I am a pretty good cook, obnoxious as that may be to state about oneself. My children, however, have zero appreciation for my culinary prowess. Ava is learning to expand her palate and she will graciously try whatever is placed on her plate. She is finding more and more foods she likes. Phineas, however, is a different story. Getting Phin to take one bite of any food he's decided he won't like is akin to torture....for us, not him. The kid would live off hotdogs, cheese sticks, and mac n cheese if we left him. He'll dip anything he likes in ketchup from french fries to strawberries. He has a picky palate, but it is a palate completely baffling to the rest of the human population.

Tonight I made chicken chili. It is one thing I guarantee you I am good at making. It's awesome. I've not met a person who has tried it and disliked it. Today, both kids were hesitant to try it. Ava did so without complaint, however, when instructed to do so and, of course, found it to be tasty, but a bit spicy. Phin would not eat one bean. We finally got him to "taste" it....which was a small nightmare. The kid wouldn't put it in his mouth, he barely licked the bean and acted as if he'd been severely poisoned. I wish we would have video taped it- we definitely could have had a YouTube sensation on our hands. Our deal was if he tasted it and still didn't like it he could have a sandwich. He was convinced he'd given it a fair taste. We conceded that he could have a sandwich.

so...instead of a healthy, home cooked meal, Phin chose to eat a Peanut Butter, Jelly, Bologna, and Cheese sandwich. Yes one sandwich. And yes, though, he wouldn't eat it one bean, he ate his entire sandwich.