Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Dip

Yesterday I had a friend over for lunch while our sons played together. They were playing their pretend version of the classic game "Life" as only three-year-olds can do. Instead of taking turns spinning the spinner, they took turns passing pretend money back and forth while my friend and I sat in amazement watching them. These two friends who have become best buds to each other played peacefully without a single argument while James Taylor played in the background and the grownups drank coffee discussing which gowns were our favorites from the recent Oscars. Michelle Williams, if you happen to be reading this, we both agreed you looked stunning in your strapless coral dress!

Our conversation moved from Oscar fashions to how we parent our sons as we navigate our parenting journey based on their distinct personalities, learning styles, and developmental stages in life. Part confessional and part support group, we discussed parenting philosophies as we affirmed each other on what we were doing right and commiserated in areas we could improve on. Thank goodness for the sisterhood of motherhood.

Soon after they left my daughters came home from school. Hungry for a snack, I cut up a large Fuji apple in thin slices and served them with a sweetened peanut butter cream cheese dip. After the snack, my daughters helped clear off the table and put away the dishes in the dishwasher without much fuss. I'm not sure what I did to deserve a relatively peaceful day yesterday but by the end of the night, I was grateful. Good thing for it too because today my patience was tried, my body exhausted, and I found myself needing to remind myself about how good it can be using yesterday as a reminder.

This recipe for Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Dip is great for sliced apples. It might not impart serenity among your kids but there is a chance you might get your dishes put away.