson's as they got their boy in the same area my neice got her boy just a year ago.
Just take one day at a time. Don't fret the small stuff. I think you have made a good decision to take Andrew with you.
With all of these storms that could materialize this month and next, you have him with you and if you need to stay in Atlanta instead of head home, you have him with you and won't be trying to rush home in bad weather.
I like to have things planned out too, but sometimes we have to relax and let the Lord lead the way. I still get a chuckle out of your telling about the training session at work and the phone call giving you the dates for court.
Andrew is a cutie and you are doing a great job of teaching him both in langage and discipline.
Hang in there and everything will go fine.
Check out the All's blog and learn how she ended up with 2 children 22months a part. They are both dolls.
Hey girl! Can't wait to see you back around the office. We have a bin (from Target or Container Store) that sits on the seat next to Mateo. I will periodically hand him different toys and books to play with from the bin. We only use the DVD player for long trips and so far have held fast to that rule. The toys come out of the bin and get thrown all over but it only takes a few seconds to toss them back in and get your car in some semblence of order.
As for dinners we are working on more family dinners but sometimes we just can't get it all together for that. When we can't I often use mac and cheese singles with diced fajita chicken strips from Sams and toss in frozen veggies. Pastas and the like are good as are rotisserie chickens. Now that it is getting to be fall lasagne is a good choice to make and freeze on the weekends.
I know you will be happy with the daycare at work, even though it means all the extra time in the car. One parent I talked to on the elevator the other day says she loves the time to talk to her child. They play games spotting things out the windows and finding colors, etc. I would also suggest if there is any way to do a few half days between now and full time start, do it. It was a great way to transition Mateo. I know its a long way to drive for a half day of work, but it might be worth it for 2-3 days.
Becky- Slow Cooker... otherwise known as the crockpot. If you don't have one, get one! WhenI went back to work after DS1 was born I wished I knew some good slow cooker recipes. I have a ton and I will email them to you. You will feel sooo glad to come in after work and smell the delicious aroma and know you don't even have to cook! lol! (Well maybe some rice real quick). I will email you some recipes.
Car- IKEA! They have these collapsable (sp?) fabric bins. They are great for storing toys in the back seat with Andrew. He can reach over and grab a toy or snack or whatever he needs. They are also great for storing stuff in the trunk in organized compartments. Like work stuff in a bin, or always keep a couple change of clothes for A. in a bin. Whatever works for you. :-)
I guess third, would be invest in Dove chocolate! I had some of that two weekends ago and it was awesome!
http://born-blonde.blogspot.com/
Hi Becky! Good luck with the transition back to work. This blog is an "adoption friend" of mine and she does a Monday meal each week, they are really simple things and great ideas. I make chili, white chicken chili, soups, pastas, even cream of wheat and oatmeal and freeze them in family size or single serving sizes - works great on working days.
Hi Becky,
This is Adrian, I am from New Hampshire and have been following your blog since this past spring. My husband and I brought home our daughter from Russia a month ago.
Angelina hates sitting in her car seat for long periods of time. We did buy her the leap frog radio, it plays the alphabet and has songs for each of the 26 letters. It also has interactive games. She is starting to play more with the radio, and I was thinking that since your son is older than my daughter, he would be at an appropriate age to like it!
Good luck!
Adrian
http://2008russia.blogspot.com
I am home with my girls (who have been home from Russia for three years) but I still am at a loss for meals. I'm anxious to read all of your meal responses. My girls don't eat in the car unless we're on a road trip, so keeping it clean isn't a major problem for us. Each girls has a tote bag that they hang from the handle of their carseats. Whatever doesn't get put back in at the end of our ride becomes MINE for a certain amount of time (a week or so). Sounds mean but after a time or two of not cleaning up, they do remember and I have a clean car! :)
Oh, and I'm Patti from Wisconsin. Heather and John if you're reading this and want to contact me, please reach me via my blog. I'm very close to Milwaukee.
Don't you just love getting all these comments and suggestions?
Okay, I don't have many suggestions for the car. Norman steamed my carpet yesterday...I highly recommend having Keith help (or pay a car wash facility) to do this a few times per year. Juice and food does stain carpet. As for toys, I keep them in the pocket on the back of the seats.
