Is your car like a garbage can on wheels?

   Very few of us have actually seen a Maserati - let alone driven one, but that doesn't mean you can't drive a spiffy clean nice car.  With just a few changes in how you do things every day, you can keep your car looking as good as the day you bought it!   

 



Here are a few tips that help keep your vehicles from being an embarrassment - especially if you have small children.

1-If you do let your children have food in the car - be discriminating on what you are giving them. Ask yourself a few questions -  Can it spill?  Does it drip or ooze? How sticky will the little fingers get?  Food options might be - fruit snacks, crackers, cups with secure lids, raisins or other  died fruits.

2 - Keep wipes in the car.  Both kinds ( a ) for the kiddos, and ( b)  for the car when accidents do happen.

3 - Have small garbage bags tucked into the car door pockets, and after consuming fast food, train yourself to pass the bag around for garbage collection, so it does not get scattered all over the floor.  Have a garbage can close to where you park at home, and make sure before you exit the car, all garbage is in the bag and thrown away.  This one is so simple - and makes such a big difference.

4 - Don't view your car as a traveling storage bay.  What goes in the car, comes out of the car, wether it is a trip around the block, to the market, or a long road trip.

5 - Have a car vac handy by your back door, or in your garage - and use it once in awhile.

6 - If you do have small children, and you want to keep them occupied with crayons, books etc. Have a container with a secure lid.  Mention to them when you are a few minutes from your destination, to get their activity items into the box. Thinking ahead is always good - especially if you are always in a time crunch.

Over time good habits will become instinctive, and a clean car is mostly about good habits, and thinking ahead. Teaching kids at an early age, to be responsible for their own belongings is not just about a clean car, but will produce long-term benefits that will produce dividends in so many other aspects of daily living.   

   

Hawaiian Haystacks or Chinese Sundaes

Hawaiian Haystacks (Or Chinese Sundaes)

Either way, you call it, this is an easy way to feed a crowd.  Just bump up the amounts listed in the ingredients, if more show up than you were expecting.  To make prep time easier and enjoy time with your company, much of the chopping can be done ahead of time.
Add a couple of side dishes of fruit, and maybe a couple of options on the cheese. With a simple beverage, you will have a buffet table full of color. and a meal that is filling. Bake ahead cookies or sheet cake for desert. 

Ingredients:
8 cups steamed rice
6 -8  boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 bag of crispy chinese noodles
1 1/2  cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup frozen baby peas, rinsed and thawed 
2 -3 chopped tomatoes
2 cups finely grated cheese
2 bunch sliced green onion (greens included)
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained (or pineapple tidbits)
peanuts, (salted, roasted -chopped optional)
flaked coconut (optional)

Directions:

1 -In saucepan, cover chicken with water add a few slices of onion, and boil until done.
2 -Remove chicken, cool and shred.
3 -Put soup in saucepan, stir and add enough chicken broth or skim milk to make a thick gravy
     (do not add too  much, it will thin as it heats).
4-Set out chopped ingredients in small bowls.
5-Serve buffet style, first 1 cup rice, then add whatever chopped ingredients you desire. Top with       chicken gravy mixture.

* an alternate to boiling chicken - adds a bit more fat grams, but maybe worth it in flavor - if you are not pinched for time. (cooks in crock pot for 6-8 hours)

1 family size can cream of chicken soup

1 8oz block of cream cheese

1 packet ranch seasoning

2 Tbsp dehydrated onion

milk, salt and pepper

4-8 chicken breasts
2 cups of water

Conversations Overheard at Airports.

   Airports are interesting places to watch people.  People are coming and going, some are tired, hungry, stressed and emotional about saying goodbye to loved ones.  Parents traveling with small children can be especially  vulnerable when it comes to keeping their cool.  Here are  a couple of conversations overheard by Nana on recent trips.

 The first one was in the Women's restroom.  (*side note - You know how there are times when you wish you had intervened, but did not?  This is one of those times!) 
Mom in the stall right next to me asking her crying toddler in an angry voice  "DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU A SPAKING?  DO YOU"   
I'm not sure that the child could actually formulate the words to give mom an  answer.  The child just kept crying.
And again the mother asked "DO YOU WANT A SPANKING....STOP IT RIGHT NOW!  DO YOU WANT ME TO SPANK YOU"?  
At which point I wanted to shout over the wall  - "of course not - that is really a dumb question,  what child would say  " sure - spank away" .


