I should probably be telling you today that we’re starting the New Year with a nice restorative broth or something, but I cannot tell you that because that would be a lie. We’ll actually be doing pretty much what we always do, which is Ingest A Lot of Cheese. Here’s what we’ll be enjoying for dinner this week:
Butternut squash is the one vegetable that Poppy will eat willingly. That’s generally only in ravioli form, though. I’m hoping this creamy risotto will win her over. I’m going to try to make it in the new electric pressure cooker my dad gave me for Christmas. (It isn’t the Instant Pot, but I think it’s pretty much the same idea.)
Tuesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
We’ll also be having french fries.
Wednesday: Chicken sausages and mac & cheese
“What do you want for Poppy’s choice night?”
“Macaroni and cheese.”
“We can have mac and cheese as a side, but we need to have something else, too.”
“Fine. Chicken sausages. Can I pick them out?”
She chose a chicken-apple sausage.
Thursday: Sloppy Joes
It’s cold and dreary here this week, which means it’s a great time for a sloppy Joe.
Friday: Pizza
There’s a cute little printable for menu- and grocery-planning over at Home Ec 101, if you’re looking to get into the menu-planning game. Which I highly recommend. It saves money, it means fewer trips to the store, and you only have to think about What’s For Dinner once all week.
Hungry for more? Check out the Menu Plan Monday linkup at OrgJunkie.
It’s the return of the All & Sundry survey! I’m not sure if it’s still a going concern over there, but we’re going to do it again here regardless. (Here are 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2015 editions.)
Marsha T. Cat and I like to kick off a new year with a good snuggle.
What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?
I didn’t realize it until I started going through my photo files for this post, but 2016 was a year of quite a few firsts for us. I managed to get tickets to a secret Louis CK show, which is something I definitely have not done before. We sent both kids to a week at camp; I was a nervous wreck, but they had a great time. The kids and I rode the Seven Dwarves Mine Train for the first time. The kids entered some stuff into our local fair and brought home some prizes. Pete and I did our first voter-registration drive. And most importantly, we celebrated our first Cubs World Series win.
Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I resolved to make more homemade pizzas last year. That seems like an easy one to keep, and yet I did not manage it. This year I’m going to try to treat myself with more kindness and mercy, and I’m going to try to go out with Rockford more often.
Marsha T. Cat wasn’t very hospitable to our canine pal who visited in February.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
I have a couple of new baby cousins!
Did anyone close to you die?
Let’s not talk about death this year.
I have no idea what was going on with Marsha T. Cat and her list in March.
What countries did you visit?
I did not leave the United States yet again this year.
What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
I’m copying and pasting from last year’s: Willpower in the face of delicious, unhealthy foods and the motivation to work out regularly.
Judging by Marsha T. Cat’s double-blanket napping, we must’ve had some chilly weather in April.
What dates from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 8 wasn’t my favorite.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Man, I don’t know.
Marsha T. Cat is a big fan of sitting on people’s backs, but the only photographic evidence I have of it for 2016 is this picture from May.
What was your biggest failure?
OK, so I had tickets for “Hamilton” in my cart, and then I didn’t buy them because they were so expensive and we’d have to fly up to New York and stay in a hotel and… and… and…
And I’ve regretted not buying them ever since.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing terrible, thankfully.
Marsha T. Cat practiced her Blue Steel in June.
What was the best thing you bought?
We bought a new-to-us car. That was pretty great.
Where did most of your money go?
To the mortgage, as usual.
July was, naturally, when Marsha T. Cat met the Pokemon.
What did you get really excited about?
The Cubs.
What song will always remind you of 2016?
“Go Cubs Go.”
Marsha T. Cat was Poppy’s model for her entry in the Photography contest at the fair.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish we’d taken a few more hikes as a family.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about my pants size.
Marsha T. Cat is always curious about the kids’ activities when we start school. This September was no exception.
How did you spend Christmas?
We spent Christmas with my dad, his girlfriend and the Perry Mason family.
What was your favorite TV program?
