More Tomato Tales

The last of the tomatoes are coming in and late yesterday afternoon I picked what will probably be my final bucketful for this year. I thought I was just in time to make one last batch of homemade spaghetti sauce until I realized I didn't have any tomato paste in the cupboard. With two little ones to bathe, read a stack of books too, and tuck in good-night, I decided venturing out to the grocery store would have to wait until tomorrow. So, I left the bright red 5-gallon bucket of tomatoes carefully placed beside the refrigerator in the kitchen.

This morning I really struggled to get motivated. I knew the tomatoes were waiting in the red bucket in the kitchen and I kept telling myself I'd get to them soon...

Soon as the 3-year-old quit throwing legos at his brother. Soon as I mopped up the spilled milk that the little one was eagerly "fingerpainting" with on the kitchen table. Soon as I found out what happened to the little one's missing sock. Soon as I made sure a lego or the missing sock hadn't inadvertently been flushed down the toilet...

As I retrieved the plunger from the toilet and a gleefully squealing toddler escaped past me, I figured I would get to the spaghetti sauce soon...very soon. Ok. The toilet emergency was a false alarm and I was just about ready to put the kids in the car and venture out into public when....

Soon, I heard two peels of laughter and one rambunctious 3-year-old shouting, "Mommy, me are having fun! Me are having fun! Me are playing ball!"

Yep. You probably guessed what the boys were playing ball with.

Here's a funny question for ya...how many tomatoes can two little boys throw across the kitchen and living room in say, all about ten seconds?

5? Nah. Way too few!

10? You're so cold there's icebergs on your toes!

20? Getting warmer.

Last count in rounding them all up? I think it was around 32!

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. How can two little boys do that so quickly? Here's another perspective. Do you know how mad you can get as you round up 32 tomatoes and mop up tomato juice and tomato seeds from the floor, the walls, the carpet, and two little children who have seeds coming out of their ears and their noses?

I was admittedly a tad bit upset and very nearly turned into the Devil Woman Tomato herself again. However, after a stern lecture I quickly got over it. My mother used to say that the punishment should fit the crime.

So, can you guess what my little ones had for lunch today?

Yep. Half sliced and half squished tomato sandwiches.

In our house, food is to eat - not to throw on the floor. However, if you intentionally throw it on the floor you still have to eat it. Depending on what it is, you might also just have to clean it up...can you tell by the "house rules" that we've gone over this at least a time or two?

Needless to say, I think I know two little boys who will probably not be playing ball in the house again, at least with tomatoes.

As I angrily pureed tomatoes at lunchtime, I had to smile. The happy 3-year-old seated at the kitchen table grinned up at me with tomato juice dripping all down his face and all over his clothes. In between mouthfuls he said, "Mommy me is not playing ball. Me is eating tomatoes!" Then, he wanted to know what I was doing and if he could help make "sketty sauce" too.

Sure is hard to stay mad even hours later when I'm still stepping on tiny tomato seeds as I walk through the kitchen. Now, it's getting late and those two balls of energy are sleeping soundly. The stove is on low and there are two large pots gently simmering that I stop what I'm doing to stir occasionally.

Soon, I'll call it a day...soon as the spaghetti sauce is done.