Happy Monday, everyone! I know it is a happy Monday for me. It is the last week of school and I am looking forward to spending the last few days with my “kids” and with my coworkers. It will be hard to say ” goodbye ” since I am changing schools after 12 years but I am looking forward to making a few last memories before I start a new chapter in my life and career. Pancakes Anyone? In last week’s post I mentioned a cute book I purchased, Everything I Need To Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book.. Today’s pearl of wisdom from the book: have some pancakes. Talk about simple pleasures, this is great advice! As a kid I can probably count the number of times I had pancakes for breakfast on one hand. Unless, of course, I count the occasional restaurant brunch. We were a help yourself cold cereal kind of family. I suspect many of you were as well. Pop Tarts, anyone?

It is not the idea of pancakes specifically that caught my attention but the idea of breakfast being a special time and making it a focal point for starting the day off right. Taking the time to enjoy a special breakfast is a great way to enjoy a simple pleasure, connect with family, and provide good nutrition for your body rather than filling it with processed food. Healthy, family centered, and enjoyable. What more could an aspiring Minimalist ask for? OK, maybe the time to actually make the breakfast would be nice. Every family and every individual is different and some of you may be able to cook a full breakfast every morning for yourself and/or your family. I know that for me this is a noble and lofty idea but it will probably need some tweaking to work for me. I am happy to be sitting down instead of eating my breakfast while putting on my makeup and packing my lunch. So if you are breakfast challenged like me, here are a few ideas to help make your breakfast a little more special:

• Get up in plenty of time to have breakfast. It is a good practice and discipline for life in general and a great way to get your day off to a good start.
• Dress before breakfast. Enter the kitchen and dining area dressed and looking your best. If you have a family it shows that you care enough to look good for them.  Even if you are single you will feel better, more put together, and prepared to face the day if you dress before you eat breakfast. Just take care not to spill on your work clothes.
• Set the table. You can even do this the night before. Simple but inviting. Know that you are going to sit down and enjoy your food. Consider adding a nice touch like flowers from your garden.
• Choose food you enjoy. During the work week you may have to opt for easy to prepare food. That is quite alright. Just because it is easy and quick doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy it. Fresh berries and yogurt take only a minute to put together but I enjoy them immensely. It is much better than hurrying around the house with a piece of dry toast in my mouth.
• Remove any packages or boxes. OK, so you are going to have to serve the kids cereal bars this morning. Remove the wrappers and place them artfully on a plate. Milk can go in a decorative pitcher rather than a carton. Hurry up and get out the door breakfasts can be just as special as the leisurely ones.
• Enjoy morning conversation. If you have a partner or a family this is the perfect time to go over the day, encourage those you love, and wish them well.
• Clean up when you are done. It takes a minute and makes coming home in the evening so much easier.
• Pick a day for a family brunch and get everyone involved. Pick a day during the week such as a Saturday or Sunday where you can make a special brunch with pancakes, omelets or anything you like. Bring everyone in the kitchen to help out and share in the experience. If you are single, consider having some friends over for brunch or maybe meeting someone for breakfast.

So eat your pancakes everyone! Life is short and you are special. In my way of thinking eating pancakes is a metaphor for turning the mundane and ordinary into something special and a lesson for enjoying the simple pleasures in life. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any good ideas for breakfast or morning routines please share them!   Until next time, Laura