On the days that I actually act like a "proper" housewife and cook my family a "proper" homemade meal, rarely do I actually get to eat it while it is still hot.
A typical dinner would be the rush of the short order cooking, dishing up everyone's meals, pause for prayer, sit down to eat..... oh- wait, the 2-year-old needs a new fork. Now, I can eat.
Oops. Forgot the kids' milk. Ok. Done.
Now milk spills. Clean-up time.
Finally, sit down, raise first now-luke-warm bite to mouth....interruption....."I gotta go potty......"
Help 2-year-old, come back to eat. Now, 4-year-old needs second servings. The baby needs nursed. Eventually, usually after everyone else is nearing completion of their meal, I begin mine.
After almost 5 years of my housewife gig, daddy dearest has started to notice this mealtime regime, and is enforcing the "wait for mom before you eat" rule. But, then everyone's meals end up cold- so, I tell them to go ahead.
Is this just my house? Is this normal? Why, when it comes to dinnertime, am I always left on the back burner?
Then, there are the simple meals.
A peanut butter sandwich for the kids:
The remnants that I eat:
Again, is this just me? Hopefully not- or this challenge is going to leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Man, I am on a roll with all of these foodisms.
CHALLENGE........Bon Appetit
Treat yourself to a luxury meal. For me, this means sitting at the table, (not standing at the counter with a baby on my hip), and eating fresh food. Fresh as in, immediately after it is prepared- not when everyone else is prepared for me to enjoy it.
Make something that YOU like to eat. (gasp)
Serve yourself first. (bigger gasp)
Back in my career days, most meals were spent at my desk or stuffing my face between stoplights while going to see clients. Imagine going to a restaurant or even a shady park and actually relaxing for a quick break. Most of us spend so much time serving others- this is the week to serve ourselves- or at least our stomachs.
I might even eat breakfast before 10 a.m. It might even be something more than a few handfuls of dry cereal or scrambled eggs (not handfuls of eggs, in case you were confused. Except, actually, I guess I do technically pick the leftover bits out of the pan after I dish up the kids' plates). I wonder if my body will go into shock from being fed well and on a somewhat scheduled basis this week?!
What is your favorite meal? When was the last time you actually got to eat it? How about the last time you got to enjoy it?
I stumbled upon your blog for the first time this morning, and oh BOY am I glad to see it! I relate SO WELL to this one!!! I can't REMEMBER the last time I got to eat WHILE the rest of my family ate.. I have a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old, and what you described is precisely how dinner goes for us. These days I work evenings to supplement our financial situation, so I get to run off to work while my family is eating dinner... without me. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE BREAKFAST...YUM, YUM, YUM. I just need to get myself going early enough to be able to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! Have you been peeking in our windows at dinner time? This is dead on! I don't know how to feed myself before feeding my children first...guess there's a first time for everything! I'm on board for this one. And the last meal I REALLY enjoyed was last week at our monthly GNO (Girls' Night Out). We went to Texas Roadhouse, and I had pulled pork and ribs, with a loaded baked potato and three diet cokes :) YUM!
ReplyDeleteHA HA! I love it! I only have a 11 month old so I do get hot food sometimes, she is pretty good and entertained in her highchair most of the time... but i loved this post made me laugh out loud! Thanks!!! its a good way to start a morninG!
ReplyDeleteWow, you are right on!! I think the last time I ate a "hot" meal, not cold was when I had my last baby, 9 months ago and my mom served me first :) Wow, I am excited to serve myself first :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband works very long hours, so I have to admit that dinner time is my most guarded time of the day. I take a lot of pre-emptive strikes to make sure that when I finally get to sit down, I am down for good!!! But it has taken years to get to that point - I don't think it started happening until about 2 years ago (that's after 7 years of marriage and our oldest was about 6). So, don't lose hope and don't give up trying, dinner time is our best time together as a family and WE ALL deserve to be there together. (Same goes for all of you)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty strict about dinner time. If the baby's fussy - she sits in her crib until I'm done. If the 2-year-old needs something, he has to wait until dinner is over...or get it himself. My husband and I sit across from eachother and talk and share and eat together and it is wonderful. If I spend 30-40 minutes preparing a meal, I am going to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI love breakfast, especially French Toast!! Anytime morning, noon, or night I will eat French toast whenever! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what my favorite meal is. I haven't thought about it in soo long...hold on I have to think.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy breakfast. I really do. Thanks. I haven't thought about that in awhile...like years!
And pizza but that doesn't count.
We don't have a dining room table in our little house, in the dining room. It's upstairs holding a TV. In our dining room in a piano. BUT when we move in six month....it's one of my requirements.
Thank you for this challenge. I needed it!
oh man, my favorite meal would have to be... are you ready for this? Mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn, side salad with tomatoes cheese and the yummy italian seasoned croutons with ranch dressing, homemade rolls, and a big yummy fall apart juicy roast! Whew! I am drooling right now! Please don't judge me for having a big appeteite!!!! :) I haven't had that since LAST summer, pre baby and pre pregnancy. I miss it but just thinking about cooking all that food makes me tired! Haha! I've started making more of the boxed meals now.. you know, mac and cheese sort of dinners! Uh yuck! I'm excited for this challenge!
ReplyDeleteI love my food so much that I pretty much make sure that my mealtime needs come before the kids' mealtime needs, at every meal. I dish everyone up, we have prayer, then everyone starts eating, including me. 1-year-old pretty much feeds himself. If he needs help, he gets it between my fully-enjoyed mouthfuls. 3-year-old feeds herself. That's pretty much the way it's always been around here. Like another commenter said - if I'm going to make dinner, I'm going to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI love to eat breakfast for dinner... my husband hates it... too bad Dale... I'm making it for dinner tomorrow! (and i'm eating it while it's hot!)
ReplyDeleteLOVED your last post! It's not all sunshine and roses, is it? After all the crap- I can really see when we're happy. I think EVERY couple will go through their own crap eventually. I'm really grateful that we had our major struggles early on. (knock on wood!) Now we know we're tough, and happy, and really in love.
I don't have kids yet...so its not that hard for me. But I have started a challenge for myself to make hot meals for me and my husband every night! I'm on my second week and my hubby loves it! Its a time for us to enjoy a great meal, and I'm learning to cook more! I'll challenge myself to make something I've never made before and have a romantic diner with my husband! Thanks for the challenge!
ReplyDeleteI am soooo excited that I won this gift card. I never win anything!!
ReplyDeleteWhat is your e-mail address?
I will try this one. Some days I have more luck eating a warm dinner than other days. We will just have to see!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite meal? Anything served to me by a waitress that I didn't have to cook! Also trust me, the day WILL come when you get to sit down alongside your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for leaving a comment on my SITS day!
:-)
Man I always eat my food hot. I don't know why but I never let my kids bother me at dinner time. They sit up pretty well...and luckily I am a fast eater but man...maybe I just love food too much, I have very rarely stood and with a baby during dinner time. I am way too lazy for that. Plus I am always making myself special meals and then I have to go hide so my kids don't see me and ask for a million bites. No...I think I am okay on this one. Maybe my challenge will be to make sure they get lunch...and cut the crust off for a change. Hahaa.
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