Oatmeal Cookies

I love reading other people’s blogs and seeing all of the fun things they do, along with the routine things. I’m always impressed by the photos of moms and their kids baking something yummy in a happily messy kitchen. Because, you see, I am not that mom...at all...

My wonderful husband does most of the cooking in our house because he enjoys it. I, on the other hand, can cook, and when I do it, it is because we need to eat. It is a matter of necessity, rather than fun. I do occasionally enjoy baking, but baking with kids is another matter entirely.

Today, the girls are home from preschool because it is Veteran’s Day, and I needed to make use of some oatmeal, as the girls need empty oatmeal canisters for a school activity, so I decided it would be fun for us to make oatmeal cookies together. Miracle of miracles, we actually had all of the necessary ingredients in the house, so “Operation Oatmeal Cookies” was good to go.

And then the stress-filled (for Mama) cookie baking session began. First, there was the argument over who was going to stand on the step ladder and who was going to stand on the stool. Then, there was the baby who didn’t get in his little mini nap that he usually takes on the ride to preschool every day, so he was exceptionally fussy. He was either hanging on my legs or getting into the kitchen cabinets constantly. Finally, I put him in his high chair where he could watch, and that settled him down. And then there was my statement of the hour, “Don’t hang your head over the bowl. You’re going to get hair in the cookies!” The actual measuring, pouring, and stirring parts went fairly smoothly, I’m glad to report.

The girls and I have sampled the first cookies, and they were very yummy. Now, they are settled in for nap time, and I have some time to relax and de-stress from our whole baking experience.

I think I’ll have a cookie...