First Dates

The other day, my son was getting ready for another first date. I was hopeful for him. 

He left to fill his car with gas. He came back home carrying a huge bouquet of roses. I must have looked shocked. He quickly explained that "she loves roses". 

I asked him to remind me how long they have been dating and if they were serious. He looked sad and said it was another first date. 

I told him that a whole bouquet of roses were not a good idea.  He looked like I had tore his heart out.  I told him that if his father had presented me with a huge bouquet of roses on our first date that I would have freaked out. 

I was his same age many moons ago and dating as a girl was scary, even then. I had dated many guys who were desparate to woo me on the first date. Very awkward. 

My son just looked at the money he had spent. I said he could take her one rose or leave them all at home. I wanted to hug him. 

He paused for a few seconds and handed me the roses. He said, "mom, they are for you". I said thank you but I thought he should enjoy them himself. 

While he was getting ready for his date, I quickly cut the roses and put them in a blue glass vase and presented them to him. "Put them in your room". I kept a few of the roses and put them in our living room so that the family could enjoy them. I also snuck a couple red roses in a small vase and I put them in his bathroom. 

I am hoping the date went well... without the roses.

Watching my adult kid manauver the dating world is hard for this momma. My husband and I are very honest with our son about dating, romance and being a good date. Some lessons are painful to watch and sometimes we can catch things before he makes a mistake. Luckily, he is a good communicator and sees us as safe to come to, during this phase of his life. 

Roses are for love and commitment. Choose your dating gifts wisely. 

 

Daily Routines: Laundry

If your home is like mine, there’s always laundry to do.  With small children, the amount of laundry can feel endless and overwhelming. 

Growing up, I watched my mom do multiple loads of laundry every weekend. If she had a spare minute during the week, she would quickly wash the essentials.  As I got older, I was given the task of keeping up with my own laundry to ease her workload.  I did the same with my son, once he could safely reach the dials. 

Now, with only my laundry and my husband's to manage, I still run one load every day. Some days it's clothes and other days it's linens like sheets or towels.  Keeping this simple routine means we rarely run out of clean items. 

One load of laundry a day can do the following:

• Lessens the risk of running out of clean clothes
• Lowers stress levels and reduces the feeling of overwhelm
• Make the "mountain" of laundry on the weekends almost non-existent, freeing you up for other things.

No one enjoys getting up in the morning only to discover they are out of underwear or their favorite shirt isn't clean.

The visual clutter of seeing clothes tumbling out of an overflowing laundry basket adds to your stress. And having to postpone fun outings-- or give up your weekend-- just to catch up on laundry is the worst.

Instead, grab the basket and toss in a load of whites or towels while you are watching TV or doing other chores.  An hour later, move it to the dryer and go back to what you were doing. Once everything is dry, a quick fold is usually all it takes to keep things under control. 

You can even involve little kids by having them fold washcloths and match up socks. It is a small habit that makes a big difference in keeping the laundry chaos away. 

Doing one load of laundry every day is a simple habit that helps keep laundry from becoming overwhelming. Instead of facing a huge weekend pile, you can stay ahead with small, consistent loads- whether it is clothes, towels, or sheets. This routine reduces stress and prevents last-minute "I am out of clean underwear" moments and frees up your weekends for rest and fun. By involving kids in small tasks like folding small items, you turn laundry into a manageable part of daily life rather than a never-ending chore. 

Everyday Grace around Expectant Mothers and New Babies

My grandmother had a wonderful way of subtly teaching me poise and elegance.

As a girl with numerous male cousins and predominantly male classmates, it was difficult for me to remember the subtle nudges she gave me. However, I eventually managed to learn..

One thing I quickly realized when new cousins arrived was that expectant mothers are beautiful but also tired. Their round bellies and loose, flowing clothes made them look so lovely. 

I was delighted to welcome a new cousin into our family. We made it a point to visit the new little ones shortly after their birth on most occasions. 

My grandma instructed me to keep my hands to myself and to talk quietly around the baby and the tired mom.

As a new mom 25 years ago,  I expected others to have the same respect. Nope! Everyone wanted to touch my belly while I was pregnant or cuddle with my son shortly after coming home from the hospital.  I cringed inside.

Luckily my grandmother was around shorly after my son was born. She scolded people who tried to take my son out of his carrier or insist it was their turn to hold him. She strongly encouraged  them to wash their hands and not stand so close.

While I was pregnant, a lady came up to me and immediately started to reach out for my very large belly. I swung out of her reach and promptly and said I would prefer her not touch my growing belly. She was insulted.  

Our first time in church after our son was born, everyone wanted to hold our son. We inisisted that that they just look but not touch. Some people were respectful and others were hurt. 

We chose an old fashioned name for our son. Quite a few people said they didn't like his name and wanted to know if they could call him something different. We refused most suggestions for nicknames. 