Another most unpleasant conversation not at the airport but actually after boarding. I happened to be sitting in the row in front of a couple, near the back of the plane.  I was tired and anxious to get home.  Only 5 minutes after takeoff  they started to go after each other.  The woman began the attack. I suppose she thought it was okay to level anything at the man next to her by masking her hurtful comments in terms of "feelings", and that everyone has a right to share what they feel.  You can share what you feel, but if you don't listen to the words that come out of your mouth, your "feelings" can ruin relationships. By the way,  15 minutes  before the flight landed, the man got up and found a different seat because he was so done with her.  I felt bad for both of them, but especially for that sad, angry woman who didn't have a clue how  to appropriately talk about her frustrations, and where to find positive, common ground on which to build.  

My mama always used to say that you get a free pass if you are hungry or tired or sick.   That may be true if you have previously established those rules, but still,  If you simply think before you speak and try to listen to yourself.  What do you sound like to others ?  What exactly did you say?  Maybe you do owe and apology.

Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells

A quick and easy no meat main dish that is faster than stuffing manicotti, and  will make enough to serve your family as well as another.  Serve with green salad, garlic bread, and your favorite fruit for desert. This recipe calls for lowfat cottage cheese instead of ricotta, making it less expensive and just as delicious.  But be sure to press out any extra liquid from the cottage cheese.

 Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions
    (I used just over half of a 12 oz. box of American Beauty brand)
Drain and run under cold water.  Set. aside.  Do not over cook - with the baking time in oven they will be perfect if slightly undercooked.

Cook 10 oz. package of chopped spinach according to directions  and drain well.

 2 eggs  - crack into large bowl
      add to eggs:
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cups lowfat cottage cheese  - ( if it is watery press out liquid)
1 2/3 cup shredded Colby & Monterey cheese  (2 cups total)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tb. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
Stir altogether, adding the spinach last.

In a baking dish pour enough spaghetti sauce to for the shells to sit in.
I use the 26 oz. can of Hunts premium Garlic and Herb Pasta sauce
Stuff the cooked shells with cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
Spoon some of the sauce over the top of each shell and then sprinkle 1/3 cup shredded cheese from the previous 2 cups - and also some extra Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 min.   

Ukraine is not Russia

    We went to Ukraine last year to do some volunteer work.  Fell in love with the kids and a wonderful city named L'viv.  The city center is a world heritage site and has more of a typical European feel to the architecture than is seen in the eastern cities of Ukraine.  Spring and Fall are a great time to visit. Food and lodging are fairly inexpensive compared to the major cities in the neighboring countries to the west. Through USAID funds, some of the students we met while we were there, had the opportunity to travel to the US and become much better acquainted with the American legal system. We had a great time showing them around our community.  Even a trip to Walmart was an adventure for them.  However 2 of them became lost in the store and decided to go out and sit on the patio furniture to wait for the others, causing some confusion inside the store.  In the process of trying to locate them,  the intern who was not lost overheard one Walmart employee asking another  "Where is Ukraine" ?  A fellow employee replied...  "It's in Russia"!   Ksenia just rolled her eyes!  NOT! The language can be a challenge, but most of the younger students there have a good grasp of English.  Taking the time to learn a few basics with the Ukrainian language will help you have a better experience.

            So -2 things not to miss if you travel to L'viv:

A village which has been painstakingly re-created to portray a typical Ukrainian culture of long ago 

with a wonderful display of hand painted antique Ukrainian Pottery.

   

..and the Cemetery,with it's powerful grieving sculptures created to honor the dead.

                    ..

Women Need Validation

Nana and her better half have had the following conversation on several occasions in the past year.
 
    Me     "This has been a really hard year"!
    Him  " Yes but we have been very blessed"
    Me     "I know we have been blessed, but still, its been a very hard year!"
 
