Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Mmm, Mmm Good!

Last night was the start of soccer practice for Jake.

Goalie Jake Posted by Hello
Practice runs from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Mondays and Thursdays. This makes dinner a bit difficult. Last season practice was from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, but I could meet Larry in the parking lot and drop off Jake. I could then bring the remainder of the hoard home and start dinner preparations. 5:00 pm is a little early for hubby to do soccer duty plus yesterday he had the important job of picking up Meryl at the airport (she parked her car at our house). So I get to haul the whole crowd with me and entertain those not at practice.

Thus the mighty crock pot enters the picture. I’ll make pot roast! I can start it at noon and it will be ready when the kids and I get back from soccer and when Larry comes home from the airport. As an added bonus Meryl can join us for dinner if she wants.

After lunch Max and Rebecca supervised the assembly of the pot roast. The meat was seared and tucked into the crock pot with carrots potatoes, onions, a little red wine and beef stock.

While I was making dinner, Rebecca was wandering about, jonesing for cake. I did not feel like baking a cake, but cookies sounded like a good idea.

So cookies it is! We made chocolate chip cookies. I like to have different types of chips in my cookies. Yesterday it was a cup each of white, dark and milk chocolate chips. Yum! My assistants helped mix the batter and add the chips. After the chips were added Rebecca leaned over the bowl and reverently whispered “chocolate.” This girl has a serious thing for chocolate.

Once the cookies were baked it was already time to go to the bus stop and meet Jake and Nate. When we got home there was a minor celebration. The older boys could smell the fresh baked cookies. After a quick snack of cookies and change of outfits for Jake and Rebecca (tutus are not good for mucky soccer fields) it was off to practice.

Rebecca conked out in the car, but I was able to rouse her. Then we schlepped 5 water bottles, 4 soccer balls and 3 chairs to the field waaaay in the back. Only a few instances of discipline were needed (when I tell you to carry the ball it means you carry the ball, not kick it in the drainage ditch. The boy in question lost the use of the ball for a short time. Fortunately he was not the one going to practice). After we established base camp we got to meet a fellow team mom with 2 ½ year old boy girl twins. Yeah! Entertainment for the younger set! Everybody played nicely, and then it was time to go home. Max however disagreed. He had an impressively drawn out tantrum that lasted the long walk and the ride home.

When we got home it hit me. Dinner was ready and man did it smell good! The aroma of pot roast filled the air with the slight undertones of freshly baked cookies. It was heavenly.

Larry was already home with Meryl. The kids were all happy to see their Aunt Meryl, well except for Max who was still grumping about. We invited her to stay, but she declined. That is until I pulled out the pot roast. It was lovely. Jake and Nate had a new victim, ah rather a new audience for their jokes and Larry and I got to enjoy dinner.

Oh and Max, he came round in the end. He enjoyed eating a cookie with some yummy cow.

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