Now That's A Kitchen I Can Sink My Teeth Into

In our home our favorite gathering place is the kitchen. I love to have family and friends sitting or standing, visiting, laughing, preping and taste testing while meals are being prepared. There is something very satisfying about the atmosphere of the family gathering in the kitchen, enjoying life. This is where learning and sharing takes place. I love to have my husband cooking along side of me, he is such a foodie, and he's a great cook! From the time my daughters where babies they have spent time in the kitchen with me. I cleared out a cupboard and put their toys in it, so they were literally playing at my feet. As they grew older they loved to make cookies, cupcakes and brownies, licking the bowl and the spatula was and still is their favorite part. I bathed them in the sink as babies. Homework was done at the counter as I prepared dinner. Science projects, fingernail painting, after school snacking. We've made hundreds of valentine cookies, many peach pies, sunday roast dinner with yorkshire pudding. Homemade ice cream, cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate, jams and pesto. We've celebrated birthdays (15 for each of us) and Christmas's with our tradition of cheeses and proscutto. It's the first place we go when we walk through the door returning from the outside world.

Our kitchen had oak varnished cupboards, blue formica countertops and standing room only. We rubbed elbow, bumped elbow and threw elbows trying to position ourselves for prime kitchen real estate. Though I have wonderful memories of many years together I won't miss you old friend, but I will remember you fondly and maybe shed a tear now and then.

Now, I'd like to introduce you to the new kitchen

on the block. We've moved walls and windows, ovens (plural!) and refrigerator. We have a pot filler, ice maker and our spices are hidden. Bench and bookshelves, pendents and a pot rack (to be installed soon)! It is so beautiful and functional with a bit of room to spare. I look forward to good times and good memories with my new kitchen, now I am shedding a tear!

Photo at the top of this post is of my mother and my older siblings back in 1960. My mother is pregnant with me at the time. Don't you love the high chair and the refrigerator? My mother is taller than the refrigerator! I love this picture, in fact I love it so much that I use it as the cover for my family cookbook.