One thing I've always expected from everyone in my house, is that we share meals. I don't care what anyone is doing otherwise, but meal times are when we all gather at the table and sit down, sharing about our days and reminiscing about days gone by.During the week, breakfast is eaten at whatever time the person wakes up. Usually I am up every day at 7am so I have mine alone, my husband doesn't really eat breakfast just has his coffee, Nicholas is up around 8am and makes himself something to eat, and Miss Jasmine is the teen who will sleep all day, if we don't fight with her to get up.
She is also not a breakfast person at all, doesn't like eating in the morning and goes many days with just lunch and dinner.
Lunch during the week is also eaten at different times, it just goes by whenever one gets hungry.
But dinner, week or weekend is eaten at the table, every day at 5:30pm, no ifs ands or buts about it. And if you're not very hungry, that is perfectly fine, but you will sit there with the rest of the family.
I find it imperative that meals are shared at the dinner table. In this day and age where everything is so fast paced and families seem to move more and more away from each other, doing things together is dwindling....for that reason, I think we need to make sure that we keep the lines of communication open.
Even if just once a week, sit down with your family and talk, really talk.
Sunday breakfast has always been a pretty big deal for us. My husband and I fix it together, we chat, we flirt, we pick on each other, we laugh, it is just time for us to connect.
We tend to make a pretty big breakfast, actually it is more of a brunch. For the past year since moving out of Arizona, and then having the family with us for 8 months etc, we stopped doing the Sunday breakfast. With 8 people it wasn't doable.
Since moving into this new house, we also haven't been doing it, we were busy moving in and getting settled and just never got around to it.
Today, we decided it's time to get back into the game. I usually make the majority of the food, but my husband does the omelettes and I love them. He makes really good ones, on the griddle. Yes, on the griddle.
I can't do it, but he can.
Don't ask, I have no clue, but he has mastered it, and the best thing is that he can make a few at a time, and as they finish, he pushes them to the side and leaves them on the griddle to keep warm. The man is a genius, I tell you!This morning as we sat down to eat, we all started talking about days gone by. The conversation actually veered onto old cartoons that the kids used to watch.
I fondly remember Jasmine really loving Sagwa the Chinese Cat, Rolie Polie Olie, Bear in the Big Blue House, Blues Clues, PB and J Otter, Miss Spider, Little Bear, Franklin, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast and many more.
It almost brings tears to my eyes because I remember these so well, can still sing the theme songs and even tell you about some of the episodes.
As Nicholas came along, 4 years later, the kid cartoons started changing, and not for the better, mind you. At the time he was obsessed with Dora (never much cared for her), but Blues Clues was already finishing and many of the others that Jasmine had enjoyed, were gone for good.
We were talking about how much cartoons for little ones have changed over the years, and how the current cartoons are horrible. I am quite glad that my kids are both much older now and not into the little cartoons because I honestly don't know what I would let them watch, or if they would even enjoy any of these.
The only show that I think my kids would enjoy, would have to be Peter Rabbit. But then, that reminds me of the older shows so that might be why.
We sat at the table, we enjoyed yummy food and we talked and laughed and reminisced. The kids still remember quite a lot of the episodes from their favorite shows and they told us about them. Some were so funny, I still remember them. My husband still enjoys cartoons with the kids, and they all had a blast talking back and forth and laughing as they remembered funny episodes from shows they all sat down to watch together.
I love it.I sat there quietly for a moment, just taking it in, just watching them interacting and it was almost like I was transported back in time to when my kids were toddlers. Times that have gone by, times that will never return, but times that I will forever be etched on my heart.
Sometimes that is all the kids want, just some undivided attention, some reminders of their childhood and the good times they had. Kids are so pressured nowadays to be the best they can be, to behave a certain way, to do certain things, it's stressful for a child and I think as parents, if we can just keep them grounded and keep them connected to the real meaning of family, we are doing them a huge favor.
So next time you're all sitting at the table, bring up days gone by, you will be surprised what the kids remember and what they will tell you were some of their favorite things about their childhood.
Here's a look at the rest of my day:
I plan on getting into the kitchen and baking up some goodies. I've mentioned before how Sundays are my baking days or replenishing days, I look through the pantry and anything that is running low, I replenish.
I also make any dessert that I've been either craving or wanting to try, or need for review etc.
Shortbread
Lemon Bars
Not sure if I'll get to all of this, but at least some of them, definitely the Chocolate Chip Cookies which the family have been begging for the past few days.
I should do laundry, but I am going to leave it for tomorrow, I honestly don't feel like tossing laundry around today.
We had a big breakfast and that will keep us until this afternoon. I'm sure I'll snack on something around 3pm or so, usually I have a cup of green tea or coffee and a cookie.
Dinner tonight will be Chicken Ham and Cheese Rolls, Mashed Potatoes and Salad.
Curt and the kids watched the first Lord of the Rings movies. Jasmine still hadn't seen it, so she enjoyed it. This afternoon, they are watching the second movie.
I'm not a huge fan, so I am going to take that time to do my kitchen baking. I'll probably watch a documentary while I'm doing that.
Last night I watched Hampton Court Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace, it was fascinating.
For today, I plan on watching The White Queen (Carrie had asked me if I watched it, and yes I watched a few episodes but not all, so thank you for reminding me of this series).
I also want to watch the second episode of the Outlander. Loved the first.
Not sure what I'll watch tonight, but probably something still along the lines of Henry VIII. I know, I know, I'm still so into it at the moment.
