So now that spring is upon us, that can only mean one thing! Sports season! This year both boys decided they wanted to play sports. I love sports, so I signed them up. The catch? They both wanted to play different sports. Clearly both of them playing the same sport would be WAY too easy on mom and dad, and we can't have that. So Joey is playing baseball, and Mikey is playing soccer. Mikey did two years of baseball back in California and it's really not his sport. He needs something fast paced, and soccer seems to fit the bill. I don't know really anything about soccer except that I had an uncle and cousin play professional soccer in Europe. That's it. That's all I have to offer. Baseball on the other hand, I love baseball. I love going to baseball games, I love playing softball, and I enjoy watching my kids play baseball. Great American Past Time right??!!
So we have two kids, two different sports leagues, so when I got the practice and game schedules, I was expecting a bit of overlap. It seems like about 80% of their games and practices overlap. Again, can't let things be too easy for mom and dad. Looking at the calendar at home and work (where I've written down ALL the practices) is overwhelming. In order to save time I've taken up slow cooker freezer dinners. It has been a life saver! The thought of having to handle two practices/games then run home and start cooking dinner is nauseating. Ain't nobody got time for that. So I take about 15-20 minutes and plan out a menu and make a shopping list for the week. I make sure all dinners can be cooked in the slow cooker. I hit the grocery store and when I get home and I begin prepping the dinners (chop the vegetables, precook any red meat) then combine the ingredients for each dinner in a gallon size freezer bag. So when I'm done it looks something like this:
Since they are in bags, they are very easy to lay flat and store in the freezer. The night before we plan on cooking the meal, we remove from the freezer and put in the fridge. Since Mike takes the kids to school and leaves after I do, it's his job to empty the bag contents into the slow cooker and start it before he leaves. Once I get home after work and practices/games, dinner is done! Slaving away after a long day is a thing of the past, especially when you have two hungry and tired boys wanting a hot meal.
So the thing that I'm most excited about is spring break. I took that week off like I did last year, but instead of having a stay-cation with the kids, we are going to be traveling to South Carolina to see my grandparents. I am thrilled for the boys to finally get to know them. Some of my fondest memories growing up are those that involve them. When they lived in the San Fransisco area, I used to spend every summer with them. We are going to drive, but are giving ourselves some time. No rush to get there. No rush to get back. Keep it nice and relaxing because before I know it, vacation will be over and it'll be back to our normal everyday grind.
