Skip to main content

Pigs in a Blanket with Gram

It’s no secret that we like to do a lot of cooking in our house.  What can I say, we like to eat!  One thing that I am a little sad about is that I have not been very good about keeping the girls in the kitchen with me lately.  We get so busy, and I get in such a rush, that it is just easier to not have them underfoot.  Or, it’s the rare time when Brenda and I are able to talk undisturbed for a few minutes while we are working on making dinner.  I really need to figure out a way to strike that balance better. 

While Grace and I were away for the weekend on our Father Daughter Camp Out, Gram gave Brenda a wonderful gift by keeping Hailey overnight on Friday.  This gave Brenda a blissful, kid-free night on Friday and a Saturday morning to sleep in and do whatever her heart desired.  I was so pleased that Gram shared these pictures with me, because it really did make me proud to see Hailey (at the ripe old age of 3) helping Gram make pigs in a blanket. 

For those who may be unfamiliar with pigs in a blanket (oh, how I pity you), these are the Hillshire Farm “Lit’l Smokies” sausages enveloped by a potato bread dough.  We love to keep these stashed away in the freezer and make an awesome breakfast when we are camping.  During the fall and winter, we typically keep the dough starter going in our fridge and Brenda will make these by the dozens several times throughout the season. 

I am most proud that in our family, learning in the kitchen frequently means really getting your hands dirty.  It isn’t a “sit here and just watch me” scenario.  To me, there is no better way to learn than to jump right in.  You can see from the pictures that Hailey was heavily involved in the process and made her own pan full of pigs.  From rolling out the dough, to forming the pigs, to getting them into and out of the oven and of course the all important taste test, she really did it all!  She was very proud of her pigs and shared them with mommy when she got home. 

Thanks, Gram for sharing the pictures and for encouraging