My Little Home on Hilltop Acres

2008-Oct-16 - Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes were made

Posted by Amy W

Some changes were made in this week’s menu.
I’m not surprised.
When I put together the menu I didn’t know we were going to put together an “at-home” date night with friends.
“At-home” date nite?
Here’s the scoop- the kids are going to our friends house where Gramma and the oldest two girls will be in charge and we four adults will be coming back to our home for dinner and board/card games, coffee and tea and snacks and lots of talking and laughter.
As for food- we’ve worked out- our friends will cook for the kiddos who will be at their house and we’ll be cooking for the adults.
Enter question: What do we have?
We do a bit of a switcher-roo. We didn’t have the one pot salsa skillet dinner we’d planned on last week, which also happens to be a family favorite.
So we had it last night.
So we’ll be saving the steaks that were to go in the crockpot yesterday for the grill on Friday.
Marinated.
A few weeks ago I was suppose to make a double patch of my crockpot cheesy potatoes for homeschool group but they changed the schedule and I didn’t need to- yet I’ve got the main ingredients still on hand. Check.
Salad. That’s a given with the last bit of harvest bounty we’ve gleaned from our garden and others.
Homemade honey oatmeal bread- double check.
And a new easy-peasy yumdilliumpcious cake:
Crockpot Triple Chocolate Surprise.
I love it when a menu just comes together so nicely.

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Thu-16-Oct-2008 - Eating what is served ....

Posted by Ashley

Just lately, Jonathan and I had a pow-wow about Samuel's eating habits. We decided that we had better nip it in the bud early, rather than late.

I really didn't think we had much of a problem, but mainly that Samuel was putting off eating until just before he went to bed. We were bothered that he was no longer eating with the family . . . which is just so weird.

So, if he didn't eat with us, we didn't make a big deal out of it. Over the course of the evening, he would ask for other things . . . .

Apples.

Plums.

Cheese sticks.

Candy.

And we consistantly pointed him back to the dinner on the table.

The next day he didn't want his breakfast. Until 1:30pm.

[Below, being tickled by Mommy's big foot.]

What has been facinating for me to watch is his additude in other areas. When we have held firm on this one, seemingly little thing, he has become much more respectful in *all* other areas. Esspecially for me, during the day.

Every meal for 2 days was a "battle" to the extent that he didn't eat until he was really, really hungry.

Until today, when he woke up, ate breakfast. And then he ate the lunch he "said" he didn't want. And then he ate more lunch, and asked for thirds. (I knew he liked the meal, so it didn't suprise me.)

Consistancy is so important for children. Here I didn't even think it was a big deal, but watching him respond to me now, he felt like he was getting away with something!

Now, least anyone get the wrong idea:

We never made him actually "finish" a meal. We're not worried about quantity, but willingness. Additude. We're not trying to make him eat an unreasonable amount of food, just enough that we can feel he actually tried. Not even picking up a fork is not effort, and not even tasting something is a pretty poor additude!

Secondly, he was never "made" to go hungry. He had food, and he knows his options. He could drown it in ketchup or ranch or take Mommy up on an offer to heat it up. Samuel David made the choice to let it sit there. Until he was hungry enough that it looked good.

I'm so happy to have discovered this before it became a bigger, uglier issue. I'm so happy with the subtile little changes in his temperment - when I say "no" you can see the wheels turning in his mind that it really means . . . No.

*sigh* It's so good to be home!

~Ashley~

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About Me

> > I have been married to My Sweet Man for almost ten years now. He is my best friend. We are so blessed to homeschool our littles. My Princess is 8 and is my helper, she is such a blessing. She loves Jesus with all her heart. Sebastian is 7, he is his daddy's shadow, and can't wait to be man so he can go to work with him. He is very protective of his siblings. Boo is 5, he has the sweetest spirit. biggest brown eyes, and and cutest smile. He's always hungry!! The Ballerina is 4, she's our youngest and definately the baby. She loves to follow her "sissy" around and her favorite playmate is Boo. She is always ready to gives her sweet hugs to Mommy. This is where I write about our family life and my efforts to be the best wife and mommy I can be to our little family the Lord has blessed us with.