Rachael Ray

They drink milk, eat yogurt and cheese.

We also drink calcium enriched juice. I sneak spinach into their pasta so that also helps.

I have three children -  they are 10, 8, and 4.

We try to stick to a routine.  After school we have afterschool activities, homework, dinner and free time.  After 8:30 we have room time where everyone reads or listens to books on tape (4 yr old) Sometimes the older girls read to the 4 year old.  On school nights lights are out by 9.  On weekends they do not have a specific bedtime, unless they don't behave.  That is the ideal.  However, if I am running late I sometimes don't manage to get them to bed on time.  Bed time used to be earlier.  Now that the girls are older I realized I had to delay bedtime because they did not need as much sleep.  If they behave well during the week, we have family night on Thursday and we watch a tv show together until 9pm.  However they must go directly to bed and lights out immediately on that day. 

My biggest challenge is getting them to listen to me the first time I say something.  I find myself repeating myself often. 

My younger ones eat or at least taste everything.  My eldest is picky.  I get her to eat vegetables by turning the vegetables into a sauce by cooking them, blending them, pouring the vegetable sauces over pasta and giving the pasta fun names.  They all love it, it is quick, easy and I can make it with any vegetables even spinach. 

When I shop at my local supermarket  I try to buy only what is on sale.   I stock up on the sale items.  I usually don't have to buy those items again till they are on sale again.   I also shop at Costco.  I never thow out food - I always incorporate leftovers into the next day's dinner or lunch.
 

I keep a photo of them at work.  I also have extra pictures in my bag.  My eldest child has a cell phone and I speak to the kids briefly after school.   
 

I cook with my children.  I teach them old recipies, passed down from my grandmothers.  I also go through old photos  from when they were children and when I was a child and tell them stories about those pictures. 

I call a friend and we share stories - we usually cheer each other up.  We remind each other what a great parent the other is.  We also remind each other that every parent at one point or another has feelings of inadequacy.  Otherwise I get the children to their rooms early and I watch a comedy or a sitcom. 

That has become increasingly difficult.  The older they get the more paper we seem to have.  I also have an overwhelming amount of paper for the business. I have finally come up with a decent system. I have a cubby for each child. They put their paperwork for school there. The fourth cubby is for important paperwork that needs to be signed or sent back to school. At the beginning of the school year when we receive the school calendar I put all the holidays and ½ days in my Blackberry. The children each have a homework journal that the school supplies. It helps them stay organized because they put their homework assignments in there and any important events they want to remember. 

Pasta with squash sauce, mixed vegetables, chicken cutlets, and apples.   Yes we did eat together.

My favorite part of being a mother is witnessing their firsts.  First experiences are amazing.  Like the first time they saw a Broadway show.   The first time they went to Disneyworld.  The first time they realized the difference between night and day.  Or when they make connections and start thinking abstract thoughts.  I am overjoyed when I see them enjoying themselves.  I never thought I could experience such happiness by witnessing the happiness of my children. 
 

I have so many but recently, after seeing the dentist we learned that my daughter needed to wear a night brace.  I explained to the other two that they were not allowed to make fun of their sister.  My four year old thought for a moment and said, "OK, can I just laugh at her then?"

Pasta with broccoli sauce and steak.
 

Sometimes a sandwich, sometimes pasta. Fruit with Nutella or peanut butter for dipping.

If they have a cold, soup always works. If they are sick to their stomachs they have pasta with a little olive oil and Parmesan. White rice is another great option.