In an effort to try new things...

My boys are like most children in America when it comes to eating. Despite the reality that the huz and I will eat anything -- and I mean ANYTHING -- our kids have developed their own selective tastes. Veggies of choice include carrot sticks, steamed broccoli (yes!), crispy steamed green beans, and, very rarely, a bite of bell pepper. And, if you believe corn is a vegetable and not a grain and a tomato is a vegetable and not a fruit... well, sometimes they eat those too.

After oodles of research, I have been informed that their selective tastes will change over time. And our job as responsible parents is to continue to expose them to a variety of healthy food choices without any pressure that they 'have' to finish their plate. I know, I know, some of us were raised in a strict environment with parents who were products of the Depression era... yada yada yada... and we couldn't leave the table until everything was cleaned off our plates. I understand this train of thought. There have been many times where our budget for groceries was extremely limited and I would be furious at the thought of throwing away any leftovers. But with eating disorders and obesity running rampant in our nation, I think it's important to avoid creating extra anxiety in our kids when it comes to eating. So, fingers crossed, our kids will learn to love trying new things just by being exposed to a wide variety of foods in their childhood...

So, yesterday, in an effort to increase fiber in our diet, I thought I would introduce a vegetable that no one in our family has ever eaten. Ever.

Kale.


Which, by the way, has an incredible amount of fiber per serving. But, truth be told, it's not that great. Truly. I won't be running to the farmer's market anytime soon for a gorgeous bunch of kale. But, hey, I'll try anything once.

And using this preparation, I may even try it again.

Crispy Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale
some olive oil
some salt & pepper/seasoned salt

Oh-so-simple directions: Tear off leaves of the kale into bite sized pieces. Toss with a small amount of olive oil (or, even easier, spray with cooking spray) and toss again with some salt and pepper, or seasoned salt, whichever you prefer, to your taste. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the kale leaves onto the sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes and tadaa! crispy kale chips.

Crunchy, salty and good for you.


Here's the true taste test: What did the kids think?


Little A, 2 years old, LOOOOVED THEM. That little guy constantly surprises me. He ate a small bowlful.


Our 5 year old, on the other hand, gave a polite bite and declined to try another. No thank you, mama.


What can I say? I'm just proud of him for trying it. Good job, little man. And here are your chicken nuggets for dinner. ;)

What's for dinner

Cold pasta salad w/crispy fresh veggies... steak kebobs... roasted fingerling potatoes...

Seeking shared room inspiration

When Little A moved into his big boy bed last month it was not well-planned and the huz and I have rearranged the boys' room a few times since. We are still not totally pleased with the current layout, so my hope in posting these photos is that it will result in some design inspiration or an 'aha' moment.


Our house is small-ish. It's about the same size as my childhood home. Which, of course, seemed huge at the time. But, compared to our friends who live in the suburbs of Phoenix, and who have traded square footage for a massive commute time, our house is little. Wee, if you will. And, though we have 3 bedrooms, the sizes are not equal. The smallest bedroom is too small to be anyone's permanent bedroom, so we opted to make it an office / guestroom. And, of course, the huz and I have the largest room. Which leaves the middle bedroom for both of our boys, ages 2 and 5. For now, it's great. The boys love sharing a space, sleeping next to each other and honestly, they just don't take up a lot of room. Yet.

So here's where we are at.


The room has 2 twin beds, lots of books and lots of toys. We have absolutely no extra money for furnishings, so anything we do to the room has to be cheap, cheap, cheap. And requires that we work with what we already have.


Notice we have no wall art to speak of. After I figure out the final layout, wall decoration is next. And I am seriously hoping to score some bookshelves to go under the windows. Since budget is ever a concern, maybe I'll get lucky at a yard sale.

I have some crafty ideas up my sleeve. But as with most of my working momma friends, following through with any of them is the biggest challenge. So, check back often. I am hoping to post some of my design inspiration and RESULTS very very soon. xoxo, K

Ewwwww....

Sorry it's taken so long to write anything... But what's better to bring me out of writer's fog than placenta crafts?

When our first son was born over 5 years ago, my husband joked early on that he wanted to keep the placenta in a jar. No kidding.

No way, no how.

By the time our 2nd son was born, he still had placenta on the brain. But this time, he got a picture to remember it by.

So when I came across this blog post, I immediately thought of the huz. And all the crafty opportunities he missed because of my insistence that he never, ever bring my placenta home from the hospital.

Photo courtesy of inhabitots.com