Monday Minutia

• First things first Bloggers! I am going to NYC with Frick today-to return tomorrow night-so I will be away from the Bloggersphere tomorrow, Tuesday July 22, 2014. I thought you'd like to know rather than me say nothing....Considering I was with Frack last Monday and Tuesday in High Point, NC, I'd like to think I am one lucky mama to be able to spend some one-on-one time, alone with each of my kids! Frick's NYC visit is strictly business too! My kids are killing me-becoming adults so fast...

• Interesting things going on here in Beantown-Market Basket, one of the most successfully run, independently owned supermarket chains in the country, is seeing an unprecedented stand of unity for it's former CEO. The company, run by the Demoulas family, operates 71 stores in two states. Long time CEO Arthur T. Demoulas was ousted last fall by the Board of Directors in favor of his cousin and chief rival, Arthur S Demoulas. The two have clashed over how to operate the business started by their grandfather.  The employees are not happy about this. They have staged a strike and  walked out on the job until Arthur T Demoulas is restored to CEO. Get this: On Friday over 2000 employees gathered at the company headquarters in Tewksbury, MA to demand the return of Arthur T Demoulas as CEO. As of today, 8 long time employees have been fired from the company. Talk about loyalty. This is fascinating to me. Market Basket must be one hell of an employer.

• Rory McIlroy wins the British Open at the age of 25! A great story. This his third Major victory on his quest for a Grand Slam title. The elusive Masters in April is the only victory he needs to secure the title and join Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in the Grand Slam club. The victory was especially poignant for his father, who reportedly placed a bet on McIlroy while he was still a teen on winning the prestigious tournament. 

"His father, Gerry, and some of his father’s friends, who reportedly made a wager when McIlroy was still a teenager that he would win the Open within 10 years. Ladbrokes, a British-based gambling company, confirmed in a Twitter post that it would be paying out 180,000 pounds (about $310,000) to them." 

Nice work Rory! It's nice to see a talented, young golfer do well!

• Why does it already feel like the summer is slipping away? July 21, and its seems like we are rounding third on the summer thing. Am I right?  I dunno bloggers. BBQ's aren't tasting so great anymore and the weather lately has been undecided on summer. It's like it's not quite sure of what it wants. Maybe it's just me. What do you think?

To Market, To Market, Jiggidy Jig

Sometimes it's not easy being the mom.

I'm referring to the three wonderful and much-loved, people that comprise my immediate family and their eating habits.

Let's just say they have distinct and different tastes. This makes them and food shopping a huge pain in the ass. Which makes cooking the food I shop for a huge pain in the ass, also. Take for example, the logistics of the local supermarkets near my house. To the left is a shiny, clean, full of Whole Foods Supermarket. To the right is my tiny, local, well appointed but supremely expensive supermarket. Both of about equal distance from my home. Now, one would think that in today's day and age, savvy moms like me would buy organic, fresh and healthy food choices for their families and live happily ever after. Right?

Not in my house. I have to remind my daughter that Chips Ahoy is not a member of the four basic food groups. And my son that powdered doughnuts are for occasional treats, not a staple in a growing boy's diet. My Guy? He's worse than both of them because he thinks that Pop Tarts and a banana is the Breakfast of Champions. And I give up.

So then I think, I will lead by example. I will leave fresh fruits on the counter for my children to graze at when they arrive home from school. Wholesome nuts and occasional dried fruits accompany the fresh fruits.....along with green mold that builds up from not being eaten. Fresh veggies and poultry and or fish that I cook for dinner is becoming increasingly expensive when they ALL turn their noses up at it. Herein lies my problem.

I need to shop at the Whole Foods for my diet. I need the fresh produce, the healthy choices and now the sugar free options the super market provides. But I can't get Froot Loops at Whole Foods....I know what you're thinking. "You can get Organic Frootie O's at Whole Foods. They won't even know the difference."

Really, well I didn't go to school just to eat lunch. I tried that. Epic Fail.
Seriously, I've tried just about everything to get them to eat healthier and to no avail. What I find so hilarious is now, my daughter has decided she is going vegetarian. All of a sudden she will only eat veggies and pasta. Of course, Nutella on fruit and waffles and toast are fine, as well as her beloved Chips Ahoy. Oh yeah and Cheeseburgers have been deemed suitable for her vegetarian diet. I have to give her credit though, she will eat my veggies and she LOVES fish, but I wonder where the "I don't like milk, mom." is coming from.

AND she's the easy one...The other two? For the love of all that is green on God's earth, give me strength, because if it is not USDA Prime with potatoes and some gravy, they're not eating it. Which means I'm heading to two super markets a week and making, sometimes, two meals a night. I can't always eat what they eat and she's definitely not eating what they eat so I might as well hire a fricken chef because I'm EXHAUSTED!!

Am I nuts?

I'm going back to basics. I'm rolling all Old School on them and telling them that they will eat what I put in front of them and they will like it, or they won't eat at all. Let's see how that goes over. I can just imagine the revolt.

In the mean time, I will continue my almost daily trek through BOTH supermarkets. And like the song says.....sometimes it's nice to go where everybody knows your name.