As for food, we tend to buy easy to make meals...tacos, spagetti, hamburgers/hot dogs, etc. Here are my two easy recipes for you and any one else reading:
1. Swiss Chicken
Take chicken breasts and cut off fat. Place in 9x13 glass casserole dish. Place one slice of swiss cheese (I buy sandwich slices) on each breast. Mix one can cream of chicken and one can cream of mushroom soup. Pour over chicken. Top with Pillsbury Stuffing. Cook 350 degrees for 45 minutes (adjust if you cut chicken breasts in half or use chicken tenders). Make white rice or potatoes as side. Sauce is great over rice or potato.
2. Shrimp Pasta
Boil linguine noodles. While boiling, melt one stick butter in pan on stove. Add 5 Tbl olive oil and 2 Tbl garlic. Add shrimp (we use about 35 medium uncooked, peeled, deveined shrimp...can buy frozen for ease to have in fridge when you get home). The shrimp will only take about 5 minutes to cook, so don't start shrimp, until your noodles are close to being done. Drain noodles. Add shrimp mix (like a scampi). Add 2 tsp of red pepper flakes (can omit with children), 2 tsp of parsley (I use fresh when feasible), 1/2 tsp black pepper. Top on plate with parmesan cheese you buy in bag (like shredded cheese).
I hope these help. E-mail with questions.
As for the other, let me know if/when you have ideas. I think we will always feel guilty about working and missing precious time with our children. You will cherish long weekends and holidays. E-mail anytime you need a pick me up or want to vent. I'm all ears!!
Hi Becky,
We met at the American Embassy. I have followed your blog for some time.
You will be fine. You will see that the first week or two will be so crazy, but you will soon settle into your own routine quickly. A routine that works for you.
I don't have too much advice to give, except keep lots of toys in the car, snacks readily accessible,and maybe a juice for the car ride home.
We eat out one night a week (which gives us a little family time to talk at the table while waiting for our meal), and I often cook big enough meals for dinner that we can eat on for 2 nights in a row (large pot of spaghetti, chicken etc.) It seems to cut down the time in the kitchen at night, and more time for the quality night time routine (bath, reading, rocking, and bedtime prayers).
Good Luck, and best wishes.
Well I'm me and I'm in TX!
As far as dinner a couple of suggestions (and I haven't read your many comments). Cook a couple of things on Saturday and freeze if possible. I've started going to a place where you prepare 8-16 meals (whatever you choose) and then come home and freeze them. They work for us but we're only 2 adults. Not sure it would work for you with Alex.
As far as the care, no clue and my child is still small. But I have thought of hanging a bag on the back of my seat and throwing it all in there as I unload and bringing it in with me.
We live in FL and are waiting for a referral of a baby girl in Vladivostok, Russia. You can reach our blog through my user name. I'm an avid blog reader too!
My only advice is about dinner; use your crock pot, tons of recipes online. Also, make dinners that double themselves. I will cook a whole chicken in the crock pot one day and then the next day with the left over (pulled off the bones) chicken I'll make Chicken and Dumplings (in the crock pot again) or chicken salad or something else....makes the chicken go a long way and you don't waste any. They sell frozen "real" dumplings in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Then, I will cook a beef roast in the crock pot and the next day chip up the left over beef and put barbeque sauce with it and have barbeque sandwiches on hamburger buns. Again....make the meal go 2 days and don't waste any meat.
If you are rushed in the morning put everything together in the crock pot the night before, keep it in the fridge overnight and then all you have to do is take it out and turn it on in the morning. My second dinner suggestion is to go to one of those places where you assemble all of the meals and then freeze them. Although I found there is still quite a bit of prep work and cooking time before you can eat it and it is not the most cost efficient way to feed a family.
Good Luck!
Here is my really long (sorry!) contribution for the group participation event.
