Back in the day when our numbers were fewer, I always seemed to make too much of whatever I was making...a huge 9x13 of enchiladas, a 4-qt pot of chili,  a double batch of cookies, etc.  We always ended up having leftovers for a week of the same thing and I inevitably threw stuff out that we just got tired of.  I couldn't figure out how to cook for just 2 or 3.

Thankfully, that problem has resolved itself rather quickly in the past few years...our little ones didn't seem to eat much early on...I could make 2 sandwiches to feed 3 kids and when we went out to eat we could usually get away with 1 kid's meal per 2-3 kids. 

Well, our little bird-mouths are getting much bigger.  We now only have leftovers 1-2 times a week and it's just the scraps from several meals combined.  ...and who knew a 9-year old boy could eat nearly a dozen muffins in a day?!?!  I actually really like seeing my kids ENJOY food I make...David's Sr's affection for food is what made my mom love him first...he would just swoon over everything she put in front of him and because of his (heartfelt) reactions, she LOVED to cook for him.  I can see the same thing with my kids...when they enjoy what I put in front of them, it makes my task of feeding them so much more enjoyable!  It's fun to cook for people who enjoy and appreciate what they're being served.

Another thing I noticed this week that is such a huge perk of having  a slightly larger than average family...I get to eat ALOT of different things without getting too much of anything...take these past 2 weeks for example...Here's a list of things that we've made (other than normal breakfast, lunch, dinner):

• 2 batches pumpkin cookies (96 cookies)
• 3 batches snickerdoodles (120 cookies)
• 2 apple pound cakes
• 2 loaves banana bread
• 1 peanut butter pie
• 1 chocolate pie
• 1 batch no-bake cookies
• 4 dozen blueberry muffins

That's alot of stuff in 12 days time and what do we have left to show for it???  about 1/2 of a chocolate pie (that we made today), 1/2 a piece of peanut butter pie (Happy 65th birthday, Papaw!!), and a half-dozen or so cookies.  Now, before we had so many good eaters I would have been a good bit plumper after making all of those goodies...but now, I get just enough (and then some) to satisfy my sweet tooth...and when it all gets eaten before I'm fully satisfied, well, I still have those yummy ghiradelli chocolate chips in my pantry that stave off any chocolate attacks and an ever-ready supply of ice cream in my freezer!