Here’s how mornings this week are going.
V wakes up before 6 but stays in her room until her clock turns green at 6:20 to come wake me up. She doesn’t jump on me or anything, but somehow the fact that it’s so early feels on par with the physical assault of a cannon ball to the face. Kyle’s out of town so I don’t have anyone to manage the kids while I exercise…so my window for working out is pretty narrow. I still get it done, but it’s tight considering how slowwwwwwly they go to the bathroom, brush their teeth, and get dressed. On Tuesday V actually got up at 5:45 so maybe I should be thanking her for allowing me the extra time to work out?? We have to be OUT THE DOOR by 8:15 at the latest because I am voluntarily spending the week wrangling 23 preschoolers at camp. It starts at 9 but we have to be there early to get everything set up and ready. This camp is SO AMAZING. It’s planned to the “t” and the stuff they are able to do is mind blowing…I want to be a kid just for the bounce houses and crafts and songs and and and…EVERYTHING. It’s also executed by the most brilliantly kind and loving people ever. Can you tell how much I love our church??
But yeah. Being out of the house at that hour (solo parenting) means we are go go go from the second we get up. I haven’t missed a work out yet!
And then noon arrives and I want to curl up into a ball on the couch for the rest of the day. But no! First I have to clean up and get set up for the next day. I have been packing the kids’ lunches so that they can eat while the adults work and then when we are ready to leave they have finished lunch and can go straight to nap/quiet time when we get home. It’s working out nicely.
Then I immediately start laundry because we have to wear the same camp shirts all week and they are inevitably covered in paint, sweat, popsicles, or glitter. Or all four.
And then I sit down, take a breath, and get myself lunch. Ahhhhh…
So, now that you know how this week has been going, please don’t judge my dinners, ok?
The kids cut mushrooms with plastic knives for their pizzas and boy were they proud. Plastic knives are an awesome way for teaching knife skillz to kids without risking them slicing their fingers off. At least with mushrooms.
These are Vicolo crusts with vegan cheese, red bell peppers, olives, and mushrooms. Yes, pizzas are the answer. Did you miss the question? I thought it was implied. What do you feed kids when you are tired and lazy and want it to be a guaranteed home run?
For ME though…I made gnocchi.
I bought this box SO SO SOOO long ago and totally forgot about it. But then I had that moment with the TJs cauli gnocchi and had it in my head that grain free gnocchi was the ISH. You guys! Major alert!!! Trader Joe’s is indefinitely out of the cauli gnocchi!!! I went to get it the week after I blogged about it and they were out and so I asked when they were coming back and they had NO KNOWN DATE. So then I went and called a few other locations (because I am often in a bunch of different cities) and they didn’t have them either!!! AHHHHH. Danville, Lafayette, Fairfield, NADA. I’ve called a few times a week since then and STILL NO WORD. Alas, this tragedy is all too familiar to me. TJs why do you toy with my heart (slash taste buds) and then pull things off the shelves forever without warning. I’ll tell you what…if that gnocchi ever comes back I’m buying a CASE like I did with those chai almond chocolate bars. [I don’t think I ever told you guys about that, but they’ve since been d/c-ed also and I miss them so much. The case lasted me a few months. It had 80 bars in it. I didn’t even share any. Don’t judge me?]
So, the point I was trying to make was…I remembered that I bought these a long time ago when they were on sale (and not their normal price of $15 per box). <– Exaggerating a touch.
They are way more caloric than the cauli ones! I was going to eat the whole box myself and then noticed that would be 1200 kcals before any toppings. Uhhhh…that’s a little steep even for me.
So I stuck to half the box. Once they were cooked I tossed them with kale and cashew pesto, shredded zucchini, and olive oil.
Oh and then some pine nuts on top!
I was kinda hoping I wouldn’t like them because they are so expensive, but they were really good. Gah. Why do I have such $$$ taste!?!?
Kyle, get home soooooon!
Totally impressed you’re volunteering for the camp! I’m fairly certain that if we swapped places for the day i would be having wine and chocolate as my dinner… ;))
That’s fun they’re handy with chopping the mushrooms- and seriously pizza at home basically breaks down to be the same ingredients as pasta and veggies with cheese.
TJs is such a heart breaker!! I haven’t been looking for the gnocchi but i think everyone just knew that day would come. I’m sure it will come back since it sold so well, but hopefully that doesn’t take as long as when they switched suppliers and were out of the coconut milk for like six months.
I swear they’re about to start labeling avocados as gluten free grain free, paleo, and keto and charge $5 each. It’s like the more key words involved the more obscene the price tag.
right!?!!? omg keto avocados hahahahha
Go you! I don’t know how you are doing it. My husband was out of town for 8 days recently, and I did not do nearly as well as you are, lol. I think we only left the house 3 of those 8 days and everyone cried a lot (me included!).
On another note, G is currently potty training and I feel like we will never be able to leave the house again. I know you struggled a bit with V…any words of wisdom or tips to help the process along? She is on day 6, and the first 2 days had accidents, then went 2 days accident free, and now the past 2 days has had accidents again. I haven’t left the house in 6 days and I am going out of my mind!!
I’m so glad you mentioned that TJ’s is out of stock on the Cauil Gnocchi everywhere! I’ve been looking for it up here in Redding since the day you posted about it and they have had the sign still up in the freezer section, but NADA!!!
I will continue to look and when I see it, just GET IT!!
YES!!! Buy it alllll
You will have accidents for a long time and then eventually she will get it. Cut yourself slack, invest in good chocolate, and remember that it will take time. But every kid is different and you know her best so I’m sure you are going to do GREAT!!! Crying a lot happens. We had a good week. It’s rare!! HA! But in reality, I prep sooo much in advance it’s the only way I stay afloat. I know what I’m giving them for dinner every day of the week and I make extra so their lunches will already be ready to go and then I pack it up as soon as they are done with dinner so it’s all ready to go. I set my coffee maker up for 730 the next morning…get all their breakfasts prepped, and then while they are bathing I lay all their outfits out and basically try to eliminate any areas that will suck up time. Even loading up the car with anything that is ready to go (library bag, etc) the night before. I’m allll about that prep while they are sleeping. It’s also kinda easier when Kyle’s gone because when he’s around I want to veg out with him and catch up, but when he’s gone I have nothing else to do but laundry and house work so…I do it! I even cleaned all the bathrooms yesterday! I can’t be idle, apparently. It’s a problem.
Hi Elise,
I would love to know what church you go to in Davis. My husband went to UC Davis many years ago and volunteered at University Covenant.
I love your blog! Thanks for all that you share.
Kim
That’s the one 🙂