Cooking Lessons

I made dinner with my boy last night.

We made chicken and wild rice soup, fresh baked bread, and lemon bars for dessert. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with just him. I feel horrible because my attention is usually so divided, and I admit that he gets ignored sometimes because he is more self-sufficient than he should be. I forget that he is only seven.

So yesterday was a rare moment of uninterrupted time. My daughter was down for a nap, my parents and our family that's visiting from Ohio were at a movie, and my brother was out with friends.

It was just us, and it was lovely.

I showed him how to chop vegetables, and, of course, he had to do the rest by himself. We simmered and seasoned and tasted. He learned how to deglaze a pan (hey, you're never too young). We talked and joked and laughed. And I got to spend time with my son who is turning into a young man much too fast.

I need to remember to slow down. To take advantage of the moments instead of worrying about the days. To appreciate the little things because it is the little things that my kids will never forget, and they are growing up way too quickly.