Baking, half term, and the kids’ first aprons

Last updated on February 9th, 2024 at 02:55 pm

There are a million and one options of things to do as a family during half term. Many families go abroad for some much needed sunshine and sandcastles. Others venture out to see extended family and friends. But many of us stay home and enjoy local attractions and some much needed relaxation and rest. We are constantly on the go so this past half term I opted to stay home and chill out. There were a few things close to home I wanted to do together and some things I wanted to do right in the comfort of our own home together. Baking is one of them!

I have fond memories of baking in the kitchen with my mother. She has taught me so much too. It wasn’t always just me and my mother baking/cooking in the kitcehn. I look back at my childhood and so many favorite memories have numerous family members baking/cooking in the kitchen together. Holidays were filled with cousins and aunts over to decorate cookies together too. It was a whole family affair.

I also remember when I got my very first apron. Sadly my mother wasn’t a fan of photography so I couldn’t locate a photo of it. But it’s imprinted on my mind and the feelings that went with it when it was first placed around my neck. I was obsessed instantly with the front pocket. I would fill it with spatulas and spoons like a tool belt. We would pull out my great-grandmother’s recipe book that was spilled on, burnt, watermarked, torn, and fraying at the edges but it was a gold mine. Full of amazing secret tricks and tips to her favorite recipes. It got me think I need to start gathering my favorites for my daughter. 
What a perfect way to preserve the recipes that my kids’ are growing up with by collecting them in this gorgeous Recipe Tin Box. I know it will last a lot longer than my great-grandmother’s notebook will with it’s protective tin lid. It’s always easier to add recipes that have been torn out of magazines or recipe cards from other places. It makes a nice keepsake box for my kids to snoop through when they are older and can’t remember just how to make Momma’s potato soup which in fairness came from my Momma. That’s the beauty of hand-me-down recipes. I am sure she got it from her Mother and tweaked it as I have done for my kids. 

From the moment I told the kids we were going to bake, they were giddy. My kids love an excuse to measure out ingredients and set it all up and one by one add ingredients into our kitchen aid, if mixing is needed. Otherwise, they both get their spatulas out and decide who gets to stir in each item. For the most part they are really good at taking turns and even helping each other if needed. I love watching them giggle and laugh while they mix flour or powdered sugar and it puffs out of the bowl, filling the air around like the happiness in the kitchen. I love that they love to help me out. 

This half term, we did just this. We got out our mixing bowls, spatulas and decided on a recipe. I surprised the kiddos with their very first aprons. Oh boy, did they squeal. I choose coordinating aprons with red lining but patterns that I know each of them would absolutely adore, not that they needed any convincing to wear them. I literally had to pry them from their grips come bath time and hide them in the cupboard.

B’s apron adorns awesome vehicles from buses, planes, trains, trucks, cars, ferries and more called Vintage Transport Apron. I love Dot Com Gift Shop as they have SO many various kids’ aprons. The options are amazing for girls and boys. MM’s apron adorns like kids playing outdoors called Vintage Kids Apron. While I love coordinating and matching with the kids, I fell in love with this gorgeous light blue bird print called Blue Tit Apron instead. So I decided to match my lovely recipe tin box instead. I bake and cook in the kitchen daily so this was the perfect addition to my kitchen.

So on our lovely baking day set out ahead of us, we decided to make Eggless Sugar Cookies. Mostly because having a child with severe allergies makes joining in hard. I always try to get him involved with all the recipes that have nothing that can harm him. I make this Eggless Sugar cookie recipe all the time without them and they turn out fluffy, yummy and perfect if you want to decorate them or leave them plain with a cup of coffee.

The one thing I will say about baking and cooking with little ones is that it’s not as easy as it looks. It’s messier which is a given. It’s longer also a given. Somewhere between being organized, videoing, photography, and still watching the timer I always seem to burn things or they don’t turn out as great as when I do them on my own. Typical isn’t it? I swear every batch of cookies or brownies or birthday cake I have made with the kids having free range on helping me, has not come out so pretty. I am huge into my food styling and making my baking as pretty as possible. I guess the multitasker in me just can’t keep up. While we were patiently waiting our yummy sugar cookies to come out of the oven, we got sidetracked. The beauty of baking with the kids is they don’t care how pretty their treat is just how tasty. You can see our burnt masterpieces in the video below but they shamefully didn’t make the photography cut. I pride myself on my food styling so it was a write off but doesn’t matter because it was more about these two munchkins and making great memories with them. The cookies may have burnt, the frosting may have melted but we got the quality time down perfectly have a peak…

I am loving my new apron while I am baking and cooking up a storm. I am thinking long and hard about the amazing family recipes I want to add to my recipe tin box. Either way, they look amazing on my sideboard in the dining room too. There is something so lovely about bird prints.

GIVEAWAY:

I am happy to be hosting a lovely giveaway for one lucky reader to WIN this Set of Children’s aprons below! You too could have a family baking day with your little ones. Enter below! Best of luck! 

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