I am definitely a card carrying member of the “make and freeze your dinners in advance” club. I started this about two years ago and haven’t stopped since – it makes evenings so. much. easier. About once every four weeks, Randy or I take a weekend afternoon or weekday evening to make and freeze the next four weeks’ worth of meals. We hang a calendar of the menus on the fridge, so we know what to defrost each night for the next day. We designate one day each week as a night to eat out, which leaves 24 nights’ of meals to prepare. I prepare four nights’ worth of each entree, so I only need to make six total entree varieties, which makes the one-day cooking marathon more manageable. We eat one entree two nights in a row during the first half of the month (cook it one night, eat the leftovers the second night), and then repeat this again during the second half of the month with the other two nights’ worth of that same entree. Since we are eating something four times in one month, that entree does not appear on menu again for another six months or so, so that we don’t get tired of it. We try to have a protein, vegetable and whole grain with each dinner. Some entrees could include all of the above, for example: spinach and sausage lasagna with whole grain noodles. Others may not include the veggie or the grain. So we also keep on hand frozen veggies, pre-washed and pre-cut fresh veggies, instant rice packets, bread with which to make toast, crackers, etc. All of these can be very quickly prepared to go with the entrees. (Yes, it would be less expensive to not buy the fresh veggies pre-washed and pre-cut and to buy old fashioned rice instead of instant, but the preparation time we save on these is worth the added cost to us.) Also to save time on the one-day cooking marathon, we try to do at least one marinated meat each month that we just throw on the grill or in the oven. The meat can be purchased pre-marinated and just thrown in the freezer (tenderloins, roasts) or I throw cuts of meat (pork chops, chicken breasts, fish fillets) in a freezer bag with some store-bought marinade and then into the freezer. Good dinners to freeze include casseroles, soups/stews, pastas (if they have a lot of sauce), and just about any Mexican food that is wrapped in a tortilla (enchiladas, chimichangas, burritos, quesadillas, etc.). FYI, a lot of these call for pre-cooked, shredded chicken. A quick way to do this is to buy a rotisserie chicken, pull off and discard the skin and put the meat (in large pieces) in a mixing bowl. Beat on high with beaters for about 30 seconds, and presto, you have tasty pre-cooked and shredded chicken.
Hope this helps! It has been a real sanity saver for us!
delurking request? I am in the midsouth area near Memphis. Your son is a cutie. going back to work sucks. I am longing for instant wealth so I can stay home with my daughter.
Becky,
I just wanted to say hello. I am not back at work yet and I also have a messy car, so I can't be of much help. Our Andrew is doing well. I look forward to hearing how your return to work goes and how Andrew does!
Christa Sumwalt
Hey Becky - Dinner advice - Crockpot at least once a week. It really does help. Transition advice - let go on day one. It's the easiest day to let go because for me they got harder and harder. So try to enjoy day one! I know that doesn't help much. As for the car - mine's a wreck too! No advice there.
Hi! Greetings from Colorado! I have so very much enjoyed reading your blog. I am still a PAP so I don't know much except that we do cook every single meal.. and we are fast :) Take the meat out of the freeezer the night before. The next morning put marinade on it and stick it in a plastic bag or tupperware. Make your husband grill/cook the meat and you can throw veggies or baked potato or mac n cheese in the micro. There you go! Maybe some paper plate nights?
Otherwise, pray a lot :)
Many blessings, Sandy
Becky -
Here's my advice check out flylady.net for organizational tips and savingdinner.com for recipes. I think that if you can do some crock pot meals during the week it might make your life easier. Also I suggest you pack snacks for the car trip in case of bad traffic or meltdowns. Maybe make Andrew a back pack for the car with things in it and have him play with the stuff in the car and pack it up when you get close to home. Stories on tape/cd also kids music in different varieties. Also pack your lunches/snacks the night before and know what you are having for breakfast the next morning lay as much out as you can the night before. It will make the mornings less stressful. Also when you go to the gas station and swipe your card and start the gas pumping take those moments and get the trash out of the car, check that the car seat is still buckled in tight, and keep flying objects secured so they don't fly up and hit you when you slam on the brakes in an emergency.
You can do it! I think the crockpot will help as well - I use mine and i'm just a single gal but it's great for when the family comes over for dinner because I can enjoy them and not be tied to the kitchen!
My method to avoid dinner decisions and prep everyday is cooking dinners for the month on one saturday each month. My favorite book is, "Don't Panic, Dinners in the Freezer." I think you would find this a liberating practice.
Hi, I'm Lisa from Columbus, OH. We are between first and second trips on our adoption of two from Russia. I am looking to get our Court Date any day now. Say a prayer that it comes soon.