We started watching “Speechless” as a family this year. It’s our first appointment television as a family, so it’ll always be a little special.
Marsha T. Cat gets cozy in October. Noticing a trend?
What were your favorite books of the year?
I’m going to post my Books of 2016 post tomorrow, so be sure to return for that riveting programming. My favorite book of the year was “West with the Night” by Beryl Markham.
What was your favorite music from this year?
“Hamilton Mixtape” and Tribe Called Quest’s “We Got it from Here, Thank You 4 Your Service.”
Marsha T. Cat and I also enjoy celebrating my birthday in November with some cuddle time.
What were your favorite films of the year?
I didn’t like “Rogue One” as much as “The Force Awakens,” but I did like it quite a bit.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 38 this year, and we went to see “Doctor Strange.”
This December, poor Marsha T. Cat was briefly stalked by a Wampa.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting those “Hamilton” tickets.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
I actually have a personal fashion concept this year. I’m trying to be more comfortable with myself, which has lead me to a Jim James Meets Mrs. Roper aesthetic. It’s slightly less wacky than it sounds, although it probably wouldn’t be if I weren’t relying on Dia to send me the appropriate attire. It’s a clothing subscription service for plus-size ladies, and I’ve been very happy with it. Here’s my Dia link if you want to check it out. I’ll get a $20 credit if you sign up.
We crushed this can last week using the power of science. Because Pete was studying air pressure.We’re getting tantalizingly close to our Christmas break, so of course now is the time I’ve decided to crack down on the rampant morning electronic distractions. Pete has been diving directly into Metroid on the WiiU when he wakes up in the morning, and Poppy has developed a mild obsession with some Australian dude who opens packs of Pokemon cards on YouTube, and both of those things have been making it difficult for the kids to get started on their schoolwork in the mornings. So on Monday night I gathered up the WiiU controller and the iPad, and I changed the password on the computer.
I went to bed expecting a mutiny on Tuesday morning, but so far as I can tell neither of them even noticed the stuff was gone. (Although they certainly will now, because Poppy reads all of my posts. Hi Poppy!) They’ve been more pleasant about getting their schoolwork done, and they’ve been getting along with one another unusually well. I think we’re going to stick with the electronics-free morning routine.
At Pete’s request, we started reading “The Hobbit” for our family read-aloud this week. He’s listened to it 1,000 times as an audiobook, but I don’t think Poppy has ever listened to the whole thing. The opening pages have piqued her interest. Here are some other highlights of our week:
Monday
Poppy had finished 75 percent of her schoolwork by 11am, and Pete spent most of his day working with his Odyssey of the Mind team. It was a weirdly hands-off day for me.
Tuesday
This was our first electronics-free morning, and I was shocked that the kids didn’t even ask where the iPad or Wii controller were. I was far less shocked that our morning went much more smoothly than mornings past. The kids got most of their work done before 10am, when we headed out to a meeting. Pete met with his spelling tutor and Poppy had a piano lesson after that, and then the afternoon was full of tae kwon do, followed by writing homework and science reading.
Wednesday
Poppy spent the majority of the morning at her Wednesday classes, while Pete and I went to chess class and got out allergy shots. Once we got home, we took a short break before the kids settled in to watch a virtual field trip about Pearl Harbor that was produced by WYES in New Orleans. It was a very informative program, and the online polls they included kept the kids engaged.
Watching the WYES Pearl Harbor virtual field trip.
The kids went back to building a cat village in the basement after the virtual field trip, and after that they both tackled their math lessons.
Thursday
Thursday was our only “normal” day this week, which I guess means that staying home and doing schoolwork is no longer our normal.
Friday
Poppy is doing the first part of her tae kwon do testing this evening, so we’re going to take it pretty easy today. So far, the day has been dedicated to cleaning. Specifically, the kids are helping one another clean their rooms while I sit in the floor and read “The Hobbit” to them. I’m getting the good end of this deal.
In future-schooling news, I’m signed up to teach a geography class to a group of middle-schoolers in the spring. I’m looking for some exciting materials for that, so please let me know if you have some wonderful ideas or sources!
