Often, day to day schedules just don’t happen like you plan them, especially with kids.
Sometimes, they go exactly how you plan them, but it’s the next few days that go array.
A few days ago, I shared about my temporary cooking rut, and how I really wanted my bulk baking/cooking day to help me climb on out of that mealtime madness hole.
I spent time baking, grilling, mashing, and cooking only to have the majority of the food that was prepared…GONE…three days later!
As a mom of five blessings, three of them teenage boys, I know a little something about cooking for large groups, but I won’t make excuses and say this was part of the plan.
I doubled the Shepherds Pie…one to freeze, one to eat – both pans eaten at nearly one sitting. The ten pounds of mashed potatoes used to top that shepherd’s pie with some left over to freeze for my gourmet freezer potatoes…gone. I baked three loaves of Easy Zucchini-Banana Bread…gone in two days. (Although, it’s a foolproof recipe, even when you forget the butter.) I grilled ten pounds of chicken and beef…only one small zip lock bag left.
All this to say…it’s STILL worth it.
I cherish the time that I spent in the kitchen with my girl, and know that this kind of meal making modeling with reap rewards that last a lifetime.
I cherish the time that my boys sat around our candlelight dinner table three nights in a row with a plethora of food and a precious husband reminding me…”They are growing boys, you can make some more.” I needed that reminder. They will be out of the house before I know it and then I will regret rationing food so much.
I cherish the time that conversation was savored and shared with grandparents, and because of my Saturday preparation, I could whip together a Monday night meal in minutes because the chicken was already grilled, sliced and ready to serve for chicken salad.
I cherish the time I spent stockpiling groceries this week. It’s not often you purchase thirty boxes of groceries for a “Hamilton,” and it certainly offsets this weekend.
So even though our best laid plans may or may not be executed, are you still Cherishing the Journey along the way? These moments are flying by, and we can not redeem the time.
Posted at Melissa’s Inspired Room
That is so true, Jen. Time is one of our most precious resources and it needs to be cherished. Great post!
What a wonderful reminder. I have 3 boys, but they are very young and I need to remember to cherish these days, for I hear they go by too fast!
such a good post. I don’t have boys, but food still tends to disappear quickly in my house (C:
That is seriously the WORST! When you make tons of food and it’s gone faster than you expect. Good job finding a positive spin to it.
I would be so happy if everything was gobbled up in my house! What a blessing to have that big family and them loving your cooking. I have only 2 left at home and I do miss those days of food disappearing. I have yet to figure out how to cook less or to cook more:)
Ok – you inspired me. I will plan ahead and stock up so that I’m more prepared to enjoy those spontaneous moments … and let my teenage boy eat more. 🙂
Hi Jen,
As the mother of 3 now grown and flown young men I can really relate to what you are saying. Our home was always filled with hungry young people during my sons growing up years. I have many “adopted through love” sons and daughters that found there way to our home at all hours of the day and night that needed a place to feel loved, be encouraged and to be fed. As a “mom to many” I found myself cooking up huge stock pots full of spaghetti, chili, soups and stews along with making 4 loaves or more of bread just for the weekends. I knew that a hungry crowd would be sprawled out across our home playing games, laughing and eating. During the week, I made extras knowing that we most likely would have some more people join us for dinner. I look back on those days fondly and still enjoy all of my “kids” stopping by saying “Hi Mom!” and feeding them all over again and loving on them.
Be blessed!
Hmsclmom
Ah…this blessed my heart because this is what I SO desire for our home. Sometimes I get my undies in a bundie about food costs and I remember that those few extra bucks do not make their mark on eternity. Thanks for the special message to us still in the trenches. 🙂
@hmsclmom, I am trying to relax about letting the kids have friends over, but where do you get the stamina?! I am always exhausted by the time they all go home! I have four children, ages 5-19, and I am not the greatest housekeeper in the world, so I probably need to get a bit more organized or something. I really admire all of you families who open your homes to the kids! I am reading and watching and trying to learn!!!
And Jen, you are a ray of sunshine and such a blessing! I loved this post, you always make my day!!
I’m not the greatest housekeeper either but learned that the kids did not care…they were just here for the love!
Hi Jen, love this post! And so glad you are cherishing those moments because you are right, they will be gone in a blink of an eye! And I have used your “dinner by candlelight” and my family LOVES it! We also play “dinner games” sometimes (which they also love) kind of like your conversation jar! 🙂
Kristi
It was a dream come true for this mom, to have our kids and their friends come though our home! Wouldn’t trade all that food (freezer and cupboard full) for the treasured memories at all. Boys flying through, stuffing themselves with cold leftover casseroles…too busy to be bothered with plates or heating! Girls trying to be dainty as they wolfed down the food. Lots of giant bowls of veggies sticks and popcorn and chips. Who can count the meals for those precious ones soon to be men and women off to school, job, marriage and war? Who cares! And they still bring friends home today!
Miss those days. 🙂
Linda