We use the grill a lot for quick meals. My husband puts on a chicken breast or pork chop or what ever. I fix a box side and heat some veggies. Meal time. The other idea I have for you is make meal prep = family time. My Bio Daughter started helping me in the kitchen when she was about 9 monthes old. They can stir, dump things in the bowl, go get things extra. In fact she learned to count while baking. I would use the 1/4 measuring cup (need 3 cups?) count together to 12. As she grew, recipe card became her first readers. What letter is this? "E" What starts with an "E" that we put in cookies? "egg" How many does it say we need? "2" Can you go get them? Now that she is 12, cooking together is when I get her to open up and talk to me. So don't just think of meal prep as waisted time, use it and love it. An extra side benefit: She is now a wonderful cook that can handle the kitchen just fine on her own.
I have talked about my daughter here but I have done the same thing with my son. My husband is even teaching him how to use the grill now.
Car time . . . Sing
Loud and Silly the kids love it. I don't want to know how many times we sang "C is for Cookie" Cookie Monsters Favorite song. Then move on to "A is for Andrew" or "M is for Mommy" or "D is for Dog" I would even use the song to get jobs done around the house: "C is for Cars, That need a picking up. C is for Cars, that need a picking up. C is for cars that need a picking up. Hurry Hurry let's pick them up." You get the idea silly, fun, productive and educational. All in one. and yes both of my Bio kids knew their letters and letter sounds very well by the time they started school and were both reading.
Good Luck with going back to work. I know I was a wreck when I went back after my daughter was born.
http://amerrickanfamily.blogspot.com/
Crock pot!!! I make a lot of veggies and chicken so that takes no time.
Hey I am going to be honest here... I have a maid and someone to do our lawn. I hate spending the money but it helps so much and when I think of the time I would spend at work, and house cleaning it is worth it. It totally gives me my weekends back for my family.
Also you have a kid now so it is so much easier to play hookie every once in a while
Hey Beck - it's Bev.....
Forget about keeping a clean car - as long as you don't stick to the seat, you should be fine!!
On the food thing - my favorite trick is to precook chicken for casseroles (bone in breasts w/thigh meat have best flavor), either shred or chunk, then freeze so that you have just enough chicken in a bag to throw into whatever you want. Because the chicken is in smaller pieces, it takes no time at all to thaw out.
Have you started praying to the I85 traffic gods yet?
Haven't read the other posts yet but I would highly recommend some children's music and books in the car. My kids really enjoy listening to music on long car rides. We allow the kids to snack in the car as well...I know that is such a personal decision based on how nice your car is and how worried you are about a choking incident- which would not be good. When our first little one was around 2 I put a car organizer with a lot of pockets on the back of the passenger seat in front of him and he could open the pockets and pull out surprises- they might be snacks, a match box car, a small piece of candy, bandaids, tape, anything small that he might like. The leapster is also a great idea for his age. You might make a rule that he can only play with it in the car- that way it is always something he looks forward to when he gets in for the long drive...
So great that you can take him to work with you to the daycare there. That way if he really needs you, you can go down to check on him and comfort him.
By the way, I am Kristine from the USA...Kansas to be exact ;)
Love ya!
Oh, almost forgot...supper ideas- I have none! LOL!...McDonalds?
Hi!
As for meals, we tend to do the same things every week or two.
We cook a large pkg of Ground Turkey we buy in bulk at Sam's. We then use it for pasta and then tacos. We eat angel hair pasta, ground turkey, and Publix brand sauce in a jar (it's good!) with a little seasoning a couple of nights in a row, adding salad in a bag and/or to go with it sometimes. We get the meat back out and add taco seasoning and cook it the night we are going to have tacos. We get canned black or refried beans and 90 second rice in a bag (and sometimes chips and salsa) to go with it and it usually lasts 1-2 nights too.
We also use the turkey for Turkey Burgers!
We try to keep turkey hot dogs on hand as well with canned baked beans, salad in a bag, and baking potatoes we can stick in the microwave for a quick meal.
I also make Poppyseed Chicken Casserole which lasts us 2-3 days as well. You can make it as big as you want and it's so easy! We usually eat canned or frozen vegetables, instant rice or potatoes, and canned cranberry sauce with this one.
We usually get a homemade pizza from Sam's Club once every week or two when we are really short on time, or we don't feel like cooking!
Almost every week or two we have a Mexican dinner out too.
Just some ideas!!
As for the car ride, Owen has a basket of toys, books, musical types of toys beside his carseat and some behind my seat under his feet that I can give to him if needed. We also take Cheerios and/or Teddy Grahams on any trip over 30 minutes!! :)
Good luck with your cutie!
