Cutting out boredom

We are having a hard time finding things to do to keep ourselves entertained thus far this summer.  We will eventually travel, but since Connie is still wheelchair bound we can't do as much traveling as we probably would have this summer.  The weather is already setting records even before summer officially began so beaching and swimming it is better left until later in the day.  This week I decided enough.  I would be in charge. 

We had a cleaning day on Monday.  My girls were thrilled (NOT) to say the least.  I then gave them the duty of cooking for the week.  They were to take two nights and prepare our dinner.  Only rules were one vegetable had to be included and the one not doing the cooking had to do the cleaning. They spent some time coming up with meals and a grocery list.  I drove them to the grocery and pushed the cart while they ran around the store in an un-orderly fashion gathering everything needed on the list.  They carried in the grocery bags and unloaded and put the food away.  I was beginning to think I had come up with something grand.

That night was Darcy's turn.  She opted out of cooking as she felt we were all "tired from our day of scrubbing floors on our hands and knees".  She picked up some already prepared fried chicken.  She did heat the oven for some tater tots to bake, and she paired that with a small vegetable tray complete with dipping sauces; ranch dressing and peanut butter.  Dessert was a beautifully prepared plate of various assortments of cookies, and we each got a glass of milk.  Madison cleaned the kitchen that night while I retired to the living room for some television.  I thought I was a genius.

Tonight it was Madison's turn.  We hadn't eaten lunch and on the way back from visiting my mother I suggested she start dinner upon arriving home.  She thought that a fine idea and began preparing her dessert for the evening.  I ate a bowl of cheese puffs to tied me over and went off to do some work on my Ipad.  Eventually my stomach led me into the kitchen to see how things were progressing.  The chef was still working on her dessert which was baking in the oven.  A caesar salad sat in a bowl to the side so I was hopeful.  I made myself a cocktail and went back to my Ipad.

Thirty minutes later I was back in the kitchen.  The dessert, a cake, was out of the oven and there was a nice mess on the stove and the counter.  There was an opened can of frosting sitting near the sink and the caesar salad was still in its bowl to the side.  I grabbed some chips and some dip and thought about another cocktail.  Dinner looked to be far off in the future.  I may have whined about that to the chef.

At 7:30 PM she announced dinner was served.  There was angel hair pasta with meat sauce, a caesar salad, and some rolls.  The table was set with drinks, napkins, and utensils.  And for dessert?  We had this:

After dinner Darcy did the dishes and the clean-up duty.  I helped a bit, but then I retired to the computer.  I KNOW I am a genius now.  I highly recommend this idea.  And secretly?  My kids are enjoying it.