House Rules

Drinking right now: Yerba Mate, $1.25/oz, Origin: Brazil --- Stevia, $2.10/oz,  Origin: China

1. Rules first, exceptions later.
2. If the kids can't eat or drink it, you can't eat or drink it in front of them.
3. You can use Gold Bond only twice a day, no matter how “kingly” (tingly) you like things.
4. No farting in the kitchen.
5. If you poke the cat, prepare to be poked back (with claws.)
6. Things are the way they are for a reason. Put the lid back down and the toilet paper in the closet, not on the roll.
7. If you don't want it touched, put it out of reach.
8. Don't get into a dungeon or battleground while the kids are awake. It's not fair to the kids or to your teammates when you have to split your attention.
9. No throwing, no hitting. Period.
10. If you're behaving, you get what you ask for. If you're whiny, you don't get anything. Corollary: Begging doesn't work, but bargaining may get things done.
11. Food is served at Breakfast, Lunch, Snack/Tea, and Dinner. If you miss one by choice and ask for food two hours later, suffer the wrath of Mommy.
12. Be kind.
13. For all intents and purposes, and for peace in the house, let's assume Mommy knows what she's talking about.

Dough is dough, and dough is fun!

Last night, I had to make bread again. Making my own bread means it goes faster—the kids ask for it more often, they eat all of it at mealtime instead of picking around the slices (or between, to be more precise), the loaves are smaller, and I'm more likely to eat a slice for breakfast now. Still, the price breakdown goes like this:

Store bought bread: 

$2.99/loaf, use 2 a week = $5.98 + tax

Aimee's bread: 

4 ½ c flour	$0.74
.44 oz active dry yeast	$0.75
4 oz milk	$0.21
3 TBSP butter	$0.26
1 egg	$0.16
.20 oz salt	$0.13
two loaves	$2.25

Granted, since we are eating more, I'm making bread about once every four days right now. But that price is going to decrease even more once I begin ordering yeast and flour online (and maybe salt.) Even eating four loaves a week ($4.50) is an improvement, especially considering the bread no longer tastes like fluffy cardboard.

The other thing Razi and I made last night was play-dough. While I was furiously kneading the bread, Razi was standing beside me saying “Razi's turn! Razi's turn to do!” I couldn't pull my hands out and wash his hands, and wasn't about to let him handle it all after what he'd been doing, so as soon as I was done, I slapped together some play dough.

½ c salt
1 c flour
½ c water
drops of food coloring

I dumped the flour and salt in a bowl, then showed Razi how to mix it with his fingers (I don't really even use mixers anymore—I've been making the bread totally by hand, sometimes without a spoon.) I added the water and coloring, and he starting singing “Ditzy Ditsy Pider” (Itsy Bitsy Spider) while he mixed it all up.

Ditzy, ditzy, pider, climb up da...Mommy, yucky!

We got it all together, then I pulled it out on the counter and let him “knead” it a little bit. He and Beorn (whom I had to convince was not just given blue food) spent the next two hours at their new toddler table, playing with the dough.

Mommy, make a cat! Mommy, make a snake! Car, Mommy, car! Ok now MOTORCYCLE!

I didn't quite get that last one right, ever.