7 Quick Takes: Everybody Dance Now!

--1--

Blog changes!  Just updated the "About Us" page, and I changed the commenting system yesterday, although I'm not entirely sure it's working how I want it to work...  But anyway, try commenting and see if it's any easier than before!  The spammers were getting really obnoxious, but I didn't want to turn on word verification because it's the worst thing ever in the history of the universe (not even exaggerating a tiny bit here).

What I like is that now instead of either comments being anonymous or *maybe* going to a blogger profile, it's easy for someone to link directly to their blog if they have one, which leads to a lot less clicking around.  Some blogger profiles have the author's blog listed, some end up going to a Google+ profile (which I HATE - so confusing!!!), and some don't have any information listed...

This should also make it easier for you to receive responses to your comments without having to check back here!  Sometimes it takes me a while to respond and I have a feeling many of you who don't have your emails linked to your profile don't check back for responses (because I know I don't!)...

--2--

Well, that was boring.  I promised a video of the kids dancing, but the babies weren't having it...  So I have an old clip of Elizabeth dancing and then a bunch of John Paul and Cecilia showing their stuff.  I think John Paul's "jazz" moves are my favorite - they never fail to make me laugh!

--3--

How fun is this?  I'm now taking offers for sponsorship so I can go to The Edel Gathering - let me know if you'd like to pay for my registration, flight, hotel, and someone to watch the children while I'm gone.

What, no takers?

If only Austin weren't so far away!  Who wants to plan something in DC?

--4--

I was really proud of myself this week for letting the kids help a lot with cooking, but the problem is that when I let them help, then they ALWAYS want to help!  So I start coming up with time-consuming tasks for them to do while I get the real work done so that they can spend 10 minutes washing their hands and I can prep everything for them to pour into a bowl...

"Here John Paul, throw this tiny piece of trash away!"

"Cecilia, can you find the tiniest apple in the drawer for me?"

This week they helped me make hummus at least 3 times (the last time was not planned, but John Paul started opening the pull-tab can and I already had the food processor out and washed, sooooo we kind of had to make it...), made a ton of cookies with the cookie press that we got for our wedding and finally used (I can't be the only one!), John Paul helped me make oatmeal (Cecilia doesn't like it), and they made really cute pita pizzas with veggie faces.  

I even let John Paul help crack the egg for the cookies.  He was ecstatic!

We're actually getting to the point where he can do quite a bit of meal prep - he can peel and cut up a banana for breakfast, can serve granola and yogurt, can get out the ingredients for sandwiches and he and Cecilia can make them for themselves, can wash and cut up an apple (with the apple cutter or the crinkle cutter), can serve himself and Cecilia baby carrots with salad dressing for dipping, etc.  There's honestly not much left for me to do when it comes to breakfast, snack, and lunch!  

--5--

With that in mind, what are your favorite things to let your kids make/to make with them?  On the days that I start work later, I've usually got about an hour alone with the big kids while the babies are napping, which is when we usually do a craft or read longer books or cook, but I feel like I'm close to exhausting the manageable recipes we can make together!

--6--

Speaking of cooking, a friend got us this cookbook and I've started reading it and am pretty excited!

It's all meatless, so there are tons of new possibilities for Lent, plus it's easy enough to add meat to pretty much any dish!  

And speaking of Lent, I'm working on revamping my meatless meals post from last year and adding some new options that we've grown to love - what are your favorite meatless recipes?

--7--

Sick of the snow?  Ours has mostly melted, but it looks like we'll be getting more soon...  We've made snow cream, had a disastrous science experiment, and a less disastrous science experiment:

Snow, food coloring, spoons!

She really does know how to mix those patterns...

As does he, I suppose?

Now this time I hope that when it snows it's not too cold for them to go outside and play in it!  What are your favorite snow activities?

Check out more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!