My grandmother on my mother’s side was an expert household manager.  On Sunday mornings, she got 3 girls dressed & combed & my uncle Phil’s cowlicks slicked down still arriving at church on time.    When all 4 children came down with the flu at the same time, she set up her own hospital ward with cots on either side of a double bed.  For two weeks, she kept temperature & symptom charts & phoned in a report to the doctor each afternoon.

She was active in PTA, Girl Scouts and church activities.  She sang in the church choir & made time for fishing, gardening, bowling & puzzles.  She was an avid Cardinal baseball fan, crocheted tablecloths or bed spreads for family members.

She baked from scratch for her family & for her children’s youth activities becoming known for her homemade doughnuts.  She was a master bargain shopper making the most of her bi-annual trips 2 hours away to St. Louis from their sleepy little town of 2,500.

And did I mention that she worked too?  She was an office manager at the International Shoe Company, Bobby Brooks Garment Factory, a bookkeeper for Ennis Implement & Breneman-Ennis Hardware until her eyesight forced her into retirement at the young age of 69.

I never saw my grandmother’s home in disarray except when we grandchild descended upon it for Christmas with all of our new toys.  She always had time for our stories even while kneading dough for the evening dinner.

My grandmother passed away February 15th & we, her family, laid her to rest on Saturday.  She was 92 and would have celebrated her 73rd wedding anniversary with my grandfather had she lived to March 10th.

How did she have a full life doing work she loved while participating in the appropriate children organizations, managing a home, managing 4 rambunctious children, enjoying life with the man of her dreams & still find time for herself?

Because she loved her family, she created structured days with meal time, assigned chores & family time.  Everyone knew what was excepted & had something to look forward to once the work was accomplished.   Love & a little discipline.

Are you ready to make this recipe for your family?