The French & Costco

I love Costco because 1) the girls are both contained in ONE shopping cart and 2) they are excited about eating samples. My excitement over their excitement of samples has slightly diminished since I read the book, French Kids Eat Everything. In a nutshell (which nut was NOT eaten as a snack, but as a proper meal), the book says the French only eat 3 meals a day which they eat while sitting at a table. They only snack once a day at 5:00 pm. Snacks, like meals, are always eaten while sitting. Never do the French eat or drink while walking, shopping, or driving. And by French, I mean everyone from babies eating purees to adults eating beef bourguignon. In stark contrast, Americans excel at drinking while walking with Starbucks coffees, shopping while nibbling samples at Costco and Trader Joes, and driving while eating food from a myriad of fast food joints (Chick-Fil-A for my family).  

After reading the book, I was inspired and motivated to help my family become more French like in our eating habits. I admit, many daily emotions like exhaustion, frustration, boredom and even happiness often drive me to food. I was convinced that the French had it so right! They eat when it's time to eat, not when they are sad, happy or bored. So, I tried for a while curtailing almost all snacks and trying to keep the girls seated while eating. But trying to be French while being an American living in a world of Costco samples and snacks is HARD work. It's a battle I'm loosing and it's not one I'm convinced I want to die fighting. I learned the hard way teaching middle school for a few years that you only want to pick the battles you are willing to die for. If you pick them all, you will be dead by lunch.  I do want my children to be heathy eaters--not emotional eaters. I want them to have good manners and self control. But toddlers LOVE snacks. It brings them joy and curtails the tears. So I'm stuck in the middle; like I heard the food gospel but just can't leave behind my old manner of life. And the old manner of life loves free samples at Costco. Trying to steer my huge shopping cart away from those little bites of cheese is like denying a little part of myself. If I struggle, then how can I deny my sweet girls? 

We went there yesterday and little 16 month old A squealed with sheer joy as her bright blue eyes scanned the isles looking for sample carts. And it was a lovely trip. The girls sat together in the cart. They ate samples. They smiled at other shoppers. And most of all, mama was happy.

So, unless we move to France or another lovely European country while my girls are young, my family will try to snack less and have more self control, but I'm afraid we will always go back to being what we are: American snackers. 

Clean, Cook, & Write

After a few years of quietly pouring over other peoples' blogs, I'm going to have a go at it too. As a mom of young girls, I am busy with many little tasks everyday: cooking, reading kids books, cleaning, playing, cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. The years are flying by and I feel like I'm forgetting things: semi-deep thoughts that pop in my head, adorable things my kids do, and just simple reflections on my life. Before kids, I seem to have had more reasons to use my brain to think and write. So, instead of bemoaning my brain's atrophy, I'm going to do something about it! I don't have deep profound things to say, but just the act of actually stopping and writing is creative and that is something I crave. So, here is to my endeavor that requires thinking, creating, and remembering!