I say lunch lady because all the ladies loved this dish. All the boys pushed it around their plates or threw it on the floor. But at least it was a partial success! I have a hard time getting Violet to eat lately and she loved it so that made me happy. Cinderella and Maid Marian chowed it down too. It's nice to find healthy things that at least some of them enjoy.
It's Tuscan Chicken Skillet and it's just a random one I found on pinterest awhile back. I do take issue with the fact that it says it takes one dish, because it keeps telling you to take things out of the skillet and then put them back in, so I did get about four bowls dirty. :) But if that's the biggest problem with the food, I think we're good.
I left the sundried tomatoes out because I didn't have any, and I just put regular diced tomatoes instead of fire roasted. Using up what's in the pantry! I"m sure it's even more delicious if you make it like it says to.
Enjoy!! Recipe is here.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
Yearly Inspection
It's over for another year, which is good. It seems like I run around trying to get everything in order for a month or so before they arrive, and STILL always forget something.
We got a new licensing rep this year- the last one was around for five or six years and they like to move them around to different areas every now and then. The last gentleman would offer me pointed advice like, "you know, my clients who are organized do things *this* way...." I will say in my defense that I've gotten much better with the paperwork over the years, and that they never have to get on to me for health or safety or ratio issues. The paperwork system does elude me from time to time though...
I told the new lady that he used to tell me that, and she said, "Oh, so what you're saying is that I should go back to the office and tell him you didn't listen to a thing he said?" Smiling, but still. Oh well. It's hard for me to not get flustered when you're not sure what they're going to ask for and every new person inspects in just a little different way.
In any case, we made it through. There were a couple things they talked to us about- she doesn't like the food-grade disinfectant we use to clean the toys and diaper changing station. (This is one of those things that I'm not sure if it's due to having a new rep, or if the codes have changed, but in twelve years everyone else has been okay with what I use.) She wants me to use bleach water. Honestly I'm not comfortable doing that. You have to mix a new bottle every 24 hours because it breaks down and becomes worthless, and it's toxic. If I ever mixed it too strongly it could cause more of a health issue than not disinfecting at all. I want to be more natural and healthy here than just spraying bleach on things. I'm going to look into some other options. I definitely want to follow the rules AND also disinfect the way that is best for the kids.
O'Malley had a playdate that day and she wanted to see the paperwork for the friend. I can totally see why- I am a licensed business and am supposed to have records for every child in residence. However, as a mom, it's a little awkward to ask for shot records before my kid can have somebody over to play for an hour after school. I always make sure that we're not full and that playdates don't mess with our ratios, but my kids have to give up so much by having this daycare in their home. I hate to deny them the occasional social time bc of paperwork. Anyway, she didn't write me up for that, which made me happy. He's not somebody who's here regularly, and if he was, then I would get all his papers in order. :)
Anna and I worked really hard to make sure that we got all our training hours accounted for and were ready with our paperwork for that. However, I totally forgot that there's an online training course that we are supposed to retake every year. She did say she was going to mark that as a violation, although I haven't seen it pop up in our file yet. If she does, it will likely say that we haven't had SIDS and shaken baby training. That doesn't look so good for the file, but I've taken it eleven times and just forgot to do it this year. Hopefully that makes it a little better- it's an oversight in renewal, not that we don't have knowledge on the topic.
Anyway, I just like to be honest and upfront with the things going on around here, so there you have it. Much better to explain everything than have people surprised by it.
We got a new licensing rep this year- the last one was around for five or six years and they like to move them around to different areas every now and then. The last gentleman would offer me pointed advice like, "you know, my clients who are organized do things *this* way...." I will say in my defense that I've gotten much better with the paperwork over the years, and that they never have to get on to me for health or safety or ratio issues. The paperwork system does elude me from time to time though...
I told the new lady that he used to tell me that, and she said, "Oh, so what you're saying is that I should go back to the office and tell him you didn't listen to a thing he said?" Smiling, but still. Oh well. It's hard for me to not get flustered when you're not sure what they're going to ask for and every new person inspects in just a little different way.
In any case, we made it through. There were a couple things they talked to us about- she doesn't like the food-grade disinfectant we use to clean the toys and diaper changing station. (This is one of those things that I'm not sure if it's due to having a new rep, or if the codes have changed, but in twelve years everyone else has been okay with what I use.) She wants me to use bleach water. Honestly I'm not comfortable doing that. You have to mix a new bottle every 24 hours because it breaks down and becomes worthless, and it's toxic. If I ever mixed it too strongly it could cause more of a health issue than not disinfecting at all. I want to be more natural and healthy here than just spraying bleach on things. I'm going to look into some other options. I definitely want to follow the rules AND also disinfect the way that is best for the kids.
O'Malley had a playdate that day and she wanted to see the paperwork for the friend. I can totally see why- I am a licensed business and am supposed to have records for every child in residence. However, as a mom, it's a little awkward to ask for shot records before my kid can have somebody over to play for an hour after school. I always make sure that we're not full and that playdates don't mess with our ratios, but my kids have to give up so much by having this daycare in their home. I hate to deny them the occasional social time bc of paperwork. Anyway, she didn't write me up for that, which made me happy. He's not somebody who's here regularly, and if he was, then I would get all his papers in order. :)
Anna and I worked really hard to make sure that we got all our training hours accounted for and were ready with our paperwork for that. However, I totally forgot that there's an online training course that we are supposed to retake every year. She did say she was going to mark that as a violation, although I haven't seen it pop up in our file yet. If she does, it will likely say that we haven't had SIDS and shaken baby training. That doesn't look so good for the file, but I've taken it eleven times and just forgot to do it this year. Hopefully that makes it a little better- it's an oversight in renewal, not that we don't have knowledge on the topic.
Anyway, I just like to be honest and upfront with the things going on around here, so there you have it. Much better to explain everything than have people surprised by it.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Fall!
Sometimes when I haven't written in a long time, it feels overwhelming because there is a lot to catch up on, so I just put it off until there is SO MUCH that I feel like I can never write again because it just isn't fair to skip over so many things. Argh. I will just do what I can, when I can, right?
Updating the sidebar- Miss Olivia F. has moved on, since she was just our summer girl. (she wears her flip flops. When she lets her hair down, the party never stops! I get that country song in my head every time I say summer girl.) In addition, sweet Vanellope has moved out of state with her family. We will miss her lots! She got to spend the night with me while they were getting ready to go and we went to a cub scout cookout in the park with O'Malley's den, so I have some fun jammies and marshmallow pictures that I don't usually get during daycare hours.
Dancing outside with Flynn, and working inside with Big Red Barn flashcards. They're getting really good at all the animal sounds! Flynn's donkey noise is my favorite.
And we've gotten FOUR new babies that I don't have names for yet. Some of them have been with us for several months and aren't really new anymore, but nonetheless, I can't discuss them properly without names. One boy, three girls, all fabulous.
And later we're getting twins! I just got word they were born on Friday, so they'll be hanging out with momma and growing fat for a few months, and then start with us in the winter along with another little boy who is scheduled to be born at the end of the month. Lots of fun stuff.
Okay! Names. Our boy is seven months old, deliciously chubby and super laid back. He's very mobile and pulls up on everything, then just lets go and falls back like a tree. It surprises him every time he hits the floor. He's drooly and smiley and fun. I think I'm going to call him Russell after the little cub scout in UP!. It just seems to fit.
I'm having a terrible time coming up with a name for this cutie. Her family calls her Little Bitty, which I think is adorable. She takes really good naps here, even more when she was new and super tiny, so I think maybe that's why it's been hard to think of a name- we just didn't have as much time to hang out with her while she was awake. Now that she's a little older, she's with us in the playroom more and giving us lots of smiles. Hopefully inspiration will strike soon.
Then I have a cutie pie whose family doesn't want pictures posted, but she's super cute. Blonde and blue-eyed. I'm going to call her Cinderella. She's still getting used to us so we haven't discovered all her likes and dislikes yet, but she's fitting in nicely and giving us smiles.
