Victoria made dinner last night as it was kids cook night and the other two have not been in the best of health. She chose to make sloppy joes, mashed potatoes, and salad. She also picked an easy dessert. She did really well on the cooking.
The funny part to me was the reality of the job itself. I was sick in bed as of about three in the afternoon. I had pushed myself to make bread since we were out and then a fever started and I told the kids I had to lay down.
I told her she would have to clear the counter to have room to cook. She loaded the dishwasher which she has never done before. She usually puts away and Emma unloads. She came in to ask me which way the bowls went in the washer. She could not find the sponge to wipe the counter off. I suggested looking in the sink amongst the remaining dirty dishes. She was upset she could not find it. I told her it had to be in the kitchen somewhere. Once the counter was clear she came in and was freaked because the sinks were still full of dirty dishes and she needed a spot to wash the potatoes. I told her she would have to empty one side onto the counter. "But I just cleaned it off" she said. I smiled and told her that was called shuffling and you had to do that sometimes to make things work.
She would need pot to cook the potatoes. There were no pots she said. Well, I said to look again, it had to be somewhere. She came in with it and said "It's dirty!" with a frustrated look on her face. Well, when you need a certain pot, and you find it dirty, you have to wash it, I told her.
It started to get comical, every bend there was an obstacle she had to work through and no one was in there to hold her hand or do for her. I realized quite strongly that she needs to do this more and more. Emma is the type who plows through obstacles so fast you have to look out for what she might do to get the job done, and Victoria finds every road block amazingly surprising and impossible to move beyond. The next few years of teaching them to cook should be fun!
In the end, she did great. She gained momentum as she went along and I think some confidence as well. She did not want to put the chopped onion in the recipe because she did not like onions and it was a lot of work anyway. I insisted on the onion and reminded her they taste different when in the recipe than when you just eat them.:)
She made a lovely little chocolate pie that was so easy for kids to make. I think I'll post it on DC soon.
Now, I get to be the big girl and face the obstacles. Tons of more dishes in the kitchen waiting for me. I think I'll employ some more child laborers.:)
The funny part to me was the reality of the job itself. I was sick in bed as of about three in the afternoon. I had pushed myself to make bread since we were out and then a fever started and I told the kids I had to lay down.
I told her she would have to clear the counter to have room to cook. She loaded the dishwasher which she has never done before. She usually puts away and Emma unloads. She came in to ask me which way the bowls went in the washer. She could not find the sponge to wipe the counter off. I suggested looking in the sink amongst the remaining dirty dishes. She was upset she could not find it. I told her it had to be in the kitchen somewhere. Once the counter was clear she came in and was freaked because the sinks were still full of dirty dishes and she needed a spot to wash the potatoes. I told her she would have to empty one side onto the counter. "But I just cleaned it off" she said. I smiled and told her that was called shuffling and you had to do that sometimes to make things work.
She would need pot to cook the potatoes. There were no pots she said. Well, I said to look again, it had to be somewhere. She came in with it and said "It's dirty!" with a frustrated look on her face. Well, when you need a certain pot, and you find it dirty, you have to wash it, I told her.
It started to get comical, every bend there was an obstacle she had to work through and no one was in there to hold her hand or do for her. I realized quite strongly that she needs to do this more and more. Emma is the type who plows through obstacles so fast you have to look out for what she might do to get the job done, and Victoria finds every road block amazingly surprising and impossible to move beyond. The next few years of teaching them to cook should be fun!
In the end, she did great. She gained momentum as she went along and I think some confidence as well. She did not want to put the chopped onion in the recipe because she did not like onions and it was a lot of work anyway. I insisted on the onion and reminded her they taste different when in the recipe than when you just eat them.:)
She made a lovely little chocolate pie that was so easy for kids to make. I think I'll post it on DC soon.
Now, I get to be the big girl and face the obstacles. Tons of more dishes in the kitchen waiting for me. I think I'll employ some more child laborers.:)
We opened up the couch bed in the living room so they could rest and watch movies if they needed to. Before even watching they took a three hour nap. They really looked like they needed it. The kitties took long naps too.
Lilo's like me though, she prefers her own bed for real sleeping.
Princess and Shasta were the only ones awake besides me. Princess was doing her favorite pass time making bead creations. 
I was amazed the power of the quiet and the lack of electronic distractions, and we don't even have near as many as most families have. It was well worth taking up. Superkid and I found some bags of candles at the goodwill so we are stocked up for a while. He was excited to find another old fashion brass tapper holder like the one I all ready had and was letting Lilo use. They look like the ones in old story books. Like this: 
