A chef in the making

After a long break from the movie Ratatouille, Kinley watched it one day and her need to create was given a new venue. She watched it several times in one day and after she had had her fill, she turned it off and told me two things:
1) That's it's really OK to have Rats in your house. (Which I adamantly disagreed with.) and
2) That she is a chef and was going to make some things.
Since that day, she has made breakfast in bed for David and me several times. The first time was such a surprise. She had mixed 2 different types of cereal together, and had clearly stirred it to perfection, and brought it to us on a serving tray that we have no idea how she got a hold of because it was in a very high cupboard. She said she didn't know how to pour the milk, so she gave it to us dry. It was very delicious, nonetheless, and she was so proud as we were eating it. The moment was short lived, however, when we heard the little sister waking up and Kinley frantically ran downstairs to put Dolces breakfast together. She came back with a roll she had found and Dolce very happily snarfed it up. The sweetest part was that Mckinley had completely forgotten to make anything for herself. When I asked her what she was going to have for breakfast, she smiled shyly and said, "I'll just have some of yours, Mommy."
The discoveries continued in the playroom when Mckinley began making 5 star dishes out of socks from the sock matching box. She was absolutely thrilled when her Daddy stuffed an entire sock into his mouth and told her how yummy it was.
As I've been reading a book called Simple Abundance, one recommendation has been to implement a weekly soup night throughout the winter. The idea is to enjoy the entire process of making different comforting soups. I must say that with my little girls help, I have enjoyed this cooking ritual so much. I have paid closer attention to the bright colors of vegetables, the smells as the flavors blend together, even the warmth of standing by the stove cooking, when the weather outside has been so chilly. Our next venture for the month of April is going to be implementing a bread making day once a week together. Banana bread first!