See you in September

Ahhhh, September. The most uneventful, hassle free month on the whole calendar! Excluding Labor Day which doesn’t count since it’s at the very first of the month. The month of September is a breather month. The restaurants are less nosy since school is back in session. The roadways are less crowded except for those long RV’s that seem to show up after school goes back. You don’t have to stand in long lines at the mall or theme parks and apples are absolutely everywhere!!!

The summer frenzy has slowed way down and the turkey has months to show up on your shopping list. It’s a laid back time where we get to enjoy the fall harvest of produce from our farmer’s long summer of labor. It’s the month where the last of the hay is put up for the harsh winter ahead and where our spring flowers have given their last efforts to bloom and begin to fade away.

In September the grass is still green and the trees begin to show hints of the beautiful array of colors yet to come. It’s a month in limbo, if you will. Not summer anymore and yet too soon to be fall. The perfect month!!!! The perfect month for traveling, vacationing and eating! All around you just can’t beat September!

September is an unappreciated month that lays quietly in wait for October where the air will be electrified with energy for the up coming holidays and change in weather. September is a transitional month. A month where the children have settled into a school routine and parents start living by schedules again.

The weather is highly unpredictable in September where you can enjoy a pleasant 75 degree Monday and experience the all too familiar fall crisp air on Tuesday. It can be a month of surprises where you get just a sample of all the four seasons rolled up in one. September is a fickle month that holds summer in one hand and fall in the other. She seems to be pulled into two directions not knowing which one to let go of.

We should not take September for granted. It is a month to be enjoyed, cherished and inhaled for all it has to offer. Take it for what it was meant to be, a breather month. Let the month of September rejuvenate you and restore your sprit for life.

So from now on I’m going to look forward to September and the entire uneventful ness it has to offer. Embrace it for all that it is and isn’t. Ahhhh September!!!

Growing up in the 70’s I saw the family unit as a place to find shelter, comfort, good and nourishing food and solace from the outside world. Our mother never ate till everyone in her small yellow kitchen had their fill. The kitchen table was the center of our lives. With a freshly ironed tablecloth it was where we sat down as a family for Sunday dinner. It was where all homework was done with a cold glass of milk and a few cookies. Unfortunately it was also the place where your report card was read by your father while you stood by his chair and waited for his approval or disapproval. It was where you found Mom to talk about your life and the place where she sat you straight when you messed up.

Sadly there is something missing from our families now. Mom has now been replaced by a woman that is stretched into too many directions. Her demands at work and her need to succeed are followed closely by her anxiety and guilt of not always being there for her children. Many professionals now state that even with the modern mother having to reach these limits our children are actually thriving. Statistics tell us different. More children then ever are in therapy or on medications for behavioral problems. More children then ever suffer from neglect, abuse and abandonment. The development of grandparents taking over the role of parenting and care giving has taken a steady raise in recent years.

The family table now sits in dust while the family rarely eats at the same time and conversation dwindles into saying hello and goodbye at the front door. There is a way to rectify this and all it takes is a little change on the parent’s part.

Children need guidelines at home. Simply said there should be rules to your home that must be followed or obeyed. No matter what they say a child wants to know that he is not in total control of your home. They want to feel secure in the knowledge that their guardian is in control of their surroundings.

Make time for meals. The most important clues you will get about what’s happening in your child’s life will be revealed at the kitchen table. Set the mood with good and nourishing food and let the conversation begin. I have never met a child that didn’t want to have someone just listen to them. Your time is what a child really wants. Give it to them and watch them thrive.

Let your child know that home is where they will and should feel safe. No matter what happens to their outside world home is where they will find the peace and unity they need. A homelife where they will find unconditional love and support and laughter.

A close family starts with one person willing to give of her or his time and devotion. This person or couple must be willing to become the caretaker of the family unit. The person or couple that will set the standards that your children will come to respect, follow and appreciate. If you do these small things you will see a big difference in your family life. It’s never too late to start. Gather your family tonight at the kitchen table.

My mother taught me well when it came to feeding a large family of seven. How she was able to take one chicken, a few potatoes plus a few left overs and whip it all up to be one of the best tasting, nutritious meals I'll never know. She often told us how hard it was growing up in the depression in St. Louis and how she would stand for hours in a soup line to bring her sick mother something to eat. For many of us it seems like we are going through the same thing. There is hope out there in stretching your grocery dollar and at the same time making meals that will appease you pickiest eater.
My mother's steadfast was beans (twice a week). Penny for penny you will not find a cheaper meal or a tastier one. Chalked full of fiber ounce for ounce, bowl for bowl you just can't lose with a piping hot bowl of bean soup. Served with a box of cornbread or our family favorite, homemade corn pone you can actually feed a family of 4 for $1.85! Try to get that at McDonalds! For a dollar more you can make some fresh coleslaw to go with it. In these hard economy times you have to get creative. You also have to do some ground work. For instance, I use a local market for my meat cuts. I got to know the butcher and remembered to call him by his name and asked for his opinion on meal ideas and cuts of meat. He remembered me and would often let me know if he was cutting a certain type that day and if it was on sale. Having a friend and ally behind the meat counter can be a big plus for you.
Chicken has now become the new hamburger, meaning it's cheaper to buy chicken then it is to buy hamburger. Sloppy Joes, meatloaf, and tacos were the foundation of my meals when my children were in school. Now it's all about the chicken. It pays to shop around, don't throw your money away by buying at the nearest store. There can be sufficient savings at one store for meats and another store for produce.
Always keep your stables in stock. I have found after a long and stressful day a hot grill cheese and a piping hot bowl of tomato soup will fill anyone up and just for pennies on the dollar. Learn to make large meals and freeze leftovers to be used when you are in a pinch for time and money. They will be your best investment of your time in the kitchen.
Remember that your cooking is like the seasons. There will be times where you will be able to create time consuming elaborate meals and times where a sandwich and a cup of soup will suffice. No matter what you bring to the table with a little time and presentation it won’t break the bank and your family will reap the benefits of a nourtish meal.