Hanging Out in the Kitchen!

They say every home has a “heart,” well the heart of our home is probably the kitchen (with the family room as a close second).  It seems 75% of the pictures I take of the kids in the cooler seasons take place in our kitchen.  I really like to cook, bake, and create in the kitchen and my kids are young enough that they still like to hang out with me.  So, it seems that every time I’m in the kitchen I’m multitasking by cooking as well as trying to constantly entertain them.  Often that entertainment means they get to “help” me do whatever I’m doing.  I can’t ever remember a time when my mom didn’t include me in her work in the kitchen.  She trusted me at a young age to explore in the kitchen on my own (as long as I cleaned up after myself :0)   I was baking cookies and preparing whole meals for the “hay crew” (people working in our hay field) way before most children were even using their Easy Bake ovens on their own.  I’m doing the same for my kids and I hope it creates a sense of responsibility in the kitchen and a love for cooking.   

 

This little stinker is notorious for jumping into what is intended to be other people's shots.

This messy boy usually ends up shirtless while eating.

Cam loves to draw, color, and LEARN!  So, an easy way to entertain him while I prepare a meal is to give him a workbook of sorts.  Mom gave him a workbook titled "101 things every Kindergartener should know."  He's in love and would work on it endlessly.  Here's a picture he drew about the letter "A" where he was instructed to draw an animal eating an apple.  I'm fairly smitten with this cute little giraffe eating an apple off a tree.

 These next few pictures are what I call the "Cheese Factor."  Emmy has learned to say "cheeeeeeese" whenever the camera is pointed at her and it makes for some pretty silly faces!

Cheesing it up while baking cookies.

Cheesing it up with Big Brother Bryce.

Cheesing it up with Nana.  Emmy's also shirtless after her fair share of chocolate-chip cookie dough.

My precious boy, I love him so!  Every time I see him I can't help but smooch on him.  Most pictures I have of him remind me of Eeyore, so I LOVE it when I get a good, natural smile out of him.