A-ha!

The end of the day is always a little hectic around here, but with the time change and beautiful weather, we ended up playing outside way longer than usual and I had no dinner planned by the time the girls were hungry and grumpy. To top it off, I hadn't gone shopping, so the fridge and cabinets were looking a little bare. I usually panic at time like this; I like to be prepared and have a plan. But, the cool breeze, warm sun, and sidewalk chalk were calling us, and sometimes you have to give a little.

This is what the kids ate for dinner last night:
Salami sandwich
Quesadilla
Nuts
Yogurt
Goldfish crackers
Cranberries

My A-ha! moment came as I was preparing all this in haste. Instead of making them a plate, like I usually do, I let them serve everything themselves. I put each food in it's own dish with a small spoon and set the table. The girls sat down and each put whatever they wanted on their plates. Not surprisingly, they ate really well because it was so fun. Was it messy? Of course it was. Was it hard to stand back and not interfere? Yes, it certainly was. I am making a real effort to loosen the reigns a little bit and yesterday was a giant leap for me.