Suncadia II

The weekend wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies (i.e. slushy hills and video games). There was also an unusual amount of gross stuff that happened in those two days. For example, it was gross when Leo threw up in the car on the way up there.

But that wasn’t the grossest thing that happened.

The hills were covered in poop. Wherever there wasn’t snow, there was poop. Sooooo much poop. Deer poop, rabbit poop, squirrel poop, coyote poop. Every kind of poop!

Deer, those graceful creatures with big, innocent eyes that remind you of Bambi and everything soft and beautiful in the world—these are the same creatures that walk around pooping on the very stuff they eat. It’d be like sitting down for dinner and eating it, then pooping on the table and continuing to eat. Seriously. Gross.

But that wasn’t the grossest thing that happened.

Here and Rocco and I, moments before he pulled something out of the hot tub and said, “Oh look! A Band-aid!”

And that’s the grossest thing that happened on vacation.

WHAT’S COOKIN’ 2NITE:
Beijing-style meat sauce and noodles
Garlicky green beans
Chocolate trifle

A Thing We Did

We did a thing! We did a thing! We left our neighborhood! I finally have something to blog about!

Last weekend, we headed into the mountains for Suncadia, which is known as a wintry wonderland this time of year. Unfortunately, it’s been a warm winter, so there wasn’t a ton of snow.

Here was Sunday’s attempt to sled.

It’s a good thing we brought inner tubes along, as we had more opportunities to float than to sled.

Our spirits were dampened when we realized we were floating in what looks to be the remains of Frosty.

The next day we found a new hill!!

I know this looks like a pleasant glide, but it felt out of control and death-defying. I honestly don’t know why the video makes it look so calm!  All the mushy snow of the previous day had turned into icy concrete. After we each took a trip down and saw our lives flash before our eyes (some people’s runs were longer than others’), I imagined all the horrible things that could happen to us, two broken legs  being on the lighter end of the list, and we decided to continue our search for the perfect sledding spot. The boys found this one all on their own.

Despite all the videos of outdoor “fun,” mostly, we just stayed inside and did this.

In fact, the hardest thing about the trip, other than the snow on that second hill, was the drive there and back, when we had to unplug the pinball machine.

What brave little heroes.

WHAT’S COOKIN’ 2NITE:
Cheeseburger soup
Honey wheat bread
Roasted cauliflower
Rice Krispie Treats

Patriotic Voices

Tonight, I share with you a few conversations from this historic inauguration day. They are not only humorous, but are also proof that maybe it’s time to stop playing pinball and read a book or something.

Exhibit A:

A dinner conversation between me, Rocco, and Leo:
Me: Do you know what is so historic about this election?
Leo: That it’s the first one during quarantine?
Me: Well yeah, but any other reasons?
blank stares, all around
Me: Here, let me help you figure it out. Do you know who the new vice president is?
Rocco: Donald Trump?
Me: [incredulous stare, followed by an explanation] Let’s back up. Do you know who Trump’s VP was?
Rocco: That one I know. Joe Biden.
Me: [smashes head into hands, provides more explanations] I’ll just tell you. Our new vice president is Kamala Harris. Do you know why that’s historic?
Leo: Because she’s a girl.?
Me: Right. The first girl VP. And she’s also Asian and black. We did have a black president before, though. You remember who that was, right?
Leo: MLKJR?
Me: [reminds self they are just children and they are very breakable] 

Exhibit B:

10 seconds later
Me: It’s also historic that Biden has the first person with Native American heritage in his cabinet.
Leo: Well, it must be a very big cabinet.

Exhibit C:

A conversation with Leo, who is 8:
Me : Can you believe Donald Trump was president for half your life? You’ve only had 2 presidents so far.
Leo: Who was the other one?
Me: Obama. Do you know how long he was president?
Leo: No.
Me: 8 years.
Leo: So I’m 12?
[Also, it should be noted that we had this conversation earlier in the day, before the conversation where he guessed that MLKJR was our first black president.]

Exhibit D:

A comment made while watching the Parade Across America, somewhere around North Carolina:
Rocco: Are they going to do all the countries?

Exhibit E:

A question:
Me: What do you think Donald Trump’s doing tonight?
Leo: Playing video games?