  Then he looks at me with this frustrated look, as if I should just move on from the really stressful memories and pain, and just focus on how blessed we have been.  Fiddlesticks.  Women don't just let go of anxiety and trauma that easily. We need to feel validated that our trials have been difficult, and even though we have triumphed through them, a little older and wiser, it's nice to have someone say,
 " You are right! It has been a difficult year,  but I'm proud of how you have handled all the challenges. 

    Most women are not married to psychotherapists,  they are married to mechanical engineers, math teachers, firemen, lawyers, and other analytical thinking men.  Maybe men are afraid that if they validate feelings,  the floodgates will open wide, with an outpouring of inexplicable issues that simply befuddle the male psyche. 

   But really guys  (not that any guys read this blog)  would it be that hard to simply look at her with your full attention,  say "yes- you are right", and then follow that up a sincere compliment about the job she is doing ? 
Validate feelings, compliment, then share your feelings.  So simple!

Toddler Tantrums in the Checkout Line

     You are at the checkout line exhausted, anxious to get home, and of course there is a conspiracy among most retailers to strategically place the most eye catching things for a toddler right where you have to stand and wait in the checkout line.  You have already filled your cart and don't want to spend any more on things that are not necessary, like the candy ring pop or the finger puppets that bark. But then the screaming starts. You and your child would be better off if you were to remember a few of the basics about common sense parenting.  If you decide to by the pretty balloon or the hand puppet or the eye-catching candy, just remember that you set a precedent,  and every time you reward a tantrum,  that cause and effect behavior might become an every shopping day experience.

So what do you do?  Here are s few things to keep in mind.

1- Your first concern and loyalty should be to your child - and not to all the other adults who are within earshot.  Stop thinking that they are annoyed, and are expecting you to turn off some imaginary switch on the side of your kid's head! A most distressing scene is when the behavior of a parent becomes so much worse than the child's,  with verbal or physical abuse.   So stay calm. and then mentally move on to the next step.


2- In the bigger picture, children's need are fairly simple, and they are more likely to fall apart when these needs are not met. They need food, love, nurturing, sleep, clean diapers, clothing, a clean healthy environment, & good health.  Also, opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills, and  positive validation as they progress in their development. Older toddlers also need to begin learning about how to make choices and the associated consequences. ( But that topic will be explored in another article.)

3- So as your child is bawling think about the list just mentioned and mentally do an accounting of how your schedule for the last several hours has interfaced with their needs.  Are they tired, hungry, teething, sitting in a wet diaper, did they somehow get their finger pinched and are they in pain?  Get down on their level, look at them, talk to them calmly and see what it is they are trying to clue you in on.  Can you imagine what it would be like if you could only communicate by crying, laughing, pointing or shaking your head? Give them a kiss and pull out something from your *diaper bag for them to chew on, or distract them. Put your hand on their forehead; do they feel feverish, Look in their eyes, smile at them and whisper in their ear that you love them. That might not solve a thing and they might not stop crying, and if not, continue to stay calm and loving and go on to the next step.  

4- If you have totally spaced off the fact that they missed their nap time, and their lunch, and they are wearing the same diaper they had on 4 hours ago....well mama, Get them home as soon as you can and take care of them. Their needs should come before getting all the craft supplies for scrap-booking night or whatever else you are doing.  They depend on you  for everything, they are resilient, but you can only push things so far. We all have our breaking point but happy is the child who has parents that never forget the stewardship given them when this precious child was first placed in their arms.

*PS. Your diaper bag is your life line:  If you plan on being gone for more than 1 hour - have it packed with diapers, wipes, a few toys, teething ring, clean change of clothes, snacks, a ziplock bag for blowouts, soiled clothing etc... leak proof sippy of water, or juice boxes.  This one below is stylish and practical.
Big enough to hold phone and wallet also! 
   

The any flavor Sour Cream Bundt Cake

This cake has been a family fav. for many years, and the variations are almost endless, as long as you follow the basic combination of ingredients.

1 cake mix
1 box of instant pudding
1 cup of sour cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup water
* extra 2 TB. flour for higher altitudes

This cake can be  made  with the following variations.  For a rich chocolate cake, use the fudge cake mix, chocolate pudding, and for an even more decadent desert add in 3/4 cup semi-sweet choc. chips after putting batter into the pan.  (sprinkle them on the top of the batter and then just push them down with a fork.) Frost with choc. buttercream.

