I Gave Birth to You Why??

Family Dinners.

They are one of the key parts of family time. I learn more about my boys days and how they think during family dinners than most any other time.

Yes, wonderful bonding times they are.

Which is why I attempt to make good meals. I mean, if you have to eat it you might as well make it good. I have never figured out how to make food look pretty, I appreciate pretty food but when I know that my super big eater husband and always starving sons are going to pretty much inhale it, I just try to make it taste as good as I can.

Saturday I worked in the kitchen from nine am until five thirty pm. I took one break, to run to the store for some ingredients (and I forgot ONE KEY INGREDIENT and my hubby ran to the store to get it for me...how sweet, yes? Well, this is also the same man who brought in a bunch of tomatoes for me to can once I "chop chop"ed on getting all the cooking done. But he does have his super sweet moments too.....) but otherwise I made French toast for breakfast, chili and from scratch corn bread for dinner (and when I say chili, I mean I peeled every tomato in that chili) and stew for Sunday. A brand new stew recipe that says it would take all of 35 minutes to whip up. Yah, RIGHT. If you had all those ingredients canned or frozen maybe! Good night! I spent HOURS peeling and cutting. However, the smells are wonderful wafting through out the house. Also in this long day I made cookies for the boys and a cake for after dinner. Oh, and I have all the breakfast ingredients ready to go for the crock pot oatmeal I'm trying for the first time.

I was feeling pretty Pioneer Womanishly.

Until my corn bread turned out runny. And the boys informed me that they like tomatoes, but they just don't like them in my chili.

I stayed calm.

Until Husband informs the boys that we are having DELICIOUS STEW after church tomorrow. He is all excited to eat this yummy food because most of the stuff we grew. And he loves stew.

"Really?" S1 asked excited, "Where are we going for dinner?"

Yes, he really said that.

I looked at him as though he was not my own, this oldest child I have given birth to and cared for and FEED for ELEVEN years......

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

He never caught the tone in my voice, the snickering of his father or the glare in my eye. "Well if it's super delicious stew, are we going somewhere for dinner?"

My dear Husband couldn't stand it anymore, being the patient man that he is. He slapped his hand good naturedly on the table and said "No, Son, your Moma has been making it All. Day. Long!"

"Ohhhhhhh"....S1 was beginning to realize his grave mistake, and that his every meal came from the one and only Moma he has who is giving him a "choose your words wisely, boy" look.

"Oh," he continues, "Oh, I am sure it will be good because Moma, you are a really good cook."

He was layering it on thick. He was giggling and begging all at the same time.

His brothers even caught on.

"Yah, Moma", S4 continued, "You are the goodest cook. I just don't like this chili cuz of the chili but your cookin is good."

Phew, glad that is all cleared up.

I think they will gladly devour the crock pot oatmeal breakfast I am making for the first time tonight for tomorrow when they wake up in the morning.

I think even if I burn this stew and make the buttermilk biscuits out to be charcoal (honest, it could happen.), they will say it is the best dinner ever.

As they should after this full day in the kitchen!

Well, maybe they can tell me it's bad if they follow it with a kiss on the cheek, some hugs and no complaining while they clear the table and do the dishes.

Maybe.