This is it! And, this has nothing to do with Michael Jackson. I dont even really want to see that movie because all I can do is stare at his 'nose'.

I am totally taking the next step in the blogosphere food chain...so be on the lookout for some fairly major changes coming your way.

When?

Soon.

no more struggles at dinnertime

The kids arent really old enough to care what their dinner is going to be ahead of time.

Which is good for me because then I get to make whatever I want!

They eat the typical kid fare...hot dogs, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and anything Jeff and I are having that I think they'll dig. (people still say dig, right?)

They eat pork chops, meatloaf, spaghetti (a house favorite) and they have a love of tacos as well.

Most nights our struggle with the kids during dinner seem endless.

Carah likes to take an hour or more to eat.

Seriously an hour.

Why?

She is 6 and she is good at it.

She talks.

Constantly.

She is 6.

I shutter to think of her phone usage when she gets older.

And Brady is excellent at being 2 1/2.
In fact I believe he is testing the very definition of 2 1/2 currently.

Some days he eats in 15 minutes...some days over an hour.

Depending on his mood of course.

He has a recent tendency to store food in his cheeks during dinner.

After 6 or so bites he resembles this:

And while it is adorable we constantly have to push the food back onto the other side of his teeth so he can chew and swallow!

Then they drop their food, knock the milk over, elbow in the ketchup, sneeze in their sandwich...its never ending.

Where does the easy, no struggle part come in?

Here.

The one time that Jeff and I have found where the kids eat willingly, without prodding and hour long meals and act like angels is when we have our special family picnic nights.

In November we started having family picnics every other week.

Yes, we still live in Ohio.

Where it is 19 degrees out currently.

And snowing.

So we lay down a blanket in the family room, we all get in our pajamas and we eat our dinner as a picnic.

Only inside.

We generally put on a kids television show as a special treat (the kids dont watch much tv at our house) and we all have a great time laughing at that crazy Lily on Hannah Montana or dancing to the Mickey House Clubhouse song 'Hot Diggity Dog'.

It may not be the structured meal that we typically enforce but it also lets the kids know that Dad and Amanda can let the rules slip every now and then for some family picnic time.

Plus we try and use paper plates which makes it easier on me come dishes time!

This is what works for me...see what works for everyone else here!

They have the right idea

Breakfast is a necessity in my house.

I have to eat it everyday.

I have the kids eat it everyday they are with us.

And there is something that typically goes hand in hand with breakfast.

Sugar.

We all crave it.

We all want some.

Doesnt matter how we get it or in what form...we need it.

But there are some foods that dont have to have that much sugar in them.

Ice Cream.

Try some with a lower sugar content and you'll be surprised at how much flavor there is without added sugar.

Syrup.

Yup, syrup with lower sugar is just as satisfying as the rea

l deal.

And while I am certain I could go on and on I will stop with only 1 more.

General Mills Cereal.

Say, what?

The kids love cereal just as much as I do and it is easy to get side tracked into letting them eat the type of cereal they want.

Sugary.

Full of extra forms of sugar that they dont need. (you know...the good stuff)

Carah is in kindergarten and needs to concentrate all she can to continue her brilliance with reading.

While Brady is nearly 2 1/2 and he needs to learn simple rules of life.

Neither has the time to let a sugar overdose or hunger sidetrack them throughout the day.

That is why it is so fantastic that General Mills has committed to lowering the sugar content in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving.

They are also increasing essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

General Mills let me try a few boxes of cereal through MyBlogSpark. They also gave me essential information about breakfast and ready-to-eat cereals.

I was admittedly skeptical.

I love my healthy cereals but when I am jonesing for a sugary bowl of goodness thats exactly what I want.

I had a few varieties of General Mills cereal provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark and we loved them (naturally!)

We all decided that we will probably notice when they take a few grams of sugar out of these cereals. Our days will be better for it.

The benefits of cereal are astounding, especially when you really dont take the time to think much about the food you are putting into your body.

Whole grains, added nutrients, lowers the likelihood of obesity, lowers absenteeism in school, kids perform better at school and have higher test scores (when they eat breakfast).

Seems like a reason to keep eating a healthy (and still fun) breakfast to me!

what about what?

Being a pretend runner had the ability to take its toll on me this year.

With all of the training.

And sweating.

Extra loads of laundry from the profuse sweating.

And walking and pretending it was running.

Buying new running only shoes.

Buying new shorts and more new tops.

I didnt make any resolutions this year because I always seemed to forget about them come February 1.

But running was something that I was going to do this year.

No matter what.

Well, what happened.

I had my fourth knee surgery in early January...took a few semi-restful days off of work...and when I asked my physical therapist at my first appointment what he thought about me running a few 5K's this year his response was laughter.

Not a nice manly giggle or chuckle.

No, it sounded more like the Witch Hazel from looney tunes.

Except in a deeper voice.

So at least I know I am not allowed to run for the rest of my life so that will get me out of something in the future... this one goes into the back pocket to use whenever I deem necessary.

I need to find something to do with the supercute running tops I bought in 2009 to make myself want to run...

I guess my next resolution is to join Club Mongo and eat my weight in stir fry this year when our new bd's Mongolian Grill opens in Toledo.

This may actually be something I can accomplish?

the ultimate fun sucker of 2010 (thus far)

2010 is already testing my strength and my ability to find things to do when I get sick of watching TV and DVR's.
*GASP*
Did I really just say that out loud that I get sick of watching TV?

Blasphemy!

Seriously...when you are forced to laze around it sucks the fun out of doing it because you want to. Forced sick time is a fun sucker.

I had arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday and I am quickly recovering. This is my 4th knee surgery so this is nothing new to me at all.

I have been off crutches and heavy pain medications since Monday as well.

I kind of kick ass.

Major kinds of ass even.

But after my first physical therapy appointment today I am realizing that I am going to take 2 amazingly nice Vicodin and sleep my way into non-knee pain bliss. Until 4 hours later when they wear off and I need repeat said process. Which is my favorite thing to do at 2am.

What is yours?

Nothing as cool as this...I am certain.

And apparently I am 'over doing it' with my vertical time and I need to spend more time resting on the couch with my knee elevated.

Which means...dirty house, neglected chores and fast food.

All of which are magnificent things...when they are not forced.

Stupid knee surgery has become the ultimate fun sucker.

But on the other hand Jeff has been a doll.