Preteen Parenting: Let Them Browse

 Slowly, but surely, I'm having some preteen parenting wins.  

I still have a ton to learn.

And I am going to celebrate anytime we have a parenting win because parenting older kids is tricky.

My tip for today is: Let them browse.

Let them try on clothes with no pressure.

Buy them things on Amazon that will be easy to return.

Order things in two sizes to give them options and return the rest.

Have them put things on an Amazon wish list, go through options together and then order.

Both of my older kids are growing so fast.  Shoes.  Clothes.  Jackets.  Everything.  And sometimes that means they are outgrowing their usual sections of clothes or their go to stores.  We are fumbling to figure out their best sizes and the clothes that they feel best in.  It's tricky and it can be stressful for them and for me.  I know it's stressful when they outgrow clothes and I know it's stressful for me when I no longer know the best size to order for them.

We headed to Shoe Carnival over the weekend to let them browse.

I packed snacks for Leo and he watched a show on my phone while the big kids tried on several styles and several sizes of shoes.  It took probably an hour and I was sweating at the end.  But both kids left the store with shoes in new sizes that they were excited about.  Hooray!  We found a new style for Fletcher and a new brand for Olive.  They are both excited to wear their new shoes.

I'm glad I took the time to let them browse.

Greek Chicken Bowls

We tried something new for dinner last week - Greek Chicken Bowls!

I told you that we had greek food at a dinner recently and we both really enjoyed it.

I cut and prepped everything separate and then assembled a dinner buffet.  Everyone got to build their own bowls.  We really enjoyed this meal with a side of seasoned french fries.

You'll need:

Quinoa

Couscous

red onion

feta cheese

green onoin

cucumbers

tomatoes

tzatziki sauce - I purchased premade dip.

Greek Chicken - I marinated 6 thin chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces in fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar, Italian Seasoning and olive oil.

Naan Bread dippers

fruit and fries

My bowl had every single topping.

The kids stuck with chicken, grains, cucumbers, green onion and naan dippers.  And fries!

This was so yummy and left us leftover bowls for lunch.

Would your family enjoy these Greek Chicken bowls??

Watermelon Fries

Do you want your kids to eat more fruits and veggies?

Ask them to help you prep them!

My kids had been asking to make watermelon fries all Summer.  We finally got around to doing it this month and they quickly inhaled two watermelons.  I helped cut the big chunks of watermelon for them and then they used my 20 year old Pampered Chef crinkle cutter to make fries.  It was so fun and so easy.  I think this is our new favorite way to eat watermelon.

We stored the watermelon in containers with lids in the fridge.  Then we added watermelon fries to lunch boxes, snacks and dinners all week.

We love to use the crinkle cutter on cucumbers, carrots and any melons.

If I was replacing my crinkle cutter, I'd buy one of these:

HIC Kitchen Crinkle Cut Blade - very similar to mine.

Joie Crinkle Cutter - perfect size for kids!

ZYLISS Crinkle Cut Knife - with almost 12k reviews

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, Friends!  I hope you've had a wonderful week.

Did you catch my blog posts this week?

6 Working Mom Dinners

Welcome to the Family, Mr. Mittens

My favorite moments of the week were:

1. Mr. Mittens - he's the sweetest.  Before work snuggles :)

2. A Sams date with Fletcher.  There's nothing he loves more than one on one time and delicious food.  He drove my cart for me, navigated the store to hit all the sample stands, loved giving me his food reviews for each sample and stocking up on our favorite foods for the week.

3. Leo has been drawing people and they are my very favorite thing.  Aren't they so fun!?  He's adding hair and faces and has a name for each one.  He'll sit and draw these m&m people all day long.

4. We've been working on having less screen time and the kids are building the neatest things.  They made Mr. Mittens a castle to live in and he very much enjoyed busting out of the castle.

5. Okra!  Our okra crop is thriving - thanks to Kevin still watering our garden every night.  We have a good freezer stash of okra and are hoping to keep harvesting for a few more weeks.  Our tomatoes are doing great along with our jalapenos.  Everything else has burned up in the Summer heat.

6. School lunches are back in session!  The kids tell me often that they look forward to their lunches so much.  I added some Z Bars which they love and Brach's pumpkins.  I have to stay on top of grocery shopping and meal planning to make sure that we are well stocked to pack yummy lunches all week long.

7. Going to chapel with my class and seeing this cutie sitting with his class.  A major perk of teaching at the same school where Leo goes is seeing him at school from time to time.  I love knowing his teachers well, learning the same Bible stories and it makes me so happy to see him learning so much every day.  He's doing awesome in PreK!