Dad-gum (is that how you spell it?) I don't think you need my recipe with 39 comments... you know who I am and where I live, so, I'll get on with it.
I love this book called "Not your mother's crock pot recipes". The Crock Pot will be your friend! You might want two so you can use one for storing tonight's leftovers and have said second for cooking tomorrow's meal.
Second thing is here we have this place called Super Suppers. It's one of those deals where you go in and fix 10 or 12 meals that go into a freezer container, then all you do is pop them in the oven. I've done that a couple of times in a pinch and the meals are decent. And in a scramble you can just heat a can of corn or something for a side. We have lots of baseball practices, etc. that make fast meals a must.
I would give you some pointers on the organized car thing, but then you might come visit me and see my car and you'd know I was a big fat liar. I once (not too long ago) found two potatoes that had sprouted under my den sofa and my car is pretty much a science experiment too, so there, my secret is out! :)
Entertainment for the drive... DVD player and a DVD called "Letter Factory". Connor knew the sound of every letter in the alphabet by the time he was 2.5 due solely to this DVD. If you're so inclined, there's also another good set that is Bible verses set to music. They are called "Hide Em In Your Heart" and a fun series called "Toddler Tunes" "Silly Songs" "Bible Songs" etc. I mean, if you're going to be watching TV for an hour a day, might as well let something decent be soaking in I guess. Besides, Disney kills the mother in every movie, so I try to go easy on the Disney with my kiddos. (Did you ever notice that? Think about it! :)
Miss you! Still haven't called you, maybe I will tomorrow... that's my motto! :)
Hi Becky!
I'm Laura's friend, Nicole. I've been keeping up with your adoption and am thrilled to see that your beautiful boy is home with you! Congratulations!
Will Andrew be in the Pre-school class at BG? My daughter, Colette, is in that class. So if there's anything I can do to help in that area, just let me know.
Here's my dinner strategy: I cook one or two things on Sunday nights that will last for a couple of days. Then I have my husband grill something around Wednesday that will get us through another couple of days. Angel hair pasta will be your friend...cooks in 2 minutes. Also, for Andrew, try the Morningstar Farms veggie chicken nuggets. Colette loves those and has no clue they aren't "real" chicken. So I don't feel so bad giving her those when we get home late or are in a hurry. Pita pizzas and stir-fry are a couple of other quick favs we like at our house.
As far as the drive to and from work: Load up your iPod with a playlist for Andrew. I'd also be glad to make you a couple of CDs of the million kids' songs we have for Colette. I have even loaded a few cartoons on my iPod in case we get stuck in traffic. It's my "only in emergencies" video playlist. :-)
Best of luck and let me know if I can help.
Nicole
I am Amanda from Iowa, I got your blogg from reading Heather & Jason from Iowa I work with Jasons sister. I love to read about adoptions and to see how it changes your lives. I am a mother of 2 and both me and my husband work full time. My daughter is almost 5 and my son is 2 1/2 and wow do they keep you busy. I give you what advice I can about work and kids. Suppers in my house consist of about 5 or 6 different meals because I have a very picky 2 year old so that only makes supper choices harder.
Tator Tot Casserol is a hit with the family, mix a can of corn, greenbeans and 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup with browned hamburger in a casserol dish, have stove preheated to 365, and then put tatortots on top, cook for 30 min and then cover with shreeded cheese and cook for another 5 min, its a healthy supper and only take 10 min prep time and 35 min to cook.
Mac n cheese and chicken nugets. not the healthiest but works when you are busy or in a hurry.
scrambles eggs and toast and precooked bacon. could also do waffels or french toast sticks, these are in the freezer section of the store and come in very handy. my kids love to eat breakfast for supper.
Lunchables again not the healthiest but works.
hot dogs or corn dogs, burgers on the grill with french fries and fruit like grapes or watermelon.
We to like to use the slow cooker and do roast and potatoes and carrots.
Chicken noodle soup and grill cheese works well to.
And yes my children are healthy and so are we. Just incase you were wondering.
Now when it comes to the vehicle, buy a portable dvd player and you wont hear a peep out of him. You can buy things that strap to the back of your seet that have different pockets in them for different items, books, colors, snacks, ect and a pocket for trash. Comes in very handy.
Hope this helps, and if i can think of anything else i let you know.
Your little man is so cute and thank you for blogging, i love to read all about him!
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