beets and beats

Our house has something really cool about it: it's wired so you can hear the music throughout the whole house. It doesn't matter whether you're in the bathroom, the kitchen, your bedroom or the living room -- you can go from place to place and hear the same music. The speakers are high-quality; sometimes, you can hear the music from outside the house if we are having a dance party. (Sometimes I wonder if our neighbors wish we would move.)

We often listen to music as we eat dinner. Sometimes, if it's on the weekend, we play soundtrack tunes and have "name that movie" contests. My HH always is the DJ for these, and half the time, it ends up in a full-on dance-a-thon that makes dinner go on for quite awhile.

Dinner used to be something of a struggle at our house. When I met my boys, they were not very adventurous in their food choices. I think it caused their dad some anxiety, wondering if he could take them out or to someone else's house -- because what if they wouldn't eat what was on the menu? Sometimes he even cooked two dinners in the same day. I was determined to change this, but uncertain how to proceed.

We take it a day at a time. We began an experiment: we gave the boys one day each to choose what they would like for dinner. The dinner has to be balanced (include a source of protein, veggies, and a starch), and they cannot choose the same thing as their brother in any given week, and they cannot choose the same thing two weeks in a row. In addition, they need to help the main dinner maker make the dish, and go to the store to procure ingredients, if a trip to the market is required. They are lucky, because usually what one likes, the other does, too, so they have two guaranteed "I like this a lot" meals in any given week. The rest of the time, they must eat what is on their plate -- without complaining -- a Herculean task. I do make the concession of trying to have at least one side I know they like with every meal so they don't feel like life is miserable, but that's about it.

I think that part of teaching my boys to fish is helping them to use proper table manners, have appropriate dinner conversation skills, and to eat a variety of types of cuisine.

Tonight, I had what can only be determined as a "mom win."

Before I can explain my victory, I need to give some background: the boys have been discovering that fresh and ripe and from the garden/tree is the very best way to eat things. Things that were "okay" or brought out the "sour" face (I wish I had a picture of L's, it is 'legendary', to use his own phraseology) when eaten fresh from the garden generate thumbs up and "My tastebuds changed, mom! I like it!"

I wasn't feeling well, so T, stalwart and steadfast as ever, made dinner all by himself. T does not love cooking -- it does not bring him the innate sense of joy which feeding my family brings to me. But he does take putting food on the table very seriously, and if his help is what is needed, he will gladly offer it. He is always in charge of dinner whenever we have fish, steak, or hamburgers. They honestly just taste so much better when he makes them.

So dinner was on the table tonight. We were having sauteed garden beans (some from our garden are a foot long this year) and beets. We planted a variety pack -- so we have white, yellow, and red beets.  I had to remind L several times to eat his, as he was getting distracted. I was internally dreading the moment when he actually would get around to eating them -- I figured his "sour" face would come out and then I would tense up. I have gotten a lot better at not taking it personally when the boys don't like things, but honestly, sometimes it feels like they are rejecting my very best friends!

L put one beet in his mouth and I could tell he was prepared to not like it one bit. He had his "I must do this -- it will kill me, but I will do it anyway" face on, and I was preparing myself for a skirmish ... but much to my surprise, his face changed, and before he had even finished eating the second piece on his plate, he asked for more. N was not as enthusiastic, but was not naysaying either: "not too bad," which is his standard comment. Both boys even ate their sauteed garden beans -- without comment. I can assure you, even a couple of months ago, that would not have been the case.

I am proud of my boys for coming so far. They have increased their food repertoire by leaps and bounds, and reduced their complaining by standard deviations. Dinnertime still takes way too long, but it can actually be fun, instead of almost always a battle.

I decided to make a list of the foods they have tried and eaten (some with some mild complaints -- but they always eat it) since I met them:

mushrooms (N actually will ask for them now)
beets
spaghetti (in N's case; it is L's favorite and he asks for it at least every other week, even if we have zucchini noodles, which he hates)
taco meat
enchiladas
black beans (with said taco meat)
peanut butter sandwiches (the jelly is the only thing that make it tolerable, according to N)
zucchini bread (they think it tastes just like banana bread -- probably because I admittedly told them so)
green beans
savory peach pork chops
crookneck yellow squash
stir fry
potstickers
peaches
nectarines
pears
strawberries (L will eat them most times; N will only eat ones from the garden)
homemade pizza (I was told "I will hate it" before I made it for them)
italian sausage


Things I would like to try:
creamy chicken enchiladas
chili
beef scramble
chicken noodle soup (N detests broth, but I think L will eat it now)
sweet curry, like my mom used to make for us
hamburger bean bake
turkey tetrazzini (I don't know why, but I had a sudden craving for it the other day that won't go away)
split pea soup
ham and white bean soup
beef stew
cauliflower rice
kabocha squash
and loads more

Soups are hard, since N really does not like broth or things that are wet at all, but with winter coming on, it will be hard for me to do without them. I am hoping we can all find at least a few new things. I have been seeking new recipes out and have decided to try at least two new recipes a month. I will find more than that -- I do love to look for new recipes. Here's hoping I find some really good ones!!

teaching boys to fish

There have been lots of ... how can I say this ...  character building opportunities in my life lately. Everyone at my house has been adjusting to being together again after a summer hiatus, and that takes time, patience, and understanding from everyone. The kids have come to roll their eyes at my new mantra regarding skill-building and following through: "We are teaching boys to fish." There have also been a few good things.

My garden is going crazy (in a good way). I learned so much what NOT to do for next year. I have only had to go to the store twice in the couple of weeks because we are able to get so much goodness from our garden. I have had fresh peaches every day for almost three weeks now -- or nectarines. My choice! (Thanks to the generosity of my mother.) I have great hopes and aspirations for the 2017 growing season. I realize I never did post photos of my garden -- they're stuck in an unfinished blog post somewhere.

This morning, after breakfast of waffles, bacon, whipped cream and peaches, the boys were trying to delay the inevitability of Saturday chores. They sure know how to get me to go along with it: they sweetly each put their heads on my lap and one pretended to be a cat and the other pretended to be a dog. My boys are so kind and loving. They have a wonderful example to follow -- their dad is always trying to give me the best of everything, whether it's the larger "half" of the dessert, the bacon the way I like it, first dibs on dinner food, and opening the door. They are all very protective and loving. L especially does not like it when I am hurt, and is super gallant -- always opening doors for me and ushering me through. N also gives me hugs whenever I like and knows just what to say to cheer me up.

Soon, the boys won't want to sit in my lap or hold my hand voluntarily as we walk down the road on the way home from the school bus. They are growing up. Every day they can handle a little more. They have had a lot to deal with in the last 18 months, and all things considered, they are doing marvelously.

Teaching boys to fish is hard. But when they bring me the fish they've caught, it brings a sense of satisfaction and happiness that cannot be replicated. My family is my struggle and my joy -- just as God meant it to be. And although some days are hard, the sweet love we have in our home is worth it. Everyone contributes -- everyone here is fishing for love. Good thing our lake house is stocked!