A Long Overdue Introduction

Hi, I’m Katrina, the incredible talent (cough) behind Kitchen Trials, and this is me right now.

Ok, actually, that was me 15 minutes ago. I took the picture to start off the post, then that little bundle hanging off my chest wouldn’t stop fussing after a day of throwing up on everything, so I needed to do laps around our staircase until she fell asleep. She’s having an off day, fighting a bug I think, but this means she’s only happy if I’m holding her, which is why I’ve had to do everything with her hanging off my front. Everything. Let that sink in for a second.

I’ll be the first to admit that my blog has been lacking lately. It’s for a bunch of reasons. The first is directly linked to that cutie up above (not me, but you’re sweet for thinking that). I had nine months of being sick (thank you, mother nature, for ensuring that after three the baby fever has left my uterus). That was followed by a very scary emergency c-section, followed by a slightly untypical healing process, and the demands of a newborn. Good times this last year.

The second reason is that I wanted to change things up, but was hesitating. I want to write how I actually speak, but I’ve held off because I am sure to offend people. I’ve decided I don’t care.

I have a mouth that rivals a truckers. A serious problem with “the swears”. I’m working on it, but it’ll never completely disappear. So, now you’ve been warned. There will more than likely be some swears in upcoming posts. Especially if I screw something up on the bbq this weekend. I also don’t do a lot of things like other people. For instance, instead of telling my children to behave during the day, I encourage them to climb to the top of monkey bars and swing down by themselves.

On that note, I figured it was time to REALLY introduce you to me, and the rest of the crazies that I’m in charge of.

This is Oliver. He’s my first born and he’s adorable. Seriously, I could look at those eyes all day. He’s also a little batshit crazy, in the best way. Not a day goes by that this kid isn’t dressed up as a superhero or knight, or running around the house like a velociraptor. He’s really good at that too, the velociraptor mimicking. He’s funny as all hell, and can literally draw better than I can. Significantly better. And I was a graphic designer (I can muddle something together on a computer, but putting pen to paper results in disaster). He’s also a massive perfectionist. If you ever meet him and he asks you to draw him a picture, say no. He’ll make you cry otherwise.

This is our Anna. No middle child syndrome with this one, she’d never let it happen. The focus is always on her; her singing; her dancing; her talking; did I mention her singing? I can’t remember the last time she was awake and quiet for more than 2 minutes. Her nickname is The Tank, because she’s indestructible. She got a black eye last week and, I shit you not, she healed over night. She went from huge bruise and black eye, to nothing, in 7 hours of sleep. She loves digging around in my closet, buying shoes, wearing pretty dresses, and singing. Mostly Frozen right now. She’s also insanely smart, to the point where it’s scary. I do nothing to encourage or advance this, and yet, every week she’s picking up something else. I mean, she’s two and a half and she’s starting to read. She’s also huge, nearly as big as Oliver. This is sure to cause problems soon. She is going to beat the crap out of him one of these days.

And that adorable creature? That is Sophie. She was born on Valentines Day just 11 short weeks ago, how fitting for such a sweet, calm little thing. She is pretty darn happy and easy, one of those babies that can sit quietly in your lap for hours just watching the world go by. I’m enjoying it while it lasts because I know that as soon as she’s big enough to play with those other two tornado’s, she’ll be just like them.

So, that’s my life now. Three kids who take up every spare second of my day. There’s also my husband Bo. We’ve been married for 6 years now, but together for a LOT longer, 14 years. Who says high school sweethearts don’t last:

That’s him in the red out for dinner with my family, most likely for my birthday. Who doesn’t love Chinese food? Well, except for Bo.

Here he is realizing that those vows we just said we legit. “What, you mean we’re REALLY married?”

Ok, there he is being adorable with Anna when she was just a little thing. I am incredibly lucky that he picked me, and stayed with me, even after he found out how weird I am.

Before this life I was a graphic designer, for I think about 7 years, until I started staying home with the kids full time. It was also at that time I realized I was going to have to get a lot better at cooking to make this work. One income means we can’t just run out for dinner whenever we want (which was pretty much all the time before the kids). It also meant I had to learn to cook on a budget. Good times ahead I tell you. There’s still a learning curve going here, but I’m getting better at it, and there have been a lot fewer screw ups. Ok, that last sentence is a lie. Two nights ago I had to throw away an entire pot of cauliflower because I cooked it too long and it turned to mush. Seriously, who can’t cook cauliflower? I was just steaming it…

So, welcome to the *New* Kitchen Trials. There’ll be less pictures because I just do not have the time to edit them, more swears, and hopefully more laughs. Recipes would be good too. More recipes.

And, not to be outdone (because while carousels are fun, they’re also for babies), long live the tilt-a-whirl!