Monday: Meals

When I think of a family meal, I think dinner which doesn't really make any sense because we're all home for breakfast too. But since I still want you to think I'm perfect, I refuse to discuss breakfast in my first meal post.

Ahhh dinner.

I think we are heavily influenced for the better or the worse, by the kind of structure our meals had growing up.  I was an only child and dinner was definitely a family affair. My parents ate dinner at 7:30 or so and we all ate together. Meals weren't anything extravagant but always included a whole-grain carb, vegetables and a carb. Sometimes, we even had dessert.

I recall visiting my friend's home one day way back in the sixth grade and she invited me to come eat dinner with her. It was the two of us and my friend's little brother. In her home, the kids ate dinner as they came home and the parents had their own private time later. I thought that was so weird.

Well, now I'm officially the 'weird' one.

My personal dinner time is so random.

Dinner is always ready when my kids come home and usually they're ready to eat at 5. That's when the marathon of trying to satisfy all parties begins. My older ones want me to feed them (How come you only feed the baby?! Me thinks: Ummm because he's a baby)  and my baby wants to do everything by himsel spilling the water and whatever else is in his way.  There must be a rule somewhere that never shall two children living under one roof like the same foods on the same nights because my kids follow that rule to the T. Oh and then there's always the portion-control police calling for me ("Mommy she has so many mushrooms in her rice and I only have 5-- I counted!") 


Did I hear someone say I should be eating dinner with them? That's not going to work for another decade or so.

In the interim, I very cheerfully get the award of the most patient waitress and in my book that's gotta be for something.



What I served for dinner tonight (confession time!)

Shift #1: (4:30pm baby age 15 months, twins aged 3.5)

I had leftover chicken, vegetable soup which they positively devoured along with a slice of whole wheat Fiber One Bread (only 2 of them ate that!) They gobbled it up.


Shift #2: 5:30
Big girl insisted she wants grilled cheese which was a good thing because I really wanted that last portion of chicken soup. I ate it during the lull between shifts.  Big girl comes in as I'm licking my plate clean and says, "Mommy you ate my portion?"  I give up!


We worked that out and she ate her grill cheese sandwich along with a small salad (my kids all love salad-- it's in the genes- go ahead be jealous!)

Shift #3  8pm
Husband got his favorite take-out chicken sandwich for himself tonight.

Did you say I do this again tomorrow?


So what'd you have for your family's dinner tonight? Share your wisdom in the comments section below.