Can you all believe it’s August already? We are getting down to the last few weeks of summer. I can’t believe my kids are going back to school in less than three weeks. It’s unreal. I have my youngest, with her last year in elementary school, and my oldest going into a brand-new middle school. Please give me a minute while I go wipe my eyes.
It was already enough this year to have Tyler turn thirteen and watch him turn from a boy to a man. He is racing motocross and babysitting his little cousin Ben, who looks up to him. How is my baby babysitting!? OK, I gotta go wipe my eyeballs again because this can’t be possible.
The other night, Kenzy was ready to grab a shower. I went over to her room to get her jammies to lay them on our vanity for her. They were Troll jammies with Poppy on the front. I just looked at them and thought, I don’t want her to get bigger. I don’t want the day when she won’t want Troll or Frozen jammies. Ty was eight like yesterday; I blinked, and BAM! He became a man. My sweet little innocent baby girl who gives her momma kisses all the time and tells me how much she loves me. Who draws me pictures on everything and picks me flowers, so she has something to give me. Who can’t keep her hands off her daddy and always tells him how handsome he is. They have a pretty incredible bond. It’s so special.
Ever since she could talk, she would ask to pray at the dinner table. Her prayer has been the exact same prayer for the past five years.
“Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you that Daddy and Momma and Ty Ty and Bear are here. Thank you for the food on that table, and that Momma is the best cooker. Amen!”
When she prays, I am waiting for that day when it’s going to change. When I won’t hear that “Momma is the best cooker.” Tyler is thirteen and still is so sweet about my cooking. I don’t think that part will ever change. Everyone always loves their momma’s cookin’. My favorite place is still going to my momma’s for dinner too.
As a kid, I still remember certain foods she would make. My bedroom was clear down the hall, but I would be sitting at my desk working on homework and would love to smell dinner cooking. The smell of her potato soup had to be my favorite. The onions and celery cooking down into the creamy potato liquid were divine! To this day, going over to my momma’s on a cold night and walking through the front door to smell this soup on the stove sends me back to my childhood days.
My kids are living their best days right now, but they don’t know that. I am living my best days right now; I do know that. I loved my childhood and love being a mom. Watching my children grow has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. People say, “It goes fast. Enjoy it.” Trust me, I do. I know how fast it goes. My babies will always be a part of my life, and I’ll always be there for them no matter how old they get. The dinner table is where some of the best memories are made; after all, momma is the best cooker!
I am thirty-seven years old, and my favorite thing to do is sit around the table with my family. It’s something so simple, but something families don’t do as often these days. People are so caught up in these crazy days of life.
You blink; your kids are grown and off to college or working full-time jobs. Can you still have dinner around the table? Yes! Will it be every night? Probably not. But it’s about getting together when you can.
I cherish my Sunday nights right now with my kids. I’ll have to share our Sunday night tradition again in another column, but I have to say Sunday nights have been one of my favorites for many, many years. Of course, I love any weekdays we are around the table, talking about our day, but Sunday night is something I once did as a kid and continued it with my children.
I’m soaking them up as much as I can. Trying not to blink and loving up on my kids as often as I can. You can never tell your children enough how much you love them and how proud of them you are. No matter how old they get, you can never tell them enough. I’m thankful for my parents, who always tell me this, and still, make sure we get together.
Family is family; memories around the table and being together will always be my favorite.
Skinny Frozen Bites
Ingredients:
• (1) 8 oz container of Cool Whip
• 7 TBSP of PB2 powder
• 5 TBSP Water (for the PB2)
• Chocolate Syrup
• Sprinkles
Directions:
Mix the water and PB2 powder in a bowl until it becomes a peanut butter texture. YOU CAN USE REGULAR PEANUT BUTTER TOO! 4 TBSP of regular peanut butter if you use it, but they will be more than 100 calories a cup.
Once your peanut butter is mixed, add cool whip and mix with a beater until creamy.
Place 4-5 tbsp in each lined cupcake holder.
Then top with a bit of chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Freeze an hour and enjoy! Any leftovers just place in a freezer bag and snack on when you are ready for a light delicious treat!
