Thursday, September 29, 2016

Sentimental over Pancakes


Where do I begin? Pancakes have had me feeling all sentimental this past week - here's why.

David didn't grow up eating breakfast for dinner like I did, so this glorious dinner option has been sort of lost on him. But he is gracious and will eat whatever I fix yet I try not to take advantage of that and we rarely have breakfast for dinner.

Meanwhile, we have spent the past number of years with him working many nights. Those automatically became pancake nights. It was easy on me, and my kids have always loved them. We love numerous varieties of pancakes and are not fussy - just cut them up with the pizza cutter and drizzle a little maple syrup over the top.

We have eaten them on picnics {here is another picnic and another, and another}, camping, for birthday celebrations {and this one}, at Grammie's chuckwagon, and in the street. We have eaten them on our apple picking trips, in celebration of Thanksgiving, for Family Night and in celebration of the First Day of School. I could never begin to remember all the ordinary days we have celebrated with the crowning finish of pancakes.

This summer, David's job changed. It was actually a huge blessing and seemingly impossible answer to prayer for us. One of the biggest changes is that he is not really working nights much anymore. Yay!

I hadn't even really had a chance to miss pancake night yet because the busiest times for him at work in the evenings were through the Fall and Winter and we are just now approaching those seasons. And then last week, he needed to be gone during the evening and I immediately wanted to make pancakes.

As I stirred batter and heated the griddle, I realized it had been a long time since I'd made pancakes for dinner just for the four of us. All of a sudden my children seemed almost too old for pancake night {though I certainly did not suggest such an idea!} and I thought of the many, many memories we have made together over plates filled with pancakes. When I searched my blog for mentions of pancakes - 61 posts came up. Whoa. And that only counts the posts where I actually used the word, "pancakes."

I remembered when they were all toddlers and early preschool age how hard making pancakes for dinner was because they ate them so fast and all needed them cut up at the exact same time and I ate mine after they were finished. We have made them look like pigs, pigs, ladybugs, teddy bears, Rudolph and in names spelled out. We made pancakes to celebrate Pinky being returned and for many candlelight Christmas dinners.

They didn't eat as many pancakes this time while we dined in the living room with a movie showing on my laptop. My heart and tummy were filled at adding another memory to the treasure box that involved pancakes. I would like to think that when they are grown, they might have a hard day and think of making pancakes because of the memories and comfort surrounding this meal.

Pancakes are such a simple meal, they make me feel like Ma Ingalls and they are so thrifty. Maybe plates of pancakes will be made for my children's children and they will tell them all the fun times they remember having growing up and eating pancakes. Or maybe it will be less intentional than that and simply be a warm place in their memory bank.

I'm partial to breakfast for dinner and making memories simply over a plate of pancakes. May we have many more such memories in our future! I'm grateful for the gift of pancakes and the opportunity to gather around and create simple sweet memories on ordinary days with my family.

5 comments:

alice said...

I love this post! My baby is about to turn 18, and I have been hoping that they have many good many memories that hopefully pop up to remind them of good times. Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Much like you, I did grow up having breakfast for dinner. Pancakes are special for our family as well. My husband went out to sea for 3 months in and 3 months out, so our daughter waiting excitedly for Saturday morning pancakes to resume when he came home. I never wanted to take that away from him, so it was only "Dad" that made them. Now we have 4 grandkids that love to spend the night to have Grampas famous pancakes! One likes chocolate chip, the others like blueberry. And this past weekend they decided they like them combined!! So blueberry/chocolate chip it was.Love in Him, Lynnebee

*carrie* said...

I was just thinking a day or two ago about making pancakes with that yummy apple syrup!

I have rarely made pancakes for supper, but we do have them for breakfast about once a month, and we have waffles for supper occasionally.

Mom said...

Nice "ode to pancakes" - fun references to past pancake memories! :) I think your children will have lots of good memories from their growing up years - not just those involving pancakes! :)

Mary Ann said...

This is so cute! My mom would often make breakfast for supper on Saturday nights. I always enjoyed that. Waffles and hamburger gravy were a favorite!I can't make those things quite like her--so yummy! We eat breakfast for supper about once a week now; its a quick and inexpensive meal when we need something fast!