Last but not least, our other four month old girl is going to be Bubbles. She's got these pretty big blue eyes that she opens wide all the time to look at things. It makes her look excited and a little surprised a whole lot of the time. And sister loves to dance- you put on the music and she gets going just like this little fish. I'll find some cute pictures to post of her next time if I have approval. :)
So that's our fall roster. Oh! Also there is Bolt. I started out calling her Jasmine, thinking of the section where she says "I am not a prize to be won!" She's one of the more opinionated princesses, and I figured that's where our girl would fall. However.... she's barely six months and she's crawling like lightning and trying to pull up on things and never cries when someone bothers her and is already trying to sit on people bigger than she is. Jasmine just wasn't going to cut it. She needs a name that's a little more fierce and fast. So now she's Bolt. :) I think he was a boy dog but she could run circles around him so I don't care.
Hanging out with Little Bitty. I really do like that name- maybe I'll just keep that one even though it isn't Disney.
Bolt, Russell, and LB all heading for the camera.
Deciding how best to pounce.
She's going to eat Flynn's snack, or perhaps climb up in his lap and try to sit on his head from there. Going places in a hurry, this one.
Updating the sidebar- Miss Olivia F. has moved on, since she was just our summer girl. (she wears her flip flops. When she lets her hair down, the party never stops! I get that country song in my head every time I say summer girl.) In addition, sweet Vanellope has moved out of state with her family. We will miss her lots! She got to spend the night with me while they were getting ready to go and we went to a cub scout cookout in the park with O'Malley's den, so I have some fun jammies and marshmallow pictures that I don't usually get during daycare hours.
Dancing outside with Flynn, and working inside with Big Red Barn flashcards. They're getting really good at all the animal sounds! Flynn's donkey noise is my favorite.
And we've gotten FOUR new babies that I don't have names for yet. Some of them have been with us for several months and aren't really new anymore, but nonetheless, I can't discuss them properly without names. One boy, three girls, all fabulous.
And later we're getting twins! I just got word they were born on Friday, so they'll be hanging out with momma and growing fat for a few months, and then start with us in the winter along with another little boy who is scheduled to be born at the end of the month. Lots of fun stuff.
Okay! Names. Our boy is seven months old, deliciously chubby and super laid back. He's very mobile and pulls up on everything, then just lets go and falls back like a tree. It surprises him every time he hits the floor. He's drooly and smiley and fun. I think I'm going to call him Russell after the little cub scout in UP!. It just seems to fit.
I'm having a terrible time coming up with a name for this cutie. Her family calls her Little Bitty, which I think is adorable. She takes really good naps here, even more when she was new and super tiny, so I think maybe that's why it's been hard to think of a name- we just didn't have as much time to hang out with her while she was awake. Now that she's a little older, she's with us in the playroom more and giving us lots of smiles. Hopefully inspiration will strike soon.
Then I have a cutie pie whose family doesn't want pictures posted, but she's super cute. Blonde and blue-eyed. I'm going to call her Cinderella. She's still getting used to us so we haven't discovered all her likes and dislikes yet, but she's fitting in nicely and giving us smiles.
Last but not least, our other four month old girl is going to be Bubbles. She's got these pretty big blue eyes that she opens wide all the time to look at things. It makes her look excited and a little surprised a whole lot of the time. And sister loves to dance- you put on the music and she gets going just like this little fish. I'll find some cute pictures to post of her next time if I have approval. :)
So that's our fall roster. Oh! Also there is Bolt. I started out calling her Jasmine, thinking of the section where she says "I am not a prize to be won!" She's one of the more opinionated princesses, and I figured that's where our girl would fall. However.... she's barely six months and she's crawling like lightning and trying to pull up on things and never cries when someone bothers her and is already trying to sit on people bigger than she is. Jasmine just wasn't going to cut it. She needs a name that's a little more fierce and fast. So now she's Bolt. :) I think he was a boy dog but she could run circles around him so I don't care.
Hanging out with Little Bitty. I really do like that name- maybe I'll just keep that one even though it isn't Disney.
Bolt, Russell, and LB all heading for the camera.
Deciding how best to pounce.
She's going to eat Flynn's snack, or perhaps climb up in his lap and try to sit on his head from there. Going places in a hurry, this one.
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