Monday, September 15, 2014

Fall Kitchen Tour: Stop #1 - the Mid-Western Kitchen

Welcome to the Fall Kitchen Tour!

This week you're going to see some pretty cool kitchens.

And then there's mine.


I know there are other kitchens like mine. The sink is clean - sometimes. The counter is usable - sometimes. The dishwasher is empty - only long enough to put the next batch of dirty dishes in it.

My kitchen is lived in.

We have six adults living in our house. We all have different schedules and different cooking styles.

Oldest son likes meals he can stick in the microwave...at 10 PM. And when he's done eating, everyone else is asleep and the dishwasher is full of clean dishes. So where do his dirty dishes go? Yup. In the sink.

Yes, there are dirty dishes. Even with frozen meals.

My dear daughter is next. She's a fabulous baker and works retail. So her meals can be scattered - she'll pack her lunch while she eats her breakfast, leave in a whirlwind rush to get to work by 9:00, and add her dishes to her brother's pile. Sometimes she's home for dinner, but often she's also fixing something quick when she gets home from work or symphony rehearsal.

Fabulous baking....
...vs.a quick supper after work. Which would you choose?


#2 son works full time, early mornings, and goes to school full time in the evenings. His empty coffee cup usually greets me in the morning. He'll grab something at 2:30 when he gets home from work, and then he's busy doing homework or going to classes.

A nutritious meal before hitting the books.


#3 son goes to school full time, days, and works part time on evenings and weekends. He loves to cook at strange times like 9:00 at night or 8:00 Sunday morning. His specialties include braised salmon with a plethora of spices, and a bacon/potato/apple/egg concoction that's pretty good.

(Sorry, no photo here. Youngest son actually had a date, so no supper at home!)

What that means is that I don't have any beautiful kitchen pictures to show you. I have a narrow window - somewhere around 9:00 AM - where the dishes are done, the sink is clean and the counter MIGHT be cleaned off.



But I wouldn't have it any other way.


Epilogue!

Just like in most good romance books, there has to be an epilogue, right?

I had my camera ready for that brief window of time today when my kitchen was clean.

Ta da!


Look quick, because it won't last :)

One thing about this kitchen that's different from any other house we've lived in is that it's part of the living area. I'm standing in the living room to take the picture, and our dining area is just to your right. That makes a small kitchen seem much bigger, and I like it more than I thought I would when we first moved in.

On the other hand, there's no hiding anything in a corner of the kitchen when company comes over. Everyone can see everything!

So, who would like to join me for a cup of tea?






18 comments:

  1. LOL -- you forgot the dog and cat's feeding routine too, Jan! Talk about a hopping household. Don't even want to think about what the laundry room looks like. :-) Love the sentiment in that last pic. What a blessed woman you are!!!!

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    1. Oh no! DON'T ask about the laundry room!!! The laundry schedule is as crazy as the kitchen schedule. I do one or two loads a day, but if I don't get them started in the morning, I've lost my time slot.

      And yes, I am a very blessed woman :)

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  2. What a great post about family and work ethic. Give everyone a pat on the back for me!

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    1. Yes, Julie, my family is great. I'm way too proud of my kids.

      And we know that someday, very soon, they'll all have flown the nest and we'll have a quiet, organized, clean house. I'm not really looking forward to it...but at the same time I am.

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  3. Hi Jan~
    I love this post, I feel right at home. I enjoy the recipes and the kitchens they come from here at the cafe, but I'm with you, having all the family traffic in a home is the most important thing of all. I like things clean and pretty, but I'd rather have my family with me. The sign says it all! I'm going to find me a plaque with that saying on it!

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    1. We found that plaque at Hobby Lobby. Once my husband saw it, he had to have it. He said we could figure out where to put it when we got home.

      So it's in the kitchen above the cabinets. It's a great reminder of what a kitchen is really all about, isn't it?

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    2. Thanks for the tip,no Hobby Lobby in Va close by, but I'm going to my sister's in Pensacola soon, so I'll be on the lookout for one there, always one of our stops. I love Hobby Lobby and their Christian stand against government intrusion in their business

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  4. That's right. Those dogs and cats. You are a good mom!

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  5. Looks pretty normal to me, Jan. That many people with varied schedules... Lived in is one of my favorite expressions. :)

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    1. I do like the "lived in" look - at least when I know it's clean underneath the chaos. Hence my once-a-day cleaning session :)

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  6. Jan, I LOVE it!! You've relieved some of the pressure off of me. I was worried about what to show of my kitchen that would be tidy enough to photograph! :)

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    1. My entire kitchen was clean last week. Once. But I didn't get a chance to take a photo before someone messed it up again! LOL!

      I know you'll show us the real Missy when it's your turn to host the tour :)

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  7. Hahahahaha! This is me! I love that your reality mimics mine! Happy!!!!!! :)

    You know, I'm addicted to COOKING in a clean kitchen. If it's clean, I'm tugged to make something!!!!

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    1. Families and chaos tend to go hand in hand, don't they? But at least it's fun chaos, and my epilogue is proof that I CAN have a clean kitchen.

      By the way, that clean lasted exactly five minutes. Just until #3 son finished his lunch and put his dishes in the sink. That's my life :)

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  8. Wow, Jan! What a busy place! It's fun to see kitchens and writing spots. Love your sign, so I need a trip to Hobby Lobby. My kids live one and two days away, but we are always together in our hearts. Our younger son will be returning to stay with us for a couple of months while he works at a nearby hospital....and I'm looking forward to more of the "lived in" look. Thanks for sharing your kitchen!

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    1. Having your son home for a while will be great, won't it?

      All of ours are living with us while they go to school or financially recover from the last move (moving is expensive - don't let anyone tell you otherwise!). But soon, so soon, they'll be starting to leave again. #2 son is applying for an internship at the state capital this winter, and #3 son is applying for a six month internship next summer.

      Hmmm, maybe I'll get my office back eventually!

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    2. Yes, enjoy that time while the "kids" are home because it always seems too soon. We're going to treasure the two months of bonus time with the younger son....before he gets married next year.

      And after moving MANY times...and helping our kids move.....we know that is expensive and exhausting.

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