Three kids sit in pajamas at the kitchen counter.
A Lucky Charms box is tipped on it's side, a gallon of "Vitamin D" milk being passed from child to child. The broken red ring seal is sitting in a small milk spill, and there are more spills spattered with cereal next to each of our plastic bowls.
If I stretch my imagination enough, I can almost hear the slurping as the spoon went sideways into my brother's mouth; each gulp spilling more milk and cereal.
The pajama feet slapping against the bar stools.
The clinking of dishes being put into the dishwasher.
Opening and closing cupboard doors.
The sense of family and stability and security.
Cereal was, and is, a staple in my family.
Tonight we were at my mom's house, and talking about how Kayden inhales cereal just like I did as a child, and my mom started telling a story.
I am nostalgic to a fault, so my ears perk up at the mention of a "growing up" story.
Back in the day, when you bought Sugar Puffs cereal, they had a prize for consumption. For every two box tops sent in, the company would send you a yo-yo.
My dad piped up to insert that it was a really good yo-yo.
Every night, no matter what they ate for supper, my dad would haul out the Sugar Puffs and load up a cereal bow,. Then another. Two bowls of cereal each evening would be eaten, "because he needed a little liquid".
I love that my mom loves my dad enough to let him indulge in an after cereal meal, instead of the large meal she spent so much time preparing.
and I love that my dad earned 72 yo-yos in one year from eating cereal. Everyone they knew received a yo-yo that year.
I love traditions like this.
Stories that are the fabric of my being.
I love that I come from a family that has these quirky things. I find them endearing.
I hope and pray my kids feel the same way someday. Not of me with my back to them on the computer. But of me being present in each moment, inhaling the cereal with them.
A Lucky Charms box is tipped on it's side, a gallon of "Vitamin D" milk being passed from child to child. The broken red ring seal is sitting in a small milk spill, and there are more spills spattered with cereal next to each of our plastic bowls.
If I stretch my imagination enough, I can almost hear the slurping as the spoon went sideways into my brother's mouth; each gulp spilling more milk and cereal.
The pajama feet slapping against the bar stools.
The clinking of dishes being put into the dishwasher.
Opening and closing cupboard doors.
The sense of family and stability and security.
Cereal was, and is, a staple in my family.
Tonight we were at my mom's house, and talking about how Kayden inhales cereal just like I did as a child, and my mom started telling a story.
I am nostalgic to a fault, so my ears perk up at the mention of a "growing up" story.
Back in the day, when you bought Sugar Puffs cereal, they had a prize for consumption. For every two box tops sent in, the company would send you a yo-yo.
My dad piped up to insert that it was a really good yo-yo.
Every night, no matter what they ate for supper, my dad would haul out the Sugar Puffs and load up a cereal bow,. Then another. Two bowls of cereal each evening would be eaten, "because he needed a little liquid".
I love that my mom loves my dad enough to let him indulge in an after cereal meal, instead of the large meal she spent so much time preparing.
and I love that my dad earned 72 yo-yos in one year from eating cereal. Everyone they knew received a yo-yo that year.I love traditions like this.
Stories that are the fabric of my being.
I love that I come from a family that has these quirky things. I find them endearing.
I hope and pray my kids feel the same way someday. Not of me with my back to them on the computer. But of me being present in each moment, inhaling the cereal with them.
2 comments:
OMG, 72 yo-yos!!!! That's a lot of cereal. Does your dad still have any of them?
Awesome blog Jamie...Thanks for sharing!
Joan
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