8. A friend gifted us some crafts and games that her kids have outgrown.  The kids loved playing with some new toys in the middle of the week.

9. Seeing Penny & Mr. Mittens bond is my favorite.  I'm hopeful that they will be besties in no time.

Have the best weekend!  I'll see you back here on Monday.

Linking up with Momfessionals

6 Working Mom Dinners

I'm trying hard to figure out the best way to work all day and still cook dinner for my family.  That means grocery shopping and menu planning on the weekends.  Kevin grabbing take out a time or two each week.  Paper plates instead of real plates.  Saying yes to help and planning ahead.  I just wrapped up my first month of work and feel like I have found a routine that works.

I need meals that come together quickly and clean up quickly.

I try to thaw my protein during the day or prep it on the weekends to heat up quickly at dinner time.  Something easy like tacos - cook the meat ahead of time and then just reheat and add the seasoning for dinner.  It saves a ton of time when dinner time rolls around.

1. Pot Roast, fresh sweet corn, loaded roasted potatoes and fruit.

This Beef Roast is so good!  It's a little pricey, but it's so much cheaper than going out to eat.  I buy two pacakges for us for dinner.  That leaves me with leftovers for lunch.

2. Keilbasa sausage, green beans and onions, breadsticks and fruit.  I try to always keep these things in my freezer ready to thaw and eat - thin green beans, keilbasa sausages (2 for my family) and frozen breadsticks.  I know my family will always love this meal.

3. I made these Hot Hawaiian Roll Italian Sandwiches again and they were so good!  The recipe comes together so quickly on a busy night.  And they reheat really well leftover.  Just keep the lettuce mixture on the side and add as you eat them.  I served them with chips and fruit and made PBJs for the boys since they didn't love them.

4. Greek food!    We brought home leftovers from our Greek meal I told you about last week.  It was all delicious so I jumped at the chance to bring home leftovers.

5. Tacos or Spaghetti

Brown the meat ahead of time and then tacos or spaghetti comes together really quickly on a week night.  We've been using up tomatoes and jalapenos from our garden.

6. And if anyone offers to make you dinner, bring you dinner or Door Dash a meal for you - say YES!  My sweet MIL has been bringing us dinner once a week.  It's a feast and it is such a treat to know that a delicious dinner is being delivered at the end of a long day.

What are some quick and easy dinners at your house?

Welcome to the Family, Mr. Mittens!

Welcome to the family, Mr. Mittens!

The kids have been begging for a kitten forever.  They showed me kittens non-stop and were always trying to find us the perfect kitten.  I love cats, but wasn't sure the beginning of this school year was the best time for a new family member.  They pleaded their case assuring me they'd help with the housework and kitty care.  I turned down lots of cats.  Then we found Mr. Mittens and couldn't resist on Sunday, August 18th.

Mr. Mittens is 3 months old.  He was born in Kentucky.  He is very playful and sweet.  The hissing has mostly stopped from his kitty siblings.  They are sleeping on the same surfaces, but not touching.  He's eager to snuggle so I'm guessing he'll win over Penny first.  They have very similar outgoing and friendly personalities.  Pearl pretends he doesn't exist like she does with most people outside of our family.  And Topher was the most welcoming of the bunch.  Sweet old man has seen his share of kittens and kids added to the family.  3 kittens and 3 kids don't bother him much.

We bought him the kitten food he was used to eating and just made him his own spot in the laundry room.  All the cats seemed to appreciate the new toys.  Everyone shares a litter box and they all snack on each other's food.  He's been an easy addition to the family.  The very best kind.

We are all working hard to be his favorite person.  So far I think Olive is in the lead.

Petsmart partners with a local animal shelter and they have some weird pet rules - you cannot hold or play with kittens before you adopt them, you cannot take their very favorite toy in their cage with them and you have to pay cash.  We could tell that he was very social, very playful and he seemed to be showing off all of his tricks for us.  Combine that with the fact that he was cute with unique markings and I was sold.

We all held him on the way home.

Determined to be his favorite human.

Leo's been really gentle with him.

He seemed so happy to be home right away.  He's claimed favorite napping spots already which conveniently were not already taken but another family member.

He keeps us on our toes!

Is such a handsome tuxedo cat!  His curiousity keeps him busy.

We talked through lots of names, but Mr. Mittens was the one that stuck.  

We love you, Mr. Mittens!