Last night’s dinner: Meatloaf, corn, biscuits, salad, cut up red peppers (because the monkeys don’t like salad, but they love red peppers!)
Let me preface this by saying I am neither someone who enjoys cooking, nor am I someone who excels at cooking.
I’m also not someone who has an inordinate amount of money to spend on the groceries.
For March, we spent an average of $109 a week on groceries (including diapers, paper products, toiletries, and all food).
(Pardon the plug for frugal living…yeah to living frugally!)
So, we aren’t eating gourmet meals over here, but they are from scratch and not out of a box.
However, cook a hot meal for my family every night, I do.
Channeling a little Yoda, there.
Anyway, if there is one thing that I hold strong to, it is the importance of eating together as a family.
Every night.
I realize that many families aren’t able to do this, due to the schedules of one or both parents.
When kids get to be teens, they may be in and out due to their own scheduling conflicts.
However, it is the one thing that I will always make sure we make our best effort to have.
It’s just a time where we can all check in with each other.
Talk about our days.
See what’s coming up during the next few days.
Problem solve each others issues.
Enjoy each other.
My monkeys are young, so while we do spend our dinner time doing all of the above, we also spend a majority of dinner playing “I Spy” or trying to trick each other into saying the number 5 (because, apparently, if you say “5” you are disqualified. Disqualified from what, we have yet to determine, but it’s always a good time.)
It is, hands down, my favorite part of the day.
And, yes…there are nights when Monkey in the Middle has basketball or Monkey Girl has to get ready for Girl Scouts, and so family dinner is cut short, but I’d say that 6 out of 7 nights of the week, we sit down together and enjoy.
It’s my #1 recommendation for a happy family.
My #2 recommendation for a happy family is that after dinner, Mommy goes and puts up her feet and everyone else does the dishes.
