Dinner Table Dialogue

I just love dinner time at our house. We try very hard to sit down as a family and share the evening meal together always. It doesn't always work...but we try. It's the time we get to chat with our children about their day and their activities, their friends, their adventures, their dreams and goal and hopes and ambitions. (Okay...I might be getting a little carried away there. Crossed into Dreamland for a few seconds! Got to love a mother's dreams and fantasies though, right?!) Tonight, pasta was on the menu. On the bright side, noone immediately asked for another alternative. Noone claimed not to be hungry. And no one declared that the evening meal was another child abuse attempt. So that was all good. As we all settled into our meals the conversation took off and there was lively banter all about. I noticed Maxwell devour his bread through all of this and then simply push his pasta around on his plate. Just like last night, I reminded him that I had cooked...and therefore, not eating would simply not be tolerated. Tonight, I switched us to a whole wheat pasta. I rather liked it. And it was when I asked Chris if HE liked it that I realized that Maxwell had decided that I had burned the pasta and was not digging it. Whole wheat pasta is, after all, brown. I should mention here, that Maxwell thinks my cooking is bad. Not because it is. I cook just fine. I don't like to cook really...but I am perfectly capable and can cook plenty of yummy things. But if what you happen to be cooking comes in a crockpot, involves any vegetables, or fish or chicken in any form other than a nugget...well...it's gross. Maxwell had a friend over today and Max offered him a brownie that I had just taken out of the oven. They were one of those pre-made...just throw it in the oven and bake brownie trays. I like to have them on hand for a quick, warm treat without all the mess. At first, his friend said "No thanks". And then I hear MY SON tell his friend "Don't worry...they are good. My mom didn't make them." WHAT!!!?????!!!! Honestly. The abuse I suffer from my children! I will just go on record here by saying that I bake a damn fine brownie, thank you very much. Anyway, at that point I realized that my son has very little faith in my ability to prepare anything good and delicious. And so...he was eyeing my pasta dinner tonight...totally convinced that my lack of cooking skills had again, claimed another good meal since the pasta was brown. I told him it was simply a whole wheat pasta. At that point Clara suggested that maybe he was better off with broccoli than with pasta. (See previous post for the highlights on that one!). Maxwell, at that point suggested that maybe Clara should have a knuckle sandwich. Okay. Cue the parents stepping in and reminding them about speaking in love and kind words and building one another up...not tearing each other down. It's like they totally just didn't hear us. Clara quickly responds with "You think you got a knuckle sandwich for me? I'll give you a knuckle sandwich...." The love was palpable. And thus, the mommy fantasy where her family indulges in a delicious, nutritious, satisfying meal while sharing their hopes and dreams for the future and enjoying some good natured humor...well...NOT HAPPENING! So much for that insane dream! I do believe it's the thing of t.v. land!

On another note totally not related to anything...I am so tired tonight. I did the new Bodypump release today at the gym and my butt was officially kicked. By the time that class was over, my chest muscles were DEAD thanks to way too many push ups. My shoulders were dead due to too many pushups after the chest pushups. My triceps were screaming thanks to tricep dips after too many grueling tricep presses. My butt was TOTALLY seized up after some major stability lunges. And I thought I might need a medic to come and get me off the floor before it was all said and done! Can't wait until Thursday so I can do it again!

It's a new day tomorrow. Body Combat is on the schedule. I SO love this class!!! Then I get to have my teeth cleaned. Oh hooray and yippy skippy! How special for me! Max starts guitar lessons again tomorrow night...and THEN!!!!!! It's off to bed with everyone for the first day of school on Thursday! Stay tuned!