Green Bean Negotiations

Paul and I decided the kids weren't eating enough (read any) vegetables in their diets. In fact, their lunches this past week looks like this: corndogs, hamburgers, chicken strips, egg and biscuits, tater tots, and spaghetti without sauce. Not a veggie in sight - oh wait - can I count the tater tots? Technically, they are a vegetable right? Good, I'm not such a terrible mom after all. In reality, veggies have been offered at each meal, just not eaten. Today, we decided they had to at least eat one green bean to get up from the table. Gimli and Chasquida gulped down their green bean and got it over with. Huck was not so easily convinced. Seriously, peace talks were conducted with less negotiation. The following is a transcript of the Green Bean Talks of 2008:

Huck: But I don't want to eat a green bean.
Paul: Why not?
H: I don't know what it tastes like.
P. You don't know what the new Pizza Pringles taste like either but you'll try them.
H: I do too know what they taste like - pizza. It's on the can.
P: Well green beans taste like green beans - see it's on the can.
H: But I don't know what a green bean tastes like!!! (getting very frustrated)
Chasquida: They taste like water and green bean. (she's so helpful)
H: I like water, but I don't think I'll like green bean.
Me: They taste like green french fries.
All kids: Ewwww!
H: I hate green french fries!
P: They don't taste like green french fries - they're kind of salty and maybe a little bit like butter.
Ch: They're also furry. (again - so helpful)
H: What! I'm not eating anything with fur on it! I hate furry food!!
Gimli: You eat hamburgers - they have fur on them.
H: Nuh - uh. They do not!
Gimli: Yes they do - hamburgers are cows and cows are furry.
H: Oh right. I don't like hamburgers anymore.
P: Green beans are NOT FURRY!
Me: Well, technically, they are a little bit fuzzy.
H: Fuzzy is almost as bad as furry (now almost teary)
P: Thank you Dixie. So far, your contribution has been that they taste like fuzzy green french fries.
Me: You know what, come to think of it, I don't think I like green beans that much either.
P: (sigh....)
H: I definitely don't like green beans.
P: If you won't eat a green bean, you'll have to eat another vegetable.
H: I like carrot sticks
P: Really! You'll eat a carrot stick? Dixie, Get the man a carrot stick!
H: Wait. These are skinny carrots. I only eat the fat carrots.
P: What? Eat your skinny carrot.
H: But I don't know what the skinny carrots taste like....