Raclette

Ok, 5 euros and a cool German care package to anyone who knows what a raclette is. Anyone? Anyone? Buhler? Buhler? (Ferris Buhler reference for all you that were teens in the 80's). Well, I had no idea what a raclette was either until my dear friend Christy enlightened me a few weekends ago. It is an indoor grill with a hot plate on top and little handled cups for melting things underneath. Think 'German George Foreman' opened up with trays for melting more things. The kids had so much fun cooking food on one a few weeks ago at Christy's house. Even Colton, my self professed vegetarian, chowed down on some serious steak at her house that he got to warm up on the raclette. Ella loved toasting her bread in one of the side trays and even Mason thought it was fun. So, last night on the way home from piano lessons, Jaxon asked, "What's for dinner?"
"I'm gonna grill hot dogs" was my reply.
Jaxon: "Hey, can we use that thing Christy got us?"
LIGHTBULB going off in my head!!
"Sure Jaxon! That's a great idea! Let's try grilling them on the raclette."
Since Christy ROCKS and bought us our own raclette a few days ago, we came home, busted it out of its packaging, and plugged it in. The kids loved turning their dogs on the top grill and heating their buns (hot dog buns that is) on the warming plate.


Then we decided to get serious about this racletting thing. Let's step it up a notch. Let's talk DESSERT. Hmmmm....the possibilities. I had just bought a bunch of different dessert chips: milk chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, and white chocolate. And don't forget the marshmallows. We poured different chips in different trays and watch them melt and get gooey before our very eyes. A culinary delight. Jaxon poured his chips over some ice cream while Colton ate his out of his tray as if he had just made his own personal sugary chip cake. Heaven.


Earlier that day, I had dragged Mason all over base running errands. We mailed Sean a package, paid the oil bill (don't ask how much it costs to fill up half empty oil tanks), went to the library and then to the grocery store. Mason made me crack up when he ran over to the broccoli saying, "Look!! Veggie Tales!!"



Yup, my kids only know about vegetables from cartoons. But in reality, I made a big plate of veggies every day for the kids to snack on when they get home from school. They feast on carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and fruit every day when they get home, so don't think I only load them up with sugar. Fruit and veggies first, THEN I pump the sugar directly into them.

So, how has Mason been since Ella's started school all day? Just great. He misses his favorite playmate, but has replaced her with an older model, slightly taller and a little less fun but none the less, acceptable: ME. Mason plays ok by himself for a few minutes, but then requires my presence to continue playing. So, it is with a heavy heart that I must say goodbye to one of my secret loves:

my vacuum cleaner. I'm sorry, I really care about you. I leave you out in secret hopes that we can have a rendezvous and meet up at some point during the day to take care of business. I look at you longingly, hoping that I will get a chance to turn you on. But, alas, it was not meant to be. My children come first. So, I must put you away and try not to think about you, as I spend some quality time with this guy, playing: