a Special Breakfast

One of our goals as parents of a larger-than-average family is to create memories for our kids in the everyday, to not let the days pass by in a blur simply because we're too busy to enjoy the little moments.  And because several of us in the family are bakers and all of us love to eat, our special memories often  center around meals, plus it's a time when we're all naturally together anyway.

Breakfast is a neglected meal. Sure, we eat breakfast, but we often grab something quick or the kids will fix something for themselves and each other.  I may cook a pot of oatmeal or occasionally scramble eggs but that's an exception, not the rule.  Last year on Valentine's Day, we planned a special breakfast and it was such a hit that we purposed to do it again this year.

The kids, especially the younger ones,  literally counted the days! Ben said he wanted to go to bed early the night before so breakfast would come sooner. 

We all pitched in.  Owen blended Healthy Orange Julius and Alaine gave each person a glass with a heart-patterned straw.

Maddie made mixed-up muffins,  a delicious hybrid of vanilla and chocolate. (You've got to have chocolate on Valentine's Day, even if it is before 9 am.)

I made a ham, potato, and frittata.

Ben and Gavin set the table and served the food.  (And lest you wonder where Brian fit into all of this: he was catching up on other housework while we scurried around the kitchen.)

The rest of the day was full (too many loads of laundry, a 10-mile run, visiting with out-of-town family), but the slow intentional start to our morning set the tone for the rest of our day and cemented memories for a lifetime.