Anaheim

I'm laying here in my uncomfortable hotel bed and everyone else is sleeping. We had an amazingly fun day at Disneyland today. The weather was cool then warm and sunny and then cool again. The lines were short or at worst very bearable. Even the kids were pretty well behaved. I did loose my temper with Naomi once. I still feel badly, sheepish maybe. The kind of situation where something else is the stressor, you feel frustrated and suddenly, "snap." You (I) bark at your (my) child for somthing minor. I know I'm not the only mom who has done (does) this. But maybe I am the only mom who blogs about it though.
Anyway, that was realitivly minor and an exception to our awesome day here. Let me just get something out on the table. I love Space Mountain. A lot. Naomi was unconvinced that she should like it. it's very dark and terrifyingly thrilling. Dawson and Drew were not big fans either. This little posse consists of me and Naomi, Erica and her boys Isaac and Dawson, and Brooke and Jesse with their boys Matthew and Drew. Lots of boy for my little Naomi to play with! She just finished a mini weekend with her (boy) cousins on the other side, Talia and Wes's kids. it's been fun and so much more than that to spend all this time with family we don'y see as often as we would like.
So, it's late, I'm tired and we have 2 more days here! I have photos and videos that would make you laugh and melt your heart, (yeah, it's that magical here). But I can't post them now.
Also, I have stuff to talk about concerning my race last Saturday. That can come later. I'm tired of "typing" on my phone.
And one more thing. This is blog post 300. Wow.

Okeedokee Artichokee

We like artichokes at this house. It's a new development, within the last 6 months. I must have presented them in a good light the first time, the kids were actually hungry, or something. Or maybe it's the melted butter. Never underestimate the power of melted butter.

The kids go wild for them. It is, at the very least, comparable to the excitement level of when we have ice cream cones. Seriously.

I know, who knew that kids could be so perplexing?

I guess I should add though, in all fairness, that my kids do like vegetables in general. Broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, peppers, squash, and cucumbers are regular winners. And avacados and mushrooms for James. So there wasn't that bump to get over. And artichokes are fun to eat. And Naomi will try anything once, and James will do anything she does.

So there you have it, a recipe for artichoke lovers.

They are just kinda weird looking.

Naomi asked me the first time, like she does often when a food is only vaguely familer or altogether new, "do I like this mom?" And what do you think the answer invariably is? "Yes, you love it!"

Now don't start worrying that either, 1) I am bragging and exaggerating, or 2) my kids like everything. Neither is true. Well, definitely not the second one.

My kids have plenty of things they do not like. Will not eat. Not one bite. And James is the worst when he decides he is done. He is DONE and will not, no matter the coaxing, bribing, demanding, camaraderie, take one more bite. Not ever. He's better with distraction, like "look, that's a neat __________, eat your _________." And sometimes absent-mindedly while he's looking at said distraction he will take another bite. Not usually though.

So, back to the artichokes. Naomi asks every time we hit the grocery store if we can buy one. I tell her we will check the prices. It's a good introductory to the concept that things cost money, things change price and we don't like to spend too much money. Buy low, eat high. Something like that.

So last shopping I brought home from Macey's not one, but two cool-funky looking artichokes! Oh happy day!

I cooked up the big one,  using this recipe page the first time and they have turned out delicious repeatedly.

I set the kids up with their own little cups of melted butter. I reuse applesauce cups for stuff like this. They are perfect.

Naomi danced a happy dance before I finally told her she had to sit down to eat. James has entered the "I DO IT" stage and I supplied him with fresh leaves. He dipped, licked, slurped to his belly's content. I often had to confiscate and replace leaves once he had stripped the edible part off and was trying to see if he should eat the whole thing. Naomi was more precise but I did stop her from sipping the butter at one point. Only to turn to see James's butter cup bottoms up and then him bring it down to the table and ask innocently for "mo butter. pees."

Naomi babbled about the artichoke heart and was just as excited for that part as anything. It's a pain to get clean. You have to cut off or dig out the little thistle things once all the leaves are off. But then it's a big delicious chunk of artichoke. We split it three ways, a satisfying way to end a meal.

So if you haven't tried these before, go check prices next time your are shopping. Supposedly they can get as cheap as a dollar each. You might just love them, and your kids too. Shocking, I know.

First times for James

James had a day with a few "firsts" in it. He's 22 months and seems to be changing so rapidly right now. He's learning new words and talking more. Learning colors. All that good stuff. So it's sweet when I consciously can catalog a moment that he did something brand new.

Earlier my kiddos were playing in the next room and I heard James come running to find me. He did, hugged my legs and then looked at me and said; "Naomi, hit. Naughty."

He had his first experience tattling. On his sister, of course. I found it to be so sweet that I laughed when I should have shown concern. It was a good moment in an otherwise kind of ornery-mommy day. We talked to Naomi and she was sorry and gave him a hug and a kiss. All better.

This next part wasn't a "first" but it's related to the above incident.

Later he had apparently  thrown a (quite heavy) Lightning McQueen at Noami. It hit her head. She came crying to me. It hurt and I could also tell that she was just plain sad that he had hurt her. On purpose, or so it seemed.

We then found him and I told him that we never throw toys at each other, that Noami was hurt, etc, etc. I asked him to say sorry to Noami. Instead of saying anything he just embraced her. He was sorry. Poor thing, he wasn't quite sure what he had done wrong in the first place by that time.

And best of all, today while we were just about ready to eat lunch I asked Naomi if she would ask a blessing for our meal. She, as usual, kinda declined, wanted me to say it. I said that I would help her. Ok then, she consented. I started out and James piped up. He was folding his arms and smiling. He proudly repeated "Hevly Fahder" and so he said the little prayer for us with my help. I told him he did a good job, it was so sweet! Naomi added, "you liked saying the prayer, maybe you can do it again next time!" Meaning, I'm sure, that she is now forever off the hook. What a gal.

He was so proud of himself, and so was I.

This is today, after a mid-morning shower. He busied himself with the squeegee, wiping down the shower door and floor, also trying to avoid the shower spray.