For cinnamon swirl, use yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding and layer with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Lemon cake is great with lemon pudding, and a great poppy seed almond combo. is good with the yellow or white cake mixes, and almond flavoring.   Go crazy with the possibilities!

Prepare pan, with shortening and flour or a cinnamon/sugar combination - Preheat oven to 350 and then beat together all ingredients in mixer - 1 min. on low speed to combine, and then 3 min. on higher speed.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 min.

So you don't want to do the dishes?

What are the alternatives?  Let them stack up to the ceiling?   Nana is not so sure that you will feel more motivated at a later time, when the food is stuck like concrete, and there isn't a clean plate to be found.

                                         Here is the goal - A clean wonderful Kitchen

Notice beautiful live plants, helping clean the air and breaking up the doldrums of winter months!

   And here are 5 suggestions to keep on top of the work:

1- Rinse and Soak.  If you really can't get to them right away, at least rinse off the plates or soak baked on pans in hot soapy water, so when you do get back to the job,  the food isn't stuck on like crazy glue.   But then get back to the job as soon as you can.  Putting things off, only makes them harder.

2-  Divide and conquer.   So you cooked a wonderful meal for everyone.  Is it wrong to expect all who enjoyed that meal, to get up from the table, clean their plate off and put it in the dishwasher?  No.  Keeping house is a team effort. It is nice when others volunteer without being asked. But for some it just never occurs to them that their help might be needed or appreciated - so ask!

3- Learn to multi-task while in the kitchen. If you can start the cleaning up while you are still cooking, it equals less to do later. Put ingredients away after using, and don't let things accumulate where you are working. 

4- Be pro-active in preventing messes before they happen.  Keep spray cleaner, rags and paper towels in a convenient location. As a routine, wipe off your childs sticky hands and face with a wet cloth, before getting them down from the high chair. Thus eliminating the trail of cracker crumbs, mashed potatoes and green beans, or whatever else you just fed them.

5 Keep the positive vibes flowing.  Once the work is done, look around and appreciate what you have done.  Spray a nice air freshener spritzer in the waste bin. Cut flowers from the garden and enjoy the lovely kitchen you just re-claimed.  Maybe it won't last long, and maybe no one else will notice, but put on some nice music and enjoy the moment.   And remember, maintenance is much easier than moving heaven and earth to face the disaster that results from ignoring the plain fact, that if you eat, there will always be dishes.
                            
  

A prayer for the day

Nana is not a morning person.  Gramps says that I need an extra long runway to get "airborne" for the day.
So I share this with all kindred spirits out there.

    "Dear Lord,  so far this day I have not lost my temper at anyone.  I have not yelled at my children, I haven't scolded my husband or had negative thoughts about the neighbors, who own a really obnoxious dog that barks most of the night.  I have not been offended by by mothers manipulative phone calls or been frustrated with the overdraft charges  that showed up on my bank statement.
    But I'm going to be getting out of bed soon, so I pray dear Lord, that you will help me get through this day with patience and grace.    Thanks for another day to live and breath and practice being good...."

Funny thought from a pintrest post

Whatever you do always give 100 %
    Unless you are donating blood!

What about Pintrest?

Hey, welcome to "Just ask Nana".  I have resisted joining facebook for a long time now because I value my privacy, and my time, but here are my thoughts on Pintrest.  I just joined a week ago, and like facebook, you can also waste a lot of time.  However, being a creative person, I love the fact that you can find so many resources at your fingertips, and go back to the site later when you want to check a paint color or a recipe, or get some beautiful new garden ideas.  So when I get more time, and become a bit more tech savvy,  I plan on putting links to this blog and to Pintrest. 

Today Nana is getting ready for a sleepover with grandsons. (It's their Momma's birthday and who knew - she wanted 24 hours away with her wonderful hubby!)

  So check in later where I will be posting favorite family recipes and will be adding a link to YouTube for the bedtime stories!  Grandps will have to help hold the book, turn the pages and add special sound effects will I do the filming.  Great plans are in store for this blog! 
Love you all and bye for now.