My Mom

When you think of a mom teaching her kids how to cook, you probably imagine everyone in cute aprons and chef's hats, big smiles on everyone's faces as they stir the cookie dough, and then the mom carefully piping icing onto adorable sugar cookies. 

That's not how we did things in our house growing up. We did have great aprons, and we did have great food. But my dad enjoyed cooking, while my mom only cooked when she had to. And no one EVER piped icing onto adorable sugar cookies. 

But if you want to be technical about it, my mom did teach me valuable cooking skills:

1) You may not leave the kitchen after turning on the stove on high.

2) Dinner must include a green vegetable.

3) Read the recipe BEFORE you start making food to see if we have all the ingredients. We do NOT run to the store in the middle of cooking just for one thing.

4) (related) If you use the last of something, write it on the grocery list.

5) Wash your hands after touching raw meat.

6) Once a week is plenty for macaroni and cheese.

And these cooking skills are invaluable if you want edible food. Or your house not to burn down. 

I started cooking dinner for the family when I was in 8th grade. It was my favorite chore, so if I got first pick, I cooked dinner. It beats doing dishes or sweeping the floor! And in all the years of cooking meals of varying degrees of deliciousness, there was only one time she didn't eat what I made. And she didn't suggest not eating it. She just agreed when my dad suggested my tomates provencales would be best used as part of a future meatloaf.

So in a round about way, this highlights some of the ways my mom is an awesome mom-- and now grandma. She encourages us to try new things and gain new skills. It takes patience to let your kids learn to cook, and she is endlessly supportive. We did not always make good food. But she never criticized us or the food. 

She supports us in doing good things, learning new skills, and facing life's challenges. She would learn new things about parenting, health, first-aid, gardening, or whatever, and she'd share it with us, even if we were the children she just learned new parenting skills about! This helped me learn a ton, and it also showed me that parents don't start out knowing everything-- they need help just like anyone does. She taught me to pray, to care, to research, to try new things. And those are some skills I'm trying to use as I raise my little girls. 

I'm pretty sure my little girls will never see me pipe icing onto cookies. But I hope they never hear me criticize them. I hope they wash their hands after touching raw meat. And I hope they always keep learning.

My mom and Penny riding the train at the mall.

Riding the carousel at the mall. When it comes to spoiling grandkids, my mom knows what's up! 

Penny and my mom washing dishes. Probably finishing up after someone else cooked dinner.

I love you, Mommy! Happy Mother's Day!