A formal invitation for brunch

For many families, Sunday brunch is a time for family tradition, for gourmet cooking, for a smorgasbord of flavors and tastes that excite the senses.

And then, there's our family:

Yes, yes indeed, this is our table on Sunday afternoon. Let me see...we have a full box of rainbow Goldfish crackers, a half a loaf of bread, and an open jar of peanut butter, which served multiple uses that day: it was used to make a peanut butter sandwich for Marissa, was smeared on Wheat Thins for me, and Lindsey ate peanut butter right off the knife, too. (Which is why the knife is now across the top of the peanut butter and not back in the jar. Hey, we do have SOME standards!)

Yes, that is a giant bag of baby carrots in front of Wayne (he looks thrilled, doesn't he?). He had to pull out two tubs of veggie dip because Marissa refused to eat out of the one that was nearly gone, so he finished that one off and let her break into the new one. Note the pint of baby tomatoes in front of Marissa. She pretty much eats those every meal but breakfast. I think she ate almost a full pint at lunch then ate the rest at dinner.

The ice cream cones are not really cones, they are plastic play things because before lunch Marissa decided to "set the table." That is also why you will see random play-sized plates and cups strewn throughout this fine setting.

Lindsey enjoyed two bowls of macaroni and cheese...minus the cheese. I'm not sure why, but she has taken to enjoying my cooking up Kraft macaroni and cheese, setting aside two bowls of the macaroni for her without the cheese on it, and then I make up the rest as macaroni WITH the cheese for Marissa and I to share. I'm not sure why it's better than when I just cook up regular old pasta, but she requests it frequently. That was part of this day's gourmet eating choices, too.

Note the lovely dining habits as she eats the macaroni straight out of the bowl and uses the provided spoon as a stabilizer when she brings the bowl up to her mouth.

This is all finished off by some healthy beverage choices:

Oh dear, her eyes are already bugging out of her head. Put away the Diet Coke and let's get outside before they tear the house apart. We'll pick all this stuff up later.