There was a time, when the girls were two and three, that we dreamed of the day when they’d be 10 and 11, able to sit at the table and place food in their own mouths while filling us in on their days. Now that we’re finally here — avert your eyes, new parents — we realize that our dream was a mirage, that life finds a way of constantly moving the goalposts on you. Family dinner is still chaotic, only the challenges have shifted from the physical to the logistical. And, March and April, for us — with the girls deeply entrenched in two spring sports — is the most chaotic time of year. As we’ve detailed more than once on this blog, practices don’t end until 7.30 p.m., which means that, most nights, dinner doesn’t happen until the (very European) hour of 8.30 p.m. When you’re dealing with an overstuffed activities schedule, it’s crucial to have a few strategiesthat make a solid dinner possible. Here are three we will be relying on all season long.