25 years later....here is some friendly advice: 

• Respect a mothers growing belly. The belly is hers. Give her lots of room to move around and get comfortable.
• Respect the baby. Immune systems will increase slowly, just not all on the first outing. Let Mom and Dad handle the carrier or stroller.  If you have had a cold or a flu, keep your distance. 
• If you don't like the name... keep it to yourself.
• If they let you hold the new baby, treasure the moment. 
• The greeting should be "Congratulations," no matter how many children they already have at home. Babies are a blessing. 
• Finally, please keep yourself from suggesting sleep or feeding schedules.  I guarantee you, the mom and the dad are tired from getting so much advice.

A cassserole dish of food, a cozy sleeper for the baby, or a gift card for take-out, are welcome gifts. And keep visits short. 

A little bit of kindness and grace goes a long way with a pregnant woman or a new mom/dad. 

Are they any ways you have found that show love and kindness to new moms/dads and new babies?  Please share it in the comment section. 

Cabbage Rolls Recipe

 Another one of my favorite recipes from my Grandma is Cabbage Roll

I used to call it "Pigs in a Blanket" but my grandmother said that is not what we were eating.😆 Sometimes I called it that just to irritate her.  She still loved me. 

Here are the ingredients:

• Head of green cabbage
• Large pot of boiling water
• 2 lbs of ground beef/turkey
• 1 cup of white long-grain rice, cooked (rice should double in quanity once cooked)
• 1 large can of tomato sauce 
• One small onion, chopped into very small pieces

Start by browning the ground beef. Ground turkey works, as well. Season the ground beef/turkey with salt and black pepper. Add the chopped onion and cook it until the onions are starting to get soft. 

Cook the rice.

Mix the ground beef/turkey, rice and chopped onion together.

Boil individual large leaves of cabbage, until tender. It should turn a bright green color

While the cabbage leaves are still very warm--carefully fill the leaves with rice and ground mixture. 

Without burning your fingers. Roll the cabbage closed and put them in the pan with the edges down so that the ground beef/rice mixture will stay inside while the dish cooks. 

Your will need a 9X13 dish or a large oval dish. You might need to squish them in tightly. This is great, as it will help the cabbage rolls from coming apart.

Once you use up all the ground beef and rice mixture, pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Err on the side of "enough sauce" other wise the cabbage leaves will get tough in the oven. 

Bake the cabbage rolls in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. The tomato sauce should be bubbling and the edges of the cabbage golden brown. 

Carefully remove the rolls from the baking dish. You will want a spatula about the widith of the rolls. Don't be alarmed if some of the ground beef/rice mixture slips out. 

Cabbage rolls is good with crusty whole wheat bread or my favoite, Knfela (German Dumplings and Potatoes). My grandmother would also serve a green leafy salad with the cabbage rolls. 

As a kid my favorite thing was to eat the extra ground beef/rice that was left in the pan. So yummy!!

Beware if you under-cook the cabbage in the boiling water or in the oven, the cabbage can be tough. 

Sehr gut!!! 

Daily Bathroom Reset

Nothing says I love you like a clean and tidy place to soak in the tub, washing your hands, or recover when you are not feeling well. A quick daily reset in the bathroom not only keeps things fresh, but it's a small but meaningful way to bless your family. 

A daily bathroom reset takes about 5 minutes per bathroom: -

1. Once you are done in the morning- shaving, washing your face, applying your makeup ,and brushing your teeth-- grab ag a clean cloth and wipe down the sink, faucet and counter top.

2 Give the tub/shower a rinse and then wipe off the faucet and knobs. 

3. Wipe off the outside of the toilet (and the lid) and give the bowl a good scrub with the toliet brush. 

4. Finish by tossing the bathroom rugs in the dryer for a few minutes.  This fluffs the fibers and makes them feel so much more luxurious than a crunchy or flattened rug. 

These tiny habits add up, creating a bathroom that feels calm, cared for, annd ready for whatever your day brinngs. 

When you build this simple daily bathroom reset into your day, your are not just cleaning-- your creating a calm space for the people you love. Start with one bathroom. One small habit. Enjoy the peace that comes with having your home tidy. 

 

Kitchen Reset

Every day, our kitchens become bustling hubs of activity. We end up with dirty dishes, sticky, cluttered counters.  If your life looks like mine, you get up and make lunches and breakfast, and then prepare supper. Sure enough, your sink is filled with dishes,  your countertops are a mix of clean and dirty items, and your stove carries the unpleasant evidence of overflowing pots. 

How to do a daily kitchen reset:

1. Begin by rinsing out the sink and filling a basin with hot, soapy water.

2. Wipe down the microwave and the stovetop.

3. Load the dishwasher with dirty dishes and start it.

4. Wash the plasticware, fragile dishes, and any that didn’t fit in the dishwasher.

5. Wipe down the counters and put away food in the fridge or cupboard/pantry.

By this time, you should notice your kitchen becoming tidy and clean.

6.  Rinse out the sink again and put away any hand-washed dishes.

Stand back and admire your hard work.

Today, I completed all these tasks in under 30 minutes.

Later in the day, the tasks are simple: unload the dishwasher, add any new dirty dishes, wipe off the counters, and rinse out the sink. 

Husbands and kids can help load and unload the dishwasher. They can also remove countertop crumbs and place non-dishwasher items in a sink basin. 

