The perfect dinner

So dinner prep starts early, like 2:00. This is when we eat the last snack for the day and then start working up an appetite.

We do this by playing inside- making forts, playing house, pretending to be Cinderella, or monkeys.

Or going outside to a park. 

Look a double headed tree. 

This is Caleb mastering the climbing wall!

And the tree

By 5:00 the kids are very very very hungry and starting to melt down from being tired. Don't despair!  This is the perfect mix for a great dinner ;)

we come home and quickly pull out a table time activity- like painting, coloring, small toys, vegetables... It distracts their tummies. 

Here is an example of painting. Jack is painting with water. He ended up pouring the water out onto the paper then throwing the wet paper to the floor and splashing in what was left)

Jack doesn't quite understand "wait" yet so I have been giving him a pre dinner snack.  Usually a frozen snack like peas, corn, blueberries. This keep him going while I make dinner. And just a side note, marble works toys work well with frozen peas. 

Meanwhile the artists really get into their project. 

Then jack is done. Perfect timing to wash the mixing bowls. So of course I let him help. He loves this part!

And so does everyone else. This is,again, perfect because while they do the dishes I can clean up the table activity. 

Once the table is cleared we set it and hungrily eat!  When everything on the table has been tried and plates are cleared then it is Popsicle time. And that is when the table is cleared, wiped, and the floor under jack is swept and wiped up. Then off to the bedtime routine. 

 Okay so this doesn't happen every night but wouldn't it be nice! :) this happened because I prayed so hard for help when Jason was gone for the night. Prayer is the best way to get super power patience and super power mommy fun ideas. Jason was gone to North Carolina to completed his third boards test! Yeah! Now to finish the semester and then he will be all done!