Stick around here long enough and you will quickly discover that each of us has our very own, unique talents.  In fact, that has been my mantra over the last 5 months since we moved into our new home and directly across the street from one of my fabulous friends who is featured here as well.  Let me tell you why . . .

I cannot cook.  I don’t cook.  I have no desire to change this either. Now don’t get me wrong, my children are well fed.  We eat a variety of foods including all of the main food groups BUT I do not cook from scratch, I have to follow a recipe and I tend to stick with what I know, which honestly is very limited.  So go back 5 months, when we moved into our new home and my children got front and center experience with another family, rather several families.  Mrs. Maria and Mrs. CJ cook from scratch.  They love to cook.  And they are VERY good at it.

Now my kids attitude on our eating habits began to change . . .

• Mom, why do we always have to have . . .
• Mom, why don’t you cook from scratch . . .
• Mom, why don’t you have so and so . . .
• Mom, why can’t you cook like insert anyone’s name . . .
• Even their friends “Mrs. Hunt, why do you always make . . . “

So my mantra began . . . “we all have different strengths, mine just don’t happen to be cooking, but I am really good at my job, having fun with you and doing craft stuff.”  Boy, this is tough on a girls ego!

So what have I done.  I started collecting recipes, I started trying new things.  Oh boy, have we had some interesting meals since then.  Now even the kids beg me to return to my old self where our regular cereal for any meal, breakfast for dinner and good ole PB&J sandwiches were a standard.

While I am happy for the challenge and I truly appreciate my friends’ generosity in trying to guide this hapless cook on the path to cooking healthy, organic meals from scratch.  I have decided to take the pressure off myself.  I just can’t compete when it comes to the kitchen.  And really, I’m ok with that.

We often run into things that challenge us, even cut us, especially when our kids start comparing us to their experiences with other families.  And sometimes it’s hard, especially as a single mom, to keep that confidence that we are doing a good job, our best job when those comparisons start flowing.  But take it from me, find your strengths and stick to them . . . ok, maybe put yourself out there on some occasions, don’t live life in fear, but lean on those strengths and make sure your kids know it’s ok to be unique, different and have those special strengths that may not be the same.