I remember dreading "leftover night" at our house growing up. The thought of re-heated spaghetti or warmed up salmon patties was about as unappetizing as any thing imaginable.
Fast forward to my own parenthood and facing "leftover night" with my own boys. Every couple of weeks or so I open the fridge to find it stuffed full of leftovers. A half pan of lasagna from Monday night, a bowl of rice from Wednesday. How can we make this a bit more exciting?
Introducing the "Fancy Smith Restaurant". The afternoon of the dreaded leftover night I pull everything out and start making a list. From that list I compile a menu~ thus our Fancy Smith Restaurant Menu. I quickly type out a menu with "fancy" font in a word document using a little creative wording to make things sound more appealing and have it printed out and waiting for the boys at dinner time.
And guess what...it works! Oh how they love leftover night now. They love having a menu to choose from as much as I love using up the leftover food without the moans and groans of the little ones.
So when life gives you leftovers...make a fancy menu.
This undoubtedly can be translated into life in so many other ways. It brings to mind the phrase "when life gives you lemons", right? I am a firm believer in this principle and try hard to raise our boys with the same mindset. I could get on a big soapbox about this topic, and have before (read here), but I'll spare you this time.
Here's to leftover night!