cinnamon buns & enjoying the ride

We made cinnamon buns a while back and even though the kitchen was a wild mess at the end, we had a blast. I am learning more and more how to step back and let my children do more for themselves. It is hard at times to let go…knowing I could pour the two cups of flour easily with minimal amounts of flour particles billowing into the air.

But I’ve realized over time that letting my children make mistakes is their best teaching tool; even in the kitchen. For some mothers, that sounds like nails on a chalkboard. But my kids know where the paper towels, napkins, rags, hand broom and dust pan are and when they inevitably spill something they say, “oops!” and scurry to clean it up properly. I tell them it is alright to make mistakes and that they now know how to be more careful next time; and they are.

Our fancy-shmancy cinnamon rolls came from my Betty Crocker recipe book.

 We had fun mixing the yeast and kneading the dough, watching the dough rise and their favorite…rolling out the dough.

I can’t decide which is sweeter:

 the cinnamon buns or my sons tiny hands pulling the thread around the cinnamon roll.

"Wait!"

 "We have to bake them first!"

When the cinnamon rolls were finished baking, we poured a simple vanilla, powdered sugar icing on top. Yum!

I love how simple and yet tasty the Betty Crocker recipes are.

Their recipes are perfect for this busy stage in my life.

I know there will be plenty of opportunities in the future when I will have the time to hunt down obscure ingredients, but for now, I am focusing on making memories with my children and not competing for a blue ribbon.

*** 

I will leave you with my favorite quote from the movie Parenthood (1989).

[Gil has been complaining about his complicated life; Grandma wanders into the room]

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.
Gil: Oh?
Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!
Gil: What a great story.

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.

***
Bake something with your kids. Get messy. Enjoy the ride!

{ What do you or your kids love to bake? }