Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Best Time Of Day

One of my favorite times of the day is just after Neil gets home from work. Usually by that time, Sophie and I have just about had enough of each other. She is to the point of doing things just to get a rise out of me and I am to the point where I go straight to yell rather than my usual progression of soft instruction, then firmer, then louder, then yell.

I have always enjoyed cooking (which would come as a surprise to my 7th grade Home Ec teacher who gave me a D), but these days, that enjoyment goes to a whole new level, because now it is my time. No grabbing, shouting, running, knocking things down, squealing, crying and in every way distracting toddler to divert my attention. Neil takes Sophie down into the basement family room while I throw on some music and get to work crafting our meal.

It doesn't matter what I'm making, somehow it almost all winds up taking me 30-45 minutes. In the old days, when I typically didn't get home from work until 7pm or later, that would have been a burden. I would most likely have skipped a better, more healthy meal for something quick and easy. There's a reason Hamburger Helper is so successful. I don't want to say we single-handedly kept them in business, but their stock is down these days. You do the math.

Neil would be happy either way, but now that I have to think not just about my expanding waistline but the needs of a growing child, our meals have taken on a new context. Now they must be nutritious and tasty, but not gratuitously fattening, not always an easy balance to keep.

It was always my intent that we institute a family dinner just like I had growing up. Regardless of what was going on, we all sat down to dinner together every. single. night. I just didn't realize that the preparation would become as much a part of the ritual as the meal itself.

Just one more example of the MANY things that I never would have expected prior to having a child.

21 comments:

  1. Yes, I hate preparing too. *sigh*. I just 'love it' when I have been running around all day doing 1000 things and then someone asks me "what's for dinner tonight". Like I've even had time to think of dinner.

    Now that mine are older, sometimes I'll say...hey (so in so) can you make pizza's tonight? So I can just relax. That way if it comes out crappy someone else gets the blame.
    :)

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  2. Hmmmmm.....maybe that's the real reason I cook every night...me time..and I thought it was just to save money, LOL!!

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  3. Good for you!

    I really struggle with this. With Mike working evenings, and kids in activities, it is tempting to have a sandwhich or bowl or cereal and call it a night. We all have our strengths and sadly cooking is MIKES! (not mine...I bake) The good meals come on the weekends and family meals are happening then;)

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  4. Love this post. I hope to have family dinners here one day, but for now, I feed the boys earlier because it's Little Bit's bedtime when hubby gets home.

    I do love to have child-free time in the kitchen, but I'm not at the point where that time is spent doing much real cooking. A shame really because I do love to cook.

    One of these days I'll get my act together, right?

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  5. That's great that you get to have your "me" time and serve your family at the same time!

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  6. It's been mostly the same around here, but with both kids in preschool this year and me working more than I used to, we'll see how our evenings go. Once school starts (next week), I'll spend more of my daytime hours doing dinner prep so the actual cooking of dinner goes faster.

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  7. this is exactly what happens in my house. I too love this part of the day, especially sitting down as a family to eat. There is nothing more precious than having your whole family together at the end of the day.

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  8. Awesome. Basement. Go. Away. Sounds fantastic!
    Did you really get a D in Home Ec? I can't believe that. That could really mess someone up, I figure.

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  9. I love when I have the time to plan and cook meals.

    Except the part when my picky eaters come to the table and fuss about what's on their plate.

    Then I usually resort to yelling. I may have even dropped the "there are starving kids in China" line once or twice.

    And you have just given me an idea for a blog post. Thanks.

    Maybe we can do some cooking together in Tennessee...you, me, Lula and a bottle of wine; who knows what we could conjure up?!

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  10. Oh man. I wish I had had just me time to cook. Unfortunately Adam doesn't get home until 6 so I have to make it with the girls bugging me the whole time so I have it ready by six. My goal is to always have meals as a family also. But this year Tuesday and Wednesday nights we will not be home from dance until 7:30. That puts a kink in the plans. Now it is eat in the car on the way home. At least it is meals I have prepared ahead of time and not fast food!

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  11. I looooove cooking. Chris tends to take care of Maia while I'm doing it now that she's so mobile, but if he's "busy" (you know, playing video games) I plop her in her high chair with a piece of fruit and talk to her as I prep & cook. I'm already eyeballing the kid-sized kitchen sets at IKEA!

    I like that you turn on the music and just zone out while they go bond with one another. THAT sounds heavenly :)

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  12. Being a single mom I miss the family dinner thing we never had it bc my kid was so young when we divorced I think its such a wonderful part of the day

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  13. I love it too when my husband can take over a bit. I love my boys, but sometimes you just need a little break. And if you can cook while drinking some wine, then all the better!

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  14. I wish I liked to cook. It just stresses me out.

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  15. I totally relate to this post. Nothing like doing something uninterrupted for once. I love spending time cooking, although by the end of it I feel like I've been in the kitchen forever.

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  16. I totally understand where you're coming from. So many things I'm learning after having Soji.

    I definitely want to cook nutritious meals for her when she's old enough to have meals with us. I HATE cooking, but maybe I'll come to like that time like you do...I can only hope! Because you're so right--when Rob comes home, I just want to hand her off to him. I would LOVE a little ME time.

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  17. You make such a great point. I never realized it before, but the preparation and cooking really IS having some time away from the madness and allows a moment to focus on something else.

    I hear you on the Hamburger Helper. For us it's Kraft Mac & Cheese some nights.

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  18. I've always liked to cook, but I used to make dinners of just side dishes. Now, I make a (traditional) main course, too. Kids change your eating habits - no more pickles, sauted veggies, and salami as dinner.

    I'm wondering how you got a D in Home Ec. Did the teacher just have it in for you, or did you feed her raw chicken?

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  19. I go through phases.
    Some times I love to cook, sometimes not.
    These days lot's of dietary restrictions have popped up, making it more challenging shall we say, but I agree that nothing beats a home cooked meal.

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  20. I really wished I cooked more - the few times I've prepared a meal for my family, I feel like I have accomplished something great! Good for you - that sounds like a nice way to get some 'me' time in your otherwise very busy day. :)

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  21. Yes, and another part of the day that I have started to love is cleaning up after dinner while my husband starts the bath process. I used to be the biggest slob and now I actually relish being able to clean the kitchen by myself for 20 minutes.

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Give me some sugar, baby!