I'm sitting at my dining room table where all four of us will be sitting here in a few hours having breakfast as a family. I am thinking ahead to dinner tonight. My meal plan is already made up for the week, but sometimes you just aren't in the mood to make that meal or want something different. This happens more often than you would expect.
Why am I sharing this? Real life isn't perfect. Sure we can make a plan and try to stick it out, but reality is sometimes things change. I don't have my dream kitchen, ideal table and far from having my dream fridge/freezer, but we make it work for our family.
Real life can be crazy at times. With our schedules we could be going in 4 different directions all at once, (ok well 3 Austin doesn't get to go anywhere alone yet, unless he is with a sitter). We connect at our dining room table. Some days it is the only time Brian and I see each other. We have breakfast and dinner as a family everyday at the kitchen table, or at least plan to. It doesn't always happen with Brian's work schedule, and Ella going to her father's every other weekend. But 85% of the time it does, this also includes going out to dinner as a family and having family dinners at relatives.
I grew up having dinner at the table every night together as a family. It was the time to talk, share, laugh, cry, ... It was never an option to eat in the living room or in our bedrooms. It kept our relationships closer, I knew I always had someone to talk to, and it was the way of life back then. I am extending this tradition to my family.
Family dinners have also been a huge part of Brian's life. We still go to his parents house at least once a month for Sunday family dinner where at times there are 13 of us squeezed around one table, passing food family style.
Dinners aren't always elaborate. Some nights it is just burgers off the grill, boxed mac n' cheese, or take out pizza. Other nights it is steak with asparagus and risotto or chicken stir fry with cauliflower rice. All that matters is we are fed, we are together, and we are connecting.
Our family does have our tradition: Taco Tuesday, Pizza Friday and Sunday waffles, but we don't stress if we switch things up. We don't eat out or order food most nights, once a week if that.
I have made dinners that no one has likes (example cauliflower pizza). I have burnt part of breakfast where we had cereal (example bacon). I have baked cakes that went flat, cookies that were hard. I enjoy tweaking recipes I find and making them my own. I am really a wannabe baker but getting a lot better. (I say my kitchen aid mixer has helped a lot)
Most dinners I cook by myself. Brian normally does breakfast, and anything on the grill. Aubriella does enjoy helping when she is in the mood. Austin has also started getting into helping with what he can.
I have so many memories of meals while growing up, when going out, and in my own house. There will be so many more memories to come. Food can really bring on such great memories (and sometimes bad ones too).
I remember making cookies every year with my mom for the holidays. She always let us lick the spoon (and I never got sick once from raw eggs).
Brian and I had our first vacation together was to Disney World without kids 4 years ago. We ate at Le Cellier as our special date night. Ate so much delicious food. The memory of that food and the wonderful vacation and being in a different part of our relationship. We even went back this past April and had another amazing experience there.
I remember in 7th grade for home ec. class I had to grill a steak. It was a thin steak that almost fell through the slates on the grill. My dad ended up saving our dinner and finished grilling. To this day I don't grill very often.
I share this as we are starting to plan our Annual Friendsgiving. It has reminded me what great memories come from sitting around the table. Our table is really the heart of our home.
Does your family eat meals at the table?
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