No hour-long cleaning marathons needed-  just a quick reset that keeps your kitchen feeling calm and under control. 

Runza Recipe

My grandmother used to put me in a step stool so I could cook with her. One of our go to recipes was Runzas. Yummy dough filled with ground beef and cabbage…. Perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Even as a little girl I could eat a whole Runza myself. I would dip it in ketchup. 

You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 4 cups of all-purpose white flour
• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• About 3 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• Dash of salt/salt alternative and ground pepper (in the cabbage mixture)

Start by proofing the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. 

Next, add the eggs and butter. Mix together gently to combine.  

Add the white flour and mix well. You may need a bit more water, depending on your room's humidity. 

The dough should be soft but still firm.

Lightly flour your countertop or cutting board, and knead the dough.  This is important as it helps activate the gluten in the flour. 

Place the kneaded dough in a large bowl, put it in a warm draft-free space, and cover with a towel for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough should nearly double in size. 

While the dough is rising: Brown ground beef or ground turkey in a skillet. Add the shredded cabbage and cook them together until the cabbage starts to soften. 

Roll out the risen dough on a clean, floured countertop. You want the dough fairly thin, but not so thin that it tears. It needs to be thick enough to fold and tuck. 

Take a piece of the flattened dough and spoon some of the meat/cabbage mixture into half of it. Fold the other side over and seal the edges closed. You can make them round or loaf-shaped.  You should get about 8 Runzas from the dough and filling. 

Make sure the seams are pinched tightly, and then place the runzas on an ungreased baking pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the runzas are golden brown on the tops and edges. 

Enjoy the Runzas right out of the oven--- but beware, they will be hot!  

Some people like to eat them with ketchup or ranch dressing. 

***If you want to add some extra fun inside the Runzas, add some shredded jack or cheddar cheese when you add the ground beef/turkey. Mushrooms are also delicious inside. You add chopped onions to the cabbage mixture, which is traditionally done, but I am not a fan of cooked onions.  

Good Morning Routines

Early mornings set the stage for success.  Even when my son was young, a low-stress morning routine helped us ease into a smooth and productive day. Now that we're all adults heading off in different directions, these simple habits keep us grounded.

Drink a glass of water. I won’t cite scientific journals, but that first glass helps wake up your digestive system and soothes a dry throat after a night's sleep. After that first glass of water, I like to wake up the house, too. 

Open the windows. 

My grandma opened the windows on the hottest and coldest days of the year. She believed we needed fresh air, even if it was just for a few minutes. She always said that if you only open one window, make sure it’s in the bedroom --- and do it before making the bed.  I still follow her advice.  It feels wonderful to stand by the window and feel the fresh air coming in, knowing the stale air from the previous day is on its way out.  Once the fresh air has a chance to move through, it's time for the final task: making the bed. 

The final task is to make the bed. 

When my son was little and wanted to help me, I told him that the best way he could contribute was by making his own bed. He would lay his blanket flat on his toddler bed and carefully smooth it out. As he grew older, I showed him how to straighten the layers of the sheet and quilt. It wasn’t always perfect, but it always made his room look tidier.  

Every morning, I pull back the sheets and blankets to let the bed breathe. About ten minutes later, I make the bed. Now, whenever I want to rest my eyes, lose myself in a good book, or play a brain game on my tablet, I find peace in my bedroom. Even if the rest of the house is a mess, I know my bed is a calm, tidy place to retreat to. 

Three small tasks can help you start a good day.

And if you add just one more -  give your family a good-morning hug, greet them with a smile, or send someone you love a cheerful good-morning text- you're not just starting the day; you're sharing it.  

What small morning habit makes your day feel calmer or more grounded?

Welcome

It has been a while since I blogged. In the meantime,  I tried Instagram, but it was not my Wonderland. 

When my son was little, I blogged almost every day. It was my opportunity to interact with adults, share glimpses into our simple life, and stay in touch with family. 

I am back!  

My re-launch will be domestic life- Cooking, cleaning tricks, and home decor. 

I am currently doing a self-study in interior design. It is great to keep my brain active, and I am finally honoring an old commitment to myself to study it. 

This blog will also be a place to share the lessons my grandmother taught me when I was young. I could get into trouble very easily, -- making a walking path in the living room with her treasured music books or drawing on my face with permanent markers.

My grandmother bought me a little broom, dustpan, and made me a "mini-me" apron.

I accompanied her daily, offering assistance with household chores, cooking, and gardening.

A few years ago, while reading old books on Project Gutenberg, I stumbled upon two books that felt strangely familiar. They detailed the kind of training I had received from my grandmother-- home routines and cleaning schedules. While not identical, the structure was remarkably similar. 

My grandmother’s daily routine didn’t follow the conventional 1950s housewife schedule, but it did have a distinct rhythm. 

I’ll gradually share her routines with you, along with the recipes she taught me. 

You might be thinking that routines from the 1920s, 1950s, or even the 1980s don’t fit our fast-paced lives today. But a few simple routines and a bit of planning ahead can actually slow things down and ease some of the franticness. 

Come back and see how my old home economics training can help you relax, reduce stress, and make life run more smoothly.