We are officially on summer break!
Moments after school let out last week, we headed for the hills. Getting there was quite the adventure, but once we were there, life was pure bliss. We spent five days in the embrace of our super awesome family cabin. We played games and watched movies and went on hikes and read books. Puzzles...did I mention puzzles? We put together a crazy make-your-eyes-go-crossed puzzle that took almost two entire days. We definitely ate far too many sweets. Now we are back home and it is time to crack the whip, so to speak. I have been working today on our summer calendar and job charts. One of the things that I really want to focus on this summer is getting my older kids more involved in planning and preparing dinner for the family. They are very good cooks. Especially when it comes to desserts. And they each help with dinner preparations quite regularly. You know, a salad here...mashed potatoes there, maybe steak or chicken on the BBQ. But I am ready to turn over the reins. I want them to find some recipes that they are interested in learning to make and prepare the entire meal from start to finish.
So, my son will be cooking dinner on Tuesday nights and my daughter will be cooking on Wednesdays. I bribed them with the knowledge that the cook will not have to do the dishes. I am excited to see how they do. I made this simple menu planner to help steer them in the right direction. My hope is that they will think about it a little ahead of time and not resort to hot dogs and macaroni and cheese every time. More than that, I am looking forward to some well balanced meals with multiple food groups represented. Maybe they will learn a few new skills? We shall see.
I thought maybe your kids would like to join us for the dinner challenge. I'd love to hear what menus they come up with. Enjoy this free download. Hopefully it will make things a bit easier...and it looks cute on the fridge!
