This is the fifth post in this series, the first is here, second is here, third is here, fourth here .
OK, I have to admit that today I had to search to come up with something that helped me get through the day. It wasn’t a bad day, there just wasn’t anything that stuck out. I mean, the girls didn’t do great getting ready this morning. My husband had to carry Ivy out to the car and she was wearing only a leotard, which is not exactly appropriate clothing for school.
I had to put pants on her at school and she had to put her socks and shoes on. Emma changed her pants at school too because she didn’t like the ones she was wearing. But drop-off went good. Once we got the clothes situation worked out they kissed me goodbye and didn’t ask me to stick around.
Work went by fast because I had 3 interviews today, at 9, 11 and 1. I’m helping do first round interviews for another team. I thought it would be good to get some more interview experience. It’s been 5 years since I interviewed anyone, but I didn’t realize how much time it would take up when I offered to do it. It wasn’t bad. I mean, I like it when the day goes by fast, but there wasn’t much time for me to focus on any of my own work.
Tonight was bath night and my night to put the girls to bed. They played nicely after dinner. They “decorated” the living room with cupcake liners and then wanted me to find them all, which was kind of messy but it was fun.
We tried not using the monitor tonight but then of course the girls came upstairs. Emma needed saline because she was stuffy…That meant Ivy needed it too. Which of course was just an excuse for Ivy to come upstairs yet again. She actually came upstairs twice during bedtime. They called out later that Ivy had to go potty and she “couldn’t” do it herself (which we know not to be true), but my husband went down and dealt with it and they didn’t make much noise after that.
So, in the spirit of the exercise, I’ll pick a few things that helped me get through the day.
New Best of Both Worlds podcast episode today!
I already talked about listening to podcasts on my way to work in this post, but it’s always fun when there’s a new episode and I have something to listen to on my drive in. It makes the time go by so much faster and I don’t even think about the traffic.
Sheet pan dinners!
I didn’t start doing sheet pan dinners on purpose. I’ve been following food blogger Jules Clancy of the Stonesoup for years. She’s the queen of 5 ingredient meals. I must have come across her website when I was looking for simple recipes. She’s genius because her recipes are templates and she always gives alternatives for the protein or for switching things up. I can’t believe no one else writes recipes this way (at least not that I’ve seen).
Anyway, she posted a recipe she calls Magic Sausage & Cabbage Supper. It’s basically sausage and cabbage on a sheet pan, roasted in the oven. I tried it once and have been making it ever since. I especially like it with savoy cabbage. And I’ve been loving mayonnaise lately, so I top mine with mayonnaise and it’s amazing (for me, my husband uses mustard).
Making that gave me the idea of throwing veg and a protein on a pan and putting it in the oven. So that’s what I’ve been doing. Sometimes it’s chicken thighs and brussels sprouts, usually with bacon. Sometimes it’s pork chops and pre-cut veg. Tonight it was chicken and a big package of pre-cut veg. I did make some rice on the side, but I could make dinner while giving the girls baths and it was pretty easy.
My girls don’t love meals like this. They actually prefer when I do sausage. Now don’t get me wrong, they don’t eat cabbage, they eat the sausage on a bun or bread with ketchup and a pickle. To them sausage and brats are the same thing, so it works. Anything else they’ll usually eat. Ivy likes brussels sprouts more than Emma, though she prefers the bacon.
I love the ease of putting it all on a pan and putting it in the oven.
Daycare apps!
The baby’s daycare had their Tadpoles app customized. I love that I get pictures and updates throughout the day. I have notifications turned on so that I can see when she gets a bottle and when she takes a nap. I just love seeing those beautiful baby faces. It makes my day.
With my first, I wouldn’t have even wanted this. I didn’t want to think about her during the dajust wanted to focus on work. At least at the beginning when I was going through all the crazy feelings of leaving my first kid in daycare. Actually, she had a nanny until she was almost one. She was an older lady and she never texted me. I would imagine most nannies probably text.
I do remember though when I first signed all the forms I was hesitant about them taking pictures of my kid. Now, both daycares have apps and I love seeing what my kids are up to throughout the day.
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