So yesterday was kind of one of those days. First of all, it was a Monday, which is never good for anyone. Second, because Thanksgiving is next week, my kids have a short school week, which means that on Thursday morning, we are leaving the first real family vacation (like where we’re not shoehorned into someone’s spare bedroom/couch) we’ve taken in 6 1/2 years (so pretty much my kids’ whole lives). As excited as we are to go, there is so much that needs to be done before we go. I need to make sure y’all and all your Thanksgiving needs are taken care of, my dog swiped my toast this morning while I wasn’t watching and then decided to un-house-train herself, my house is a disaster, my children didn’t go to bed until 9:30 last night because we were watching the last Harry Potter movie, meaning this morning, my daughter had the horrible realization that she couldn’t eat her breakfast because she didn’t like the length of her pants.
One of the things on my to-do list was to bake with my kids. I’m participating in the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program and we were provided with some Nestle products to help us get bake-y in the kitchen. I had visions of these chocolate chip cookies, or these chocolate chip cookies, or these toffee chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate chip cookie pie. But first, I needed to work on the posts that are going up while I’m on vacation. Turns out my little girl wanted to help…
(please excuse her less-than-model-perfect hair–again, one of those days. Also, I’m not a neglectful mother, it really is warm enough outside for tank tops and shoelessness).
As much as I was trying to hurry things along, she reaaaaally wanted to help measure and pour.
I was stressing out. I may have kind of yelled. See that dusty mess on the table? Imagine that all over my house.
Then we picked up my little boy from the bus stop. And he had had a really bad day. By the time we had settled the fact that math isn’t the biggest deal in the world, we had time for cookies, but I knew it was going to be stressful and I really wanted to not be mad and yell-y while we were doing it. Enter…refrigerated cookie dough. Believe me, when the cookies matter, I’m a 100% believer in homemade cookie dough. But when memories and quality time matter and time’s short? Refrigerated cookie dough all the way, baby.
See where we’re going with this? Pizzookies, anyone?
By the time we scooped ice cream…
and drizzled chocolate and caramel sauce…
all was forgotten. I even forgot about the pretzel dust all over my dining room, especially when I realized that my little girl helping me crush and measure them was the whole point–baking up love and memories. Even if it was messier and took 3 times as long, it was so much more fun to have my little helper in there with me rather than doing it all by myself. Sappy enough for you? Go brine yourself a turkey and you’ll feel better, I promise… 🙂
Disclaimer: Nestle provided me with chocolate chips and cookie dough, but the opinions and memories are all miiiiine.
Questions & Reviews
Made me wish I could have been there to help you!
You are awesome! Have a great vacay. You deserve it, clearly!
You mean you have days that are better than hair-is-passable and house-is-a-disaster? That’s like, every day for me. The Saturday that we get around to cleaning the kitchen floor is a once a semester deal, just about.
When your little girl is getting married – I hope you will use these pictures and make a favorite recipes from home scrapbook!
What great pics! Love your sunny yellow kitchen, your adorable barefoot daughter, and your sweet son, whose haircut makes him look like a nice young man! You’re a good Mom…..the smiles on your kids faces prove it!
Since we never eat a whole batch of cookies ourselves, I always freeze about half the dough. Perfect for the quick times when a tube of refrigerated dough would be handy. Enjoy your trip!
I always want to make cookies with my little ones in the kitchen, but I also get so stressed out… Thanks for the tip on the refrigerator cookie dough!! I’m definately gonna do that this week! I’ll save the more difficult ones for just Mom time 🙂
When we go with the kids, it’s a trip. When we go without the kids, it’s a vacation. Have a great trip! 🙂
So true!
I love your post…we all have bad days and we can make them better. I love that you aren’t afraid to share your bad days (oh, and that you yell occasionally!), it just makes you that much more relatable. Thanks!
Enjoy your vacation! 🙂
I love refrigerated cookie dough…but I still make my own (I like cinnamon in my chocolate chip cookies and it’s just easier to make my own and roll it up and freeze it!). Plus when I just need a little taste of cookie I take it out of the freezer, cut off a chunk, and enjoy 🙂
And I had to laugh when you said to forgive the not-a-model hair style…she looks like a happy kid, that’s about as model-y as a child should be!! And I work at a daycare…if one 3 year old is hard enough to cook with, try 12!! You come up with A LOT of little jobs haha!!