Busy is a word I try so hard not to use to describe my life right now. However, most of the time it seems like there is no way around it. I have four children, three of them are in three different schools, and one is home with me. The oldest two are involved in sports. My twelve year old daughter has soccer 3-5 times a week and my six year old son has baseball 2-3 times a week, with daddy as his coach that leaves me with the three year old and the 21-month old during those times. So, busy my be a good adjective to describe the season my family may be in for a while. However, my hope is that it will never become an excuse to change my priorities. "I'm too busy" is frankly said too much, especially in the world of "Netflix and chill", which I am guilty of.
My husband and I both were so fortunate to grow up in homes where our mothers made it a priority to set a table, make a dinner, and sit us all down without distraction. Naturally then, as we had our own children it just seemed like something you were supposed to do and not a task. We understand now what a blessing it was to have that foundation. As time passes and each kid gets a little older, those dinners seem to slip away and become harder to come by, but it is a priority I am not willing to change due to busyness.
Having our children stuck in a seat for even an hour or less is time to connect and communicate with them. I am just dipping my toes into parenting a teenager and I can already see that it is a priceless commodity. Even when she doesn't want to talk, my husband and I are able to. We are able to share what is going on in our home, things that affect the whole family, maybe the financial miracle we are waiting for or the healing we are believing in. If we do not share those things with our children they miss out on that miracle when it comes. With younger children that may not carry on a conversation fluidly, dinner is also a time of prayer. Many times when Jesus was teaching his disciples and others it would be while breaking bread, whether by sea with a crowd of thousands or at the table with twelve. I think it is safe to say that Jesus was a pretty busy guy, but He seemed to have plenty of time to share a meal with those He loved. He wants us to invite Him to our dinner table, to be part of our conversations and listen to our stories.
First, we have to make some food to eat in our spare time and in between the craziness. In the Batey house we don't often eat at any particular time. We eat when the largest amount of us can get to the table. Sometimes that's as early as 4:15 p.m. and as late as 8 p.m. My husband Josh and I have also sat at the table more than one time in a night with different groups of our children. That, among a lot of other reasons is why the Crock-Pot is my right hand man.
There are thousands of Crock-Pot recipes out there to choose from that fit your families needs and tastes. I am going to share a recipe that my family loves. It is extremely simple and inexpensive. While I share the recipe with you, I am also going to walk you though a typical day in the Batey home and how we make it the table.
They wake up too early, the sun never beats my kids to greet the morning. One of the toddlers rise and shine around 6 a.m. and their big brother follows shortly after. I'm sure its the normal routine that occurs in most homes in the morning, there is teeth brushing, changing for school and collecting backpacks. We get out the door by 8 a.m. and it takes about half an hour to drop all three off at their respective schools. Not bad so far, I even joined a gym for the first time in years. I have made that a priority, but mostly to be able to keep up with my kids. So, I head there next. I normally arrive back home around 10 a.m. and that's when I start the Crock-Pot.
Today I am making BBQ chicken sliders on Hawaiian rolls with pineapple, it's as good as it sounds. For this recipe I make double the chicken, that way after it cooks I can shred and save half for another recipe later in the week. I put six chicken breasts into the pot with one cup of water and turn the pot to high. After getting ready for the day and while the chicken is cooking I run errands. I may go to the grocery, to a doctor appointment and to the car wash of course. Lately, I have been using some of that time to sit down and type up a blog. I try my best to get as much checked of my to do list while I am entertaining and caring for my toddler, Anderson.
Between 11 a.m.- noon the little one is ready for a nap and nap time is cleaning time for this mama. It feels like that is the only time that I can clean and it will stay clean for any real amount of time. So, on to wiping off sticky fingerprints, cleaning bathrooms, picking up toys and mopping up spilled milk.
About 1:30 p.m. Anderson is rested and ready to take on the rest of the day. Snack first, then back in the van by 2:00 p.m. for after school pick up.
Between driving, traffic and the infamous car riders line we get home at 3:30 p.m. each day. My six year old has just enough time to write his spelling words, read a few pages and throw on his baseball uniform. My three year old runs upstairs to play dress up or with her Shopkins as long as she can, her little sister always following close behind. All while I set the table and finish the remaining steps to the recipe.
Shred the chicken, taking out half for later in the week if you chose to do so.
Add a half a cup of BBQ sauce to the chicken and stir.
Take the Hawaiian rolls out of the package and open them in half, fill them with the chicken and place one piece of pineapple on top. If you are a fan of cilantro its great on here too, but if its green my son isn't going to touch it, all beige it is for the Batey's tonight.
Close and serve with whatever side is a favorite to your family.
At 4:30 p.m. my daughter walks in the door from middle school. We are fortunate to live close enough to her school where she is able to walk home, that saves me a full half hour. At that time, everyone gets called to the table. Yes, on nights like tonight we eat at 4:30 p.m. If my husband isn't home yet he isn't too far behind.
Off to either baseball, soccer or both. The toddler girls are troopers and do their best to watch their big brother and sister enjoy their time in the spotlight. They will have their time sooner than they know. Time goes by too fast to get caught up in the busy, that you start to miss the moments that matter. It has taken some time to understand that it is okay for the little ones to be bored or even sick of going to these things. They are learning patience, honor, sacrifice and how to put other's wants and needs ahead of their own.
Home at 7 p.m., showers, reading and bed.
Avery walks in the door at 8 p.m. to get her homework done, shower and get ready for another day, tomorrow.
By 9 p.m. my husband and I have our time together, sometimes on our porch sharing dreams and others on the couch sharing ice cream. But, that is another priority for another blog post.
I hope you try the recipe and enjoy it, but more than that, I pray that you find encouragement to sit down with your family each night, and that no matter how busy life gets, its the priorities that make the difference.
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