Monday nights dinner

I am trying to work on expanding my home-cooked dinner options. To help spark my creativity with food, I now subscribe to Kraft Food Magazine. They have great simple recipes that don't take too long to make. Last night I thought I would try out a chicken, broccoli pasta. I must say it turned out pretty tasty. I would definitely make it again. Ethan seemed to enjoy it.


Ethan got a new dinner plate that we thought we try out with dinner last night. You see Ethan has this quirk...when he is done eating he picks up his plate or bowl and will dump it out, either on the highchair tray or on the floor. It depends on his mood. I have tried desperately to teach him some signs such as "all done" or "more," etc., however Ethan seems to create his own signs like dumping the plate.
I thought I had the most brilliant idea to help "train" Ethan to not dumb his plate. I bought him a plate that suctions to the highchair. I was certain when I went to Babies R Us that this was going to be the magical plate that would train Ethan to use more appropriate table manners.
Ethan always has his way of letting me know that he is his own person. Upon "sticking" the plate to the highchair and putting Ethan in the chair to eat, he became intrigued with the new plate. He would eat a bite or two and then try to move the plate. He was desperately trying to figure it out (such a curious boy). Eventually, as you see below, he got the suction ring off the bottom of the plate. He pushed and pushed until the plate detached from the suction ring. He was very proud of himself.

And as you can see he enjoyed this so much he kept putting the ring on his head, as if it was a hat. Then he would pull it off and laugh with Chris and I.


So much for my brilliant idea of training Ethan to use better table manners. I guess I will have to come up with something a little more creative.

Mother's day (a little belated)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Thank you mom for being such a great mom. I am so honored to call you my mother. I thank you for loving me, taking care of me when I was sick, cheering on my every accomplishment, teacher morals and values, and even though may not have liked it, for teaching me boundaries. I am the person I am today because. I could never had accomplished anything without your love and support. I love you mom. Happy mother's day!

Education

I can't wait, I have about 5 weeks left of work until summer break. Although I am so busy and looking forward to me break, I am very concerned about so many of my friends and the state of education. It is not just my district and not just California school districts. The economy is affecting school district across the country. I hope things get better before mid-August (when my district goes back to school), but I don't know if the nations economy is looking that bright. I really don't understand why, when it comes to tough economic times, our schools get cut. I feel bad for the students whose education will be suffering; as much as we try to make sure the budget cuts don't affect the students, it does. We end up cutting extracurricular activities that keeps kids off the streets, we cut sports that helps to keep kids motivated to stay in school, we considering shortening the school year so kids go to school less days, and we even try to make kindergarten only 4 days a week. This is just a sample of what some districts around the country are doing to cut cost. Times are tough everywhere you look right now and I understand that, I just we wish we as the adults come up with a way to protect our children from all this economic crisis. Please pray with me for state of education and the impact the economic crisis is having on education. God can move mountains.