Exhibit F:

A follow-up question:
Leo: Can I play video games?

So as you can see, intelligence is low, but morale is high in our house tonight.

WHAT’S COOKIN’ 2NITE:
Thai chicken salad (thanks for the recipe, K!)
Won-tons
Chocolate hazelnut cookies served with a sigh of relief

Plugged In*

I used to have rules about technology usage in our house. There used to be guidelines, limitations, and a general concept of the word moderation.  And now, there is this

and this

and this and this and this.

Leo’s big Christmas gift was a computerized pinball machine that can simulate dozens of different pinball tables, which you unlock by playing. A lot. Of pinball. We treat it like a job, taking shifts during all the waking hours of the day.

When not on pinball duty, the kids alternate between playing Kinect Sports, old-school video games on the Picade, regular video games on the computer/XBox, Among Us on their tablets, Jackbox TV, and then we finish the day off with a movie. (Kevin is trying to show them all the Marvel Movies in, like, a two week period.)

Yesterday I took a stand and told the boys they couldn’t do any technology until they built a marble set out of real wood pieces and real marbles. It took them 3.5 minutes. I told them great, now they can spend 3.5 minutes playing video games. They laughed at me the whole time they were turning on the X-box and picking up their controllers. They know I am in a weakened state, mainly because I want them to scram so I can hog the pinball machine for an hour or two.

I fear I’m done as a writer, all because of the stupid pinball machine. (Don’t want to brag, but I am the current speedbag champion in Champion Pub and am ranked 712 worldwide.)

Whenever I tell the boys we’re having a technology-free hour, they say, “Okay, but that means you have to turn off your music. And all the lights, and the stove and dishwasher.” Then they tell me I can’t even use my scissors of coffee mug because those are also technology, and while their arguments don’t seem quite right, I haven’t figured out how to disprove them, mainly because I’m also playing pinball during these discussions.

So in conclusion,

Leave me alone! I’m too busy to write a conclusion.**

WHAT’S COOKIN’ 2NITE:
Chicken thighs in cream sauce
Penne
Salad

*I drafted this blog over Christmas break, so we’re not playing as many video games now…but the boys have the same amount of screen time either way.

**Also, who are those people who, when they take pictures of their family, have a sparkling, tidy, spotlessly clean living room behind them?

Our Ugly New Year’s

As much as I love hosting parties, during quarantine I’ve noticed how much I also love not hosting parties. When I host, I try to make everything fun, delicious, and pretty. When not hosting, I make things fun and delicious and skip the pretty. I don’t have to frantically sweep all the junk off the counters the minute before guests arrive, or vacuum the floors, or think about varying dish heights or traffic flow when I set out the food. I don’t put on make-up, do my hair, or  make sure everyone is wearing something nice.

See? Not a button or zipper in sight.

And if the appetizer Kevin makes turns out looking like this…

Who cares?

Or when your Beef Wellington starts actively bleeding as you cut slices off, you are grossed out but not embarrassed, as you would be if a tableful of guests were looking on.

(I didn’t take a blood shot, but here are some precursor liquids.)

Normally we do a Lego game that involves me wrapping about 20 TP tubes in shiny paper and tying the ends to make them look like party crackers from the store.  This year, our Lego game looked like this:

For the first time since having kids, we stayed up until midnight. (Kevin had wanted to go to bed early so that 2020 could be over more quickly, but I wanted to stay up so that 2021 would start sooner.)  There’s just so much to do here, between all the new Christmas gifts and the boys’ rediscovery of Kinect Sports. There were sparklers and smoke bombs, the making of hand-cranked candy cane ice cream, the watching of Captain America, and the putting-together of a candy-covered puzzle.

So while our New Year’s was ugly, it was also quite lovely.

The question is, have I realized the senselessness of spending all that time fussing over details? Am I a changed person who will go forth using produce bags to wrap gifts in? Will I burn the boxes of old Martha Stewart magazines in my basement? Will I serve food out of the very pots it was cooked in henceforth?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from 2020, it’s that you can’t predict the future. But I’m pretty sure the answer to all those questions would be maniacal laughter.

WHAT’S COOKIN’ 2NITE:
Cornbread taco bake
Salad with apples and blue cheese
Korean pancakes