Christmas Day, 2020

The writing itch has been tingling more and more this last month. As usual, ideas of what I'd like to write will come to mind that quickly get lost in the details of the day. Tonight, as I was washing dishes, I thought I'd like to have some kind of record of what I made for special meals - especially as I felt like they were nice meals.

Christmas Eve

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs - These were so simple. I've saved some of the cooking liquid to make gravy from. I didn't think of it until after we finished with supper.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes - Super easy. We've had these before. 

These dinner rolls. So much tastier than previous vegan dinner rolls I've made. Because I didn't have quick-rise yeast, I had to increase the amount I used. And, of course, substituted the milk and butter with our vegan milk and butter. 

Then, frozen corn and jello rounded out the meal.

Christmas Day

Ham (hamsteaks because I haven't figured out how to order ham from our grocery store for drive-up pick-up that is a whole sliced ham and not just ham slices).

Green Beans (just steamed).

Roasted red potatoes - no real recipe.

Cherry sauce from mom's recipe (1 can red tart pitted cherries, ½ C Sugar, 2 T cornstarch: Blend sugar and cornstarch in saucepan, add cherries with liquid. Cook, stirring constantly until it boils. Boil for 1 minute.)

Rice pudding

Leftover rolls from yesterday.

And, why not - Thanksgiving Day

Turkey Breast: I used parts of both of these recipes/pages: How to Cook a Turkey Breast and Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Garlicky Steamed Green Beans

The very-much not-vegan Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Vegan Stuffing

My mom's Cranberry sauce recipe - fresh cranberries, orange juice, sugar - cooked until cranberries pop.

And these dinner rolls (fine, but not quite as good as the ones I made at Christmas).

We also got an apple pie from our realtor that was enormous. I was planning to make a previous vegan pumpkin pie that was a winner. And then, I was planning to make it for Christmas, but picked up some vegan cupcakes from the grocery store...that we still haven't eaten. They'll still be good tomorrow.

Childcare

I was very much against sending my kids to daycare. I didn't want the germs. I didn't want my kids to feel like I was trying to get rid of them (that's my own issue, I understand that). I wanted to be the one attending to each day's emotional, physical, social and mental development. But, then....work....

My boys go to daycare (at the same place where Gabriel attends preschool and David will start in January) one day a week. These last two weeks David has had a small fever the day before, so I've had to keep him home, but daycare worked with me and I was able to bring him each of the Fridays following, while Gabriel was at preschool.

Today there is a "Thanksgiving Feast" for all the kids. Parents are invited, but I'm not going to be going. I made sure to verify that David would still have his allergy meal - so he wouldn't end up having a reaction or not have anything to eat. But, because I've taken it for granted that the meals at daycare are nut free, I didn't think about whether the catered Thanksgiving meal would be nut free until I dropped Gabriel off.

As I searched for the director to verify, so assured me that it was definitely nut free.

They have been so accommodating for us - which I would hope they would be for anyone with allergies. But, also, they have accommodated our one-day-a-week schedule. They've allowed me to switch when something has come up on our one day (as long as there has been room). Most of the teachers/caregivers are wonderful!

Although David sometimes doesn't eat much while he's there, he always seems to have a good time. His teachers report him to be happy and easy-going. When I come to pick him up he's usually having a great time (once he was still sleeping after nap - when everyone else was up, but that was one of the days he was getting sick).

Gabriel sometimes seems a little shy when I drop him off - and sometimes when I pick him up he's definitely just playing by himself, but then he reports playing with some specific kids and excited about what they do and say. And, maybe he is just enjoying what he's playing with? He also has gotten really excited when we see other kids outside of daycare, but shy when we approach to say hi.

And yes, they have been exposed to a few more germs. But, we make it through - and the next time they don't suffer as much.

I am grateful to have this good solution to our childcare needs.

Health Care

David has been sick with a minor temperature (100.5) the last two Tuesdays, which is the one day the boys go to daycare so I can work. My task then is to either try to cram my work into evenings, weekends and newly nonexistent nap times, or for Pablo to take a sick day. Today, Pablo will work a ½ day, and I will work a ½ day.

David has had his share of colds/fever, and pretty much handles it like a trooper. Gabriel gets coughs after colds that are tough enough to lead to vomit. Both have allergies that are bordering on scary (with the possibility of an anaphylactic reaction), but have so far not encountered anything that has caused much more than a hospital visit, allergist appointments and careful food intake.

We are so so fortunate to have good medical care. I can't help but realize the basic human right of good health care as a privilege as we hear the news of a caravan of people heading to the United States seeking asylum. The caravan including young children, young women giving birth along the route and families started in Honduras and gained travelers along the way. I cannot imagine needing to pick up with so very little to attempt to start a new life somewhere.

I am especially mindful of health as people along the route have generously offered food and clothing - and one picture I saw was of kind people making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My kids (and me) would not be able to eat those offers of nourishment. If we were in that caravan, I'm not sure how our boys, especially David, would be nourished.

This is a post of thankfulness - for the wonderful health professionals who care for our kids (we especially love our allergist, and have grown to greatly trust their pediatrician), and for the relative place of privilege that we are able to tend to the needs of our kids.