Mastering the Art of French Cooking....short cuts

This past weekend I went over to my parents’ house to spend a little quality time and to cook mom a (very belated) birthday meal. I wanted to make something special, delicious, and dad-taste-bud-friendly. 

A decision was made, a challenge was accepted, and I was off to make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon for the first time. 

 It took hours to prepare (including patting dry every piece of cubed beef), and more time to check on, add more ingredients, move from stove top to oven, adjust slightly, dirty more pans, move from oven to stove top….Mouthwatering smells emerged from the kitchen and leaked out to the patio as it cooked. It was delicious! Beautiful! 

Friends, it tasted remarkably like other meals I’ve thrown in the crockpot on my way off to work. There’s something to be said about making one of Julia’s recipes, but I think my mom said it best: Julie Child's was a bored rich, house wife. 

Now that I’ve earned my cooking badge of honor, I’m back to the trusty crockpot.

Lawson and Auntie Beth weekend of fun

A few weekends ago, I watched my nephew while my sister was out of town.  We had an AWESOME time!

*To have context for the rest of this story, it is important to note that Auntie Beth doesn't keep Lawson toys at her house.*

I had activities lined up for us which included exploring around my neighborhood, feeding the turtles in the canals, camping out in my living room, roasting s’mores on the fire, watching a movie, etc.

….We blew through those activities in the first few hours.  (see above note re: toys)

So Auntie Beth and Lawson ventured out to Target to get some toys.  We left with a Power Rangers mask and a Transformer.  We immediately needed to go outside and practice our “awesome moves.” Video of said awesomeness here:

We eventually got bored and hungry so we came back home and ate everything in Auntie Beth’s pantry. Then we went to a park, ran around for a little, but got hungry again.  So we went to McDonald’s to have the 4^th meal of the day (at 2:30pm) and to run around on the playground.  What happened here inspired me to write this blog.

There was another little girl playing in the tunnels and slides at McDonald’s.  Her parents were sitting at another table and only spoke Spanish to her.  Lawson and the girl had never met but they immediately took off running and played for the next hour. 

That’s when it struck me.  Kids have it figured out. 

They don’t care who you are, what language you speak, what clothes you wear, who your parents are or if you live in the “right” neighborhood.  They don’t make small talk, and don’t care if they’ve hung out before or will ever again. 

In the innocence of childhood, the only important qualifier that needs to be asked and answered is, “Wanna play?”