Joys of Kitchen Usage:

Kitchens are one of my favorite rooms in houses.

I think it is because so many wonderful family memories happened in the kitchen.

Like when my sisters and i would be doing our home schooling,

and my mom would be jump-roping in the kitchen.

or when we would clean up after dinner and mom and dad were dancing.

to disco music.

or michael jackson.

(or whatever was catchy on the radio.)

and those times that daddy would come home from work, and all of us were sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen, eating chips, salsa, and drinking coke.

and the memories of peyton joining our family, and he was restricted to living only in the kitchen....until he got mom wrapped around his little finger, and she let him roam the entire house, little, by little.

and now, with my husband wrapping his arms around me, while i'm washing dinners, cooking, or cleaning...

yes, so many memories happen in the kitchen. too many to even describe.

although i wish i had time to go into detail of my sweet family and the times in the kitchen.

don't you think food brings people together?

that's for another time-maybe i'll write about the beauty of the dining room one day.

but for now, let's talk about the kitchen.

and the wonderful uses for it.

kitchens aren't always used properly.

but here are only some ways they should be used:

kitchens should:

be full of kids, gathered around a table...

have lots of laughing and talking...

be a place that even little ones can help mom out...

and suck on a spoon...

kids, puppies, and nerf guns are welcome...

and is a place where yummy cookies are made...

a place where little girls can get right in and messy with the cooking ingredients...

a place where singing and dancing can happen...

no matter how loud, out of tune, or crazy it gets...

[and praising Jesus is a given]

and pictures of dear people are taken...

and there is never a shortage of room or seats...

because the counters usually have bottoms sitting on them ready to talk, laugh, or sing with you.

[and mommas give their babies kisses]

and in the end, after burning all those calories having such fun,

your tummy gets a yummy treat.

and you get the beautiful gift of time with those that you love.

and after all that is said and done,

and the cookies are all gone,

and all you see are big grins, smiles, and more laughs,

you can't help,

but want to do it again.

i told my husband that one day, when we have a house, i want a big spacious kitchen with an island and bar stools...

so we can do just these things in the kitchen.

[p.s. anne, i love your kitchen and the ways you use it...]

kitchen courtesy of the dahlhauser family.