There are two meals that I love to make for my kids because they absolutely love them.  My kids eat well, but when I make these two meals, they really go to town.  And what mother doesn’t love it when her kids beg for more of her food?

But though I love these nice, easy, yummy meals that my kids will eat, they almost make me lose my mind!  I have to really stop and think every time I make them, weigh the costs (a.k.a. mess) and ask myself “Is it really worth it?”

So here we go!  The two meals are…

Spaghetti

I bet you knew this one was on the list!  I LOVE spaghetti.  It’s so easy to make.  A little noodles, a little meat, a little sauce.  And voila!  A meal is made!  It’s so easy and so good!  I even like it for leftovers the next day.  (Good thing, because that’s what the Carroll clan is having tonight!  I might have made too much last night!  Well, OK!  Way too much!)

But oh the downsides of spaghetti!  I’m pretty sure my darling children must think that it’s also paint because it gets spread everywhere!  All over their faces.  Their hands.  All over the table.  Oh, and on the chairs too.  And it’s extra special when the meal is over and you find it all over the floor.  And darn it, those noodles are sticky!  So they stick on the kids clothes, they walk around with it, and you’re finding noodles for days!  I might as well strip down the kids at the end of the meal and stick them in the tub.  It’s pretty ridiculous!

Did I mention we’re having this for leftovers again tonight?  I’m really starting to question that idea! 🙂

Anything with rice

On Monday night, I was so proud of myself for the dinner I made.  We had teriyaki chicken with rice and edamame.  Caleb gave me lip about not wanting it when I told him that’s what we were having, but when he heard we had rice and soy sauce, he started singing a different tune.  The kid loves soy sauce!  All three kids went crazy over this meal.  I knew they would, and it made my heart happy that they were loving it…

until one of my kids decide to eat it with his hands.  No fork!  No spoon!  No utensil at all!  Just his hands!  Shoving bites in his mouth and watching rice rain down all over the table and his body.  And at one point, I caught him throwing some on the kitchen floor after it had fallen on him.  What the what?!!!  Pick it up and put it back on the table, kid!  This is another thing that sticks all over the children and gets tracked through the kitchen after the meal.  Now I know why my mom wanted to install a drain under my brother’s chair when we were kids!

I know this is just a stage.  Someday we’ll all be able to eat without making a huge mess.  (Maybe!)  Carpe diem!  I should enjoy every minute of these experiences, right?

But until that day, I’ll be questioning my sanity over these two meals! 🙂