So Hot!

It is just unbearably hot outside.  At 11:30 we were coming home from the gym and it was 101 degrees and I called the weather line and it is 60% humidity.  It is just miserable to go outside.

The last two days I have taken to boys to the gym daycare and I have gotten some alone time.  Yesterday I swam in the pool and did just a very slow breast stroke so I didn't get my heart rate up and then I sat out for about 15 minutes to dry off.  It was so nice and relaxing.  Then today I went and did some arm weights and squats, read a little bit of a book and then got them.  It was great for everyone.  They got playtime inside with other kids and I got alone time.

Tomorrow I am checking out an Early Childhood Center at the Jewish Community Center for Joseph.  I can sign him up two days a week from 9am-3pm (Monday and Wednesday).  They have an educational curriculum and lots of playtime.  They feed him lunch and give him an afternoon nap.  If I like the place I am going to sign him up.  He needs to be in some type of school before I send him to the International Spanish school that Samuel goes to.  Joseph will be able be able to start at that school next September.

I am getting more and more frustrated with fixing meals around here for the boys.  Joseph is completely boycotting meat.  He will only eat chicken that I have in my homemade chicken soup and that is it.  He is also refusing to eat tofu.  I also keep him on a higher fiber diet, which is really hard.  He isn't supposed to eat (and he really doesn't like it anyway) cheese and bananas.  He loves cauliflower, bread, eggs and smoothies, some veggie things, but that is about it.  Meals are just getting harder and harder to figure out.

I have been making smoothies everyday for them.  I am trying to mix up the fruit to give a variety.  Every meal I make, half of it gets thrown on the floor.  It is so frustrating.

Samuel on the other hand has decided he wants Salami for every meal.  He wants salami sandwiches for lunch and dinner.  He doesn't really like bread, so he will eat a few bites with the bread and then just eat the salami.  Today he mixed it up a bit because he wanted Salami and Turkey on his sandwich.  He took about 5 bites with all the bread and everything and then just ate the meat.  Samuel is a pretty good eater.  he makes good food choices, but he only eats when he is hungry.  If he isn't hungry at lunchtime or dinner time he just won't eat.  That is annoying too.

Anyway, last night I needed to use up Ricotta cheese and fresh mozzarella cheese I had in the fridge so I whipped up this very yummy pasta dish.  Dave and I thought it was great and of course neither of the boys ate any of it.

Fresh Spinach and Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Bake

Saute two tablespoons of minced garlic and half of an diced onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil.
Chop up a ton of fresh spinach and add that to the garlic and onion mixture when the onions are translucent.
Cook the spinach down
Add two jars of Pasta Sauce (I used an organic Garlic Marinara Sauce)
Cook until a little bubbly
Add one small container of Ricotta Cheese
Cube up some fresh mozzarella cheese and add to sauce

Cook a container of whole wheat pasta (I used leftover pasta I had in the pantry (Rigatoni and Fusilli) in boiling water for 9 minutes then drain

Put a little bit of sauce at the bottom of a baking dish (11x13) to coat the bottom

Add pasta to sauce mixture and make sure all the pasta is covered in sauce

Put everything into baking dish

Cover all the pasta with thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until all the cheese is melted and it is bubbling.

It was super creamy and delicious.  It was great for leftovers too!