I had so many plans to get things done last Saturday but the perfect weather and my cute family made it hard to want to be a productive human being. I've been wanting to make these cookie bars for weeks but always convinced myself that I was too busy to take the time. I finally decided that Saturday would be the perfect time and that I could include Bensen in my fun.
For as long as we’ve been married, Saturdays have been for working, catching up on homework, cleaning the house or running a million errands. That’s what happens when you work both work full time, one of you is in school and you each have a side hustle or two. Last Saturday made me realize that weekends are better when they are filled with a minimal number of responsibilities and a maximum amount of memories.
I had so many plans to get things done last Saturday but the perfect weather and my cute family made it hard to want to be a productive human being. I’ve been wanting to make these cookie bars for weeks. But I always convinced myself that I was too busy to take the time. I finally decided that Saturday would be the perfect time and that I could include Bensen in my fun.
Breakfast was over, Emmy was napping, Joe was helping his brother-in-law move a fridge and I had Bensen all to myself. We pulled a chair over to the island so that he could be part of the action and then we got to work. For his first time helping in the kitchen, Bensen did really well! He loved scooping brown sugar and flour with his own measuring spoon. And he got frustrated when I stopped letting him scoop after he put the spoon in his mouth.
I let him hold the recipe for me. And although I could only understand a little bit of what he was saying, I’m certain he was reading the instructions and telling me what I needed to do next. I’d say his favorite part of making cookies was when I would help him see into the bowl as each ingredient was being mixed in. He giggled every time I turned the mixer on and would “ooo” and “ah” as he watched the beater spin round and round.
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These Congo Bars are one of my personal favorites. They are the cookies that I got excited about every time my mom would make them when I was growing up. They’re delicious eaten fresh but my very favorite is to eat them after they’ve been frozen. I’m assuming my family isn’t the only family that always had homemade cookies in the freezer. Ready to be thawed and eaten when a craving strikes. Congo Bars are best eaten after you’ve taken them out of the freezer and let them sit on the counter for a few minutes. They’re even better than eating frozen cookie dough, trust me.
I love how quick and simple these bar cookies are to make. They’re perfect for a quick cooking moment with your kids, no matter their age! The list of ingredients isn’t too extensive. You don’t have to worry about your butter being at the right temperature. (Softening butter perfectly is not a skill I possess.) And you won’t spend an hour rolling your cookies into balls and another hour baking each sheet of cookies. Throw all of the ingredients in your mixer, dump the batter/dough out onto a cookie sheet, bake them and enjoy!
After my Saturday full of cookie baking, open windows, and time with my family, I decided that yesterday needed to be a repeat. We had family pictures taken at our house. So we were able to spend the morning hanging out and enjoying each other’s company while someone captured those moments for us. Joe and I dropped the kids off at my mom’s house and spent the afternoon drinking hot chocolate, attending a family event and stuffing our faces with amazing food at our favorite Brazilian restaurant. After Bensen was in bed, I spent the night cuddling with Joe. None of my housework got done, I didn’t get any of my extra projects completed and I didn’t get this post finished and up on the blog. But we made a lot of memories and had a lot of fun and I didn’t regret it one bit!
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Now that I know just how amazing and stress free my weekends can be. I’m determined to make the most of every Saturday. I want to fill them with memorable moments. And if there’s time after we’ve had our fun, I’ll consider taking care of a few of my adult responsibilities. I’m dreaming of big breakfasts, late morning dance parties, big family naps, eating pizza in our pajamas at night, and more baking fun in the kitchen with Bensen. I stay at home the majority of the week. But Saturdays are the one day when the entire family is home and we don’t have any other obligations. I’m excited to see what Saturdays have in store. How they reduce my stress and how they leave me feeling refreshed and ready for a new week.
What are some fun traditions that your family has on Saturdays?
