Do Army Guys Wear This?
Issue No. 3
A note before we begin:
This week, while cleaning up the toys, Tommy tossed a car on the floor in front of me, smiled, and asked if I wanted to play “cleanup guy” in a fun game. He thinks tidying his toys is a game I enjoy. Filed formally, for the record, I don’t.
SECTION 1: TASKS COMPLETED
This week’s outputs:
Tommy (age 5):
Steve is landscaping our backyard, so it’s a giant pile of dirt; Tommy is in heaven. Our yard is filled with real and toy construction vehicles. With a fleet of Tonka trucks, Tommy spends hours digging and building tracks, and if he gets hold of the hose, he floods the yard, making rivers of mud. The house is filled with dirt, but it’s genuinely delightful to watch the boys enjoy unlimited dirt. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to the yard being hydroseeded with grass.
Tommy has become particular about his clothing, always asking, “Do army guys wear this?” as he gets dressed each morning in his preferred camo and cargo pockets (army attire). Once in camo, he asks, “Can you see me?” Camouflage, to him, equals invisibility. Because of his unique sartorial preferences, I let him choose his clothes. This week at Walmart, with limited camo options, he chose a Tonka Truck outfit, runners, and knock-off Crocs in a surprising colour combination of blue, white, and black. He was happy with his picks, and I was happy with the prices. And yes, army guys love Tonka trucks, and of course, army guys wear blue; they are called navy guys.
Marty & Mikey (age 20 months):
After noticing an unusual discharge from Marty’s ear (TMI?)1, I took him to the doctor. Only the Emergency Room was available that day, with a three-hour wait. After being triaged, I asked whether we could come back tomorrow, but the nurse advised against that, so we waited. After 3 hours wrangling a toddler who had missed his nap, Marty passed out from sheer exhaustion right before the doctor came in, which actually made the exam easier. Antibiotics were prescribed. Marty seems happier now. Please, this must be the end of the 2026 cold-and-flu season. It must be.
Mikey, at only 20 months old, turned on the TV and upgraded our Prime Video account to ad-free. I still don’t know how he did it, so the upgrade remains until I figure out how to reverse it. To note: keep track of streaming subscriptions.
While walking with the twins, I came across a free water table at the end of someone’s driveway. I loaded it onto my giant double stroller and took it home. It kept the boys occupied for a solid 30 minutes. I love finding free stuff.
We made it to gymnastics class. It was exactly what you’d expect from a group of children aged 18 to 30 months. I’m glad I wore athleisure; I definitely got a workout. I’m the mom who signs her kids up for all the activities, not because I think they’re future Olympians (at least not yet), but to get out of the house, talk to adults, and tire them out so they fall asleep on the drive home. Though I’ve met many local twin moms on Facebook, I have never seen them in any of the numerous classes and groups I attend each week. I wonder why?
Household:
On Tuesday, Steve asked what I did all day, assuming I hadn’t gone to the grocery store because he couldn’t find frozen berries. After explaining where they were hidden (his words), I reiterated that yes, I do do things, hence this newsletter.
This week I cleaned the kitchen, put away toys, vacuumed, did dishes, and did laundry. Again.
I’m exhausted. After a winter of illness and constant interrupted sleep, sometimes I just want to lie down. On Wednesday, I had six child-free hours, which I spent doing nothing productive. It was glorious.
Rolled over to next week: Research quality tractor toy, create oven function cheat sheet (see on-the-job learning).
SECTION 2: ON THE JOB LEARNING
Key Insights & Field Observations:
On meal planning: This week, I planned meals, made a grocery list, and went shopping. Meal planning led to my most functional week of cooking since going on leave. We had tortellini with prosciutto and peas, roasted garlic bread chicken thighs (delicious!), Caesar salad (not from a kit), and creamy Tuscan chicken. Next week, I’ll be sure to diversify my protein options.
By Saturday, I was out of steam, so we went to White Spot for dinner. Sunday, after the never-ending day in the Emergency Room, Steve made tacos from an Old El Paso kit, a pantry staple. I love tacos.
The lesson: meal planning works. Starting strong and ending with a taco kit is still a win.
On quality toys: Following Marty’s ongoing interest in farm animals and vehicles, I purchased a farm set from Amazon for $30. It included three tractors, trailers, and farm animals. All tractors and trailers were broken within 24 hours. My key takeaway: generic toy sets often lack durability, while name-brand toys (Tonka, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, etc.) that have been around for generations are built to last. I am now wondering if Tonka makes a tractor. I will report back.
On the new oven: I’m getting used to my new induction stove and convection oven. The stove is fast; you can’t walk away from it. I mean it; do not walk away from that pot. The oven has a ton of different settings, most of which I don’t understand. My old oven adjusted temperatures by 25 degrees for convection baking; this one does not, which may explain the blondie fiasco. Key takeaway: know your kitchen appliances and adjust accordingly. To do: print a cheat sheet on oven operations and add it to the fridge command centre, which I am definitely using.
SECTION 3: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Progress Report: Becoming the Homemaker I Am Not Yet
This week, I meal planned. Properly. I sat down, chose the recipes, made the grocery list, and executed almost everything without a crisis. It felt like a turning point.
I also bought a small bouquet of tulips for the kitchen counter. This turned out to be one of the more unexpectedly useful things I have done. The flowers were so pretty that I didn’t want them surrounded by clutter, so I cleaned the kitchen to give them the backdrop they deserved. The tulips became a centrepiece. The centrepiece motivated the cleaning. The clean kitchen motivated the cooking.
Martha Stewart says to clean the kitchen every night. I am beginning to understand why. When the kitchen is clean, I am more inclined to cook in it. When I cook in it, I feel more capable. When I feel more capable, I am a better version of the homemaker I am becoming.
All I needed was a $5 bunch of tulips.
Do you meal plan? How far in advance do you plan, and what’s your system? I’m still figuring mine out. Subscribe for free and leave a comment below. Always looking for advice.
SECTION 4: CASE STUDY
Comparative Analysis — Domestic Portrayal vs. Field Reality
Subject: Bree Van de Kamp, Desperate Housewives, all seasons This week’s parallel: The apron question
Since I started watching Desperate Housewives, I have become slightly obsessed with Bree’s aprons. They are beautiful, always pristine, always complementing her outfit and chore, never dirty. I want more aprons.
For context: I come from what my cousin once described as the ‘spilling family’. My brother, sister, and I spill things. Constantly. I splash, splatter, and ruin clothes with a frequency that suggests it may be genetic. An apron is not a decorative choice for me. It is protective equipment.
But here is the truth: if I buy beautiful aprons, I will ruin them. I know this about myself. Bree’s aprons are pristine because Bree is Bree. I am not Bree.
So instead, I will take inspiration from another domestic icon: Ina Garten, who famously wears an oversized denim shirt all the time. Practical, unfussy, and already hanging in my closet. I own several. They make excellent cooking attire and, as it turns out, excellent child-wrangling attire too.
Fancy aprons may be in my future. But perhaps when the children are older, and their hands are not so sticky.
Applicability rating: 6/10 I love the look. I know my limitations.
Key takeaway: Dress for the job you have, not the job you want. The denim shirt stays.
That’s the report for this week. The house is still standing. The children are fed. Tommy thinks cleanup is a game.
See you next week.
To my mom and all the other grandmas reading this, TMI stands for “too much information”, and BTW (by the way 😉), shoutout to all the grandmas reading this. So far, you have been my most encouraging and supportive readers. Thank you! 💕
Meal planning makes everything easier! Aaron and I have been doing it for years, and it helps keep our grocery bill in check. By the end of the week, the fridge is usually empty because we only bought what we needed.
I still spill everything, and I break a lot of stuff as well... Aaron has accepted this is his life with me...