bonding over zuchini

After reading to my boys tonite (Ronia the Robber's Daughter, by Astrid Lindgren) I was chatting with Mr.K and he was asking if we could have some alone time soon. I've been trying to make that happen, but life is so so busy right now I knew it wouldn't be happening too soon. He wasn't pleased. I quickly realized that his "cup runneth low " so to speak. He has been exceptionally grumpy lately and in that moment I understood why. Definitely some mama time needed.

I was explaining to him that if he wants time with me right now that the best way is to work alongside me bringing in the harvest and canning etc. Of course I will always be trying to fit in time for reading etc, but that way he could have more time, and I'd have more free time with the extra help. He perked up and pretty much begged to help me puree zuchini for freezing. Seriously. He begged. What's a mama to do? Begging to help? Sure why not :)

And so my boys ( because if one is getting up you bet the other will be too - especially at the prospect of using a knife ;) ) followed me downstairs quite excited to work with mama.

After chopping for a while he settled in to write the labels for me with his very best writing.

Mr.S was absolutely over the moon to be allowed to use the knife. He's been trying very hard to be patient with me for saying he's not ready to have his own knife yet ( i have my reasons which have a fair bit to do with a certain incident involving a pocket knife and a lovely self portrait of himself on the office wall at our chiropractor) He definitely understands now that he can't make art on people's walls but well....he's still not ready ;)

So yeah - he was very very keen to cut zuchini for me :)

I must say that he's getting much closer to being ready for that knife ;)

He did a great job and was obviously being very very careful.

(oh -and the hairdo? It's keeping his hair off the 8 or so stitches currently residing along his forehead at the hairline ;)

We got 14 bags of pureed zuchini tonite - which surprisingly enough Sascha informs me helps to make the best spaghetti sauce ;) (I agree btw :) ) I think that there's something about being involved with the preparation of said zuchini combined with the sweetness of staying up late to spend time with Mama, that has transformed that zuchini into something pretty darned special in his sweet blue eyes :)

What a transformation from cranky and complaining, to happy and loving zuchini ;)

I may just have to have some late night bonding over.......Kale ;)

Tonite my boys went to bed way past their bedtimes,

but their cups were good and full.