Just another day here in the Wroblewski house (without daddy)...

So Ed is on one of his annual golf weekends. So nice for him and so well deserved. Unfortunately this year Henry is choosing to teeth. He has almost all of his teeth but these two are giving us a run for our money. Well- actually I shouldn't complain because it is him that I feel so sadly for. They were working their way up a couple weeks ago...seemed to take a break and are working on it again. I know because his nose runs out of the blue and he has a constant waterfall pouring from his mouth leaving a big puddle where ever he is playing. He has been waking by 5:45 in the morning because his Motrin is worn off and he isn't about to take it and go back to sleep. He didn't nap yesterday and that pushed me over the edge and I took him in. I had an appointment made for 4 pm because I didn't want Saturday to roll around and wish I had gone. He has been more clingy than normal and I had a feeling maybe his ears were bothering him. I was right but it is such a minor ear infection that the doc doesn't want me to fill the prescription for a few days - he thinks it is due to the teething and will go away on its own. He has been so grouchy that today I was ready for another long one - and recently Grandma Charlie brought this t-shirt. How perfect!



We have had a really nice day just being home. Charley has been pretty independent and Henry has been happy and took a nice nap. They even helped me sort and fold laundry, clean windows, bake banana bread, weed what used to be the flower bed, clean the garage up, pick tomatoes, do more laundry, wipe off cupboard doors, clean the fridge, and PLAY! This evening for dinner I was so tempted to run out and grab something because I really didn't want to mess the kitchen again (how many mom's out there feel like their life is messing and then cleaning up the kitchen...never ending). However, we decided to make pancakes...and Charley thought it would be fun to take cookie cutters and make shapes out of them. He remembered from a birthday party we went to (Molly had the kids cut their sandwiches into fun shapes!). We've cut our toast in fun shapes but I forget how fun that makes a regular old meal. So we got out the pumpkin and ghost cutters and the boys were happy...and so was mama.

Watch this! So fun!

This is from Oprah's season opener. Watch how the crowd is all standing still ...except the girl up front! Wonder about that and watch!

Grace in Small Things #21

1. May every mom have the support of good friends while they conquer the sometimes long days...especially when daddy works late. I joined a Mom's club in our neighborhood and through it I have made some amazing friends. Two of which I hung out with tonight for a dinner play date.

2. Watching Charley slowly warm up to a play date with 7 young ladies he didn't know all that well. He cried when we left because he wanted to play longer.

3. Reading the "Things that Go" book with Henry...actually he reads it to me! He names things like : Boat, car, choo choo, ruck, etc. And laughs with such an honest happiness. Joy!

4. The boys finally sleeping and the dryer humming while I spend time in my virtual world.

5. Tomorrow is a new day and I am determined to not have a whiny four year old - as I fall asleep I will make a plan. His plan for the first hour and a half...wake up, help mama make pancakes, eat, and watch the new cartoon Dino Train! Then he gets picked up for preschool and Henry and I will take off for a morning walk. Sounds good...let's hope it goes this smooth.

6. A wonderful friend that had Charley over to play this afternoon. A little break for both of us.

Their MINE!

Taken by Jennifer Bahn -summer 2009

Meal Coop

Meal Coop.
The. Greatest. Thing.

I had a request for the details....

I have my friend Sarah to thank for getting me started. She had been doing one for a while and kept raving about it. She actually does it weekly - I personally could not handle that but, wow! That must really change her life! 2 hours a week prepping her four meals and she is done for the week! Imagine coming home from work and not having to figure out dinner. Or imagine having a long day at home with the kids and not wanting to make the kitchen a disaster trying out some new recipe.

I started by finding three others that were interested. I actually emailed two people in my mom's group that I thought, not even knowing them very well, would be interested. They were already both in a meal group (together). Very weird that I thought of them and that they were already doing one. But they both knew of people who had showed interest so I emailed and away we went. So know that you don't have to know the people that well - you will get to know them and that is one of the best parts. So Jessie, Paula, Gwen and I talked out the details. We planned on meeting once a month at one of our houses. I think my friend Sarah might meet at houses or a coffee shop. Our kiddos play and we chat. And the best part - we walk away 3 meals to use during the busy month. For me, I always make an extra pan or two of my meal so I then have a few more than 3. The family sizes in our group are different so we make the same amount for each family - enough for the largest eating family. Jessie and I have smaller (littler eaters) so at times they split our meals into two smaller meals which is great too. The meal mainly is the main dish and it has to be frozen (most meals can). If the meal is maybe smaller or cheaper we will throw in a side of rice or a garlic bread or something. I am known as "Mexican Shell Girl" and have made that recipe a couple times because everyone loves it. And since we do it once a month it is easy enough to repeat a recipe from time to time. It seriously takes 2 hours or less to make the meals. And those four or five nights that you don't have to cook are totally worth it. My friend Sarah's group invested in enough Pyrex 9x13 pans so that everyone has plenty to use. We just rely on the tin pans (that you can wash and reuse - I didn't realize that before this group). I was worried that was going to be a big cost for us but plenty of meals go in zip bags etc. So it hasn't been a big cost.

We have been doing it for a year now. My hardest part is finding a recipe that I am excited about and confident about to share. I have done a few recipes without testing them out first and everyone has survived. I know of meal groups that keep track of how much meals are costing but we don't worry about that. I think my friend Sarah's group also discusses the type of dish - chicken, beef, pork etc...since they do it weekly they don't want all chicken meals.

Let me know if you have any other questions. The people you do it with do NOT have to be your best friends....because they will become great friends who you are thankful for 3 nights a month! The gals that I first approached had made some yummy foods at potlucks that attended .

Go for it! It really is a time saver! It might even cut down on groceries! And for me...it is like eating out for dinner because it is something I DIDN'T slave over all afternoon.

Could it be the socks...

So last night we had a new babysitter and I had the boys in their PJ's. She put them to bed and this morning Henry slept until 7:05...waking only because I woke him. When I went to check on him last night he had socks on his feet...hmmm...I didn't lay out socks...it isn't that cold out...

So this morning I asked Charley if Henry wanted socks or if the babysitter just put them on. He responded, "She just put them on him."

This morning at breakfast Ed said, "Maybe it was the socks."

So Ed put Henry to bed tonight and he came down all proud..."I put socks on his feet."

We'll see.

Grace in Small Things #20

Moments today...

1. Charley telling his teacher that his daddy came to see his locker.

2. My neighbor coming to my rescue. I have not bought diet coke for our house for two weeks and today Charley was so tired and whiny after his morning at school. Diet Coke sounded sooo good. So I called...she had it...I sent Charley on a mission...he came back with the goods and a smile on his face. He just needed some fresh air. Maybe I should buy some diet coke and give it to her to put on her deck and I can send him over when he is in breakdown mode and needs some fresh air or space from his mama. Note: The diet coke was for me...I was getting tired and whiny too.

3. Going to the mall to return a dress and having Charley beg to browse some stores...what! Henry and Charley just ran and I followed slowly behind. Not what I had planned but I went with it.

4. Yummy meal coop meal. I am still raving about the Meal Coop that I am in. THE. BEST. THING! Tonight Pineapple Pork over rice. It was crock pot cooked so the house didn't get too hot and it smelled good all day!

5. Another handful of tomatoes from our garden...two big ones and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Life is good!

THE backpack.

Charley has been asking for a new backpack. He finds them at stores and doesn't actually ask flat out but hints by saying things like, "Other kids have this one but no one has this one." or "I sure would like this backpack someday."

The backpack he has is so big and last year it literally knocked him over running into school on his first day. I thought about getting him something smaller but this one is so big and sturdy and it has his name embroidered on it. Cute. So I said this morning to Ed...let's just use this backpack until he is a senior in high school...it will make a great prop as he grows bigger. Look at how much better it already fits.

First Day of Preschool (2009-2010)

Today my boy started his second year of preschool. Last year he went two afternoons a week. This year he will go three mornings a week. Henry and I will be on our own those mornings. Henry was a little lost today but I know this time will be good for us. Henry will hopefully continue to nap - which will give Charley and I some quiet time in the afternoons.




This morning the plan was to take Charley out for hearty breakfast before he started. Wouldn't you know it....Henry chose this morning to sleep past 7am! What the heck! I had to wake him at 7:05...so that we could have enough time. Daddy stayed home this morning to celebrate his first morning of preschool. So fun!

Charley didn't hesitate and was very excited. He brought his teacher flowers and chocolate again...hoping that they were her favorite...and sure enough - her response "Wow, my two favorite things!" He stood up a little straighter, smiled big, and looked over at me very proud to have "gotten it right."



Picking him up he was pretty happy. He did cry at first because they ran out of time and didn't get to end the day on the playground like they normally would. Now why would a preschool class run out of time on the first day of school...hmmmm...I solved that by heading to a nearby park with one of his preschool friends for a quick play. Perfect.

He had a great first day! I am so proud of him and know we must be doing something right if he can venture from our nest and survive and thrive happily! I have a feeling it will be a great year.

Tomorrow....

Tomorrow morning I will wake up to an excited little boy who is ready for his first day of his second year of preschool. This year he will go three mornings a week. Tomorrow I will take a picture of his little excited face and it will be the image of this school year. Here are a few from last year! My boy is going to be 5 this October. He has many friends starting kindergarten this year. We are so excited for them....but deep down in my mama heart - I am excited to have one more year before his official school experience begins...because once school starts - it is life----time to get a job and that is real world. So I will relish this year for each up and down moment we have. And tomorrow my picture will show how much he has grown since last September - may my boy enjoy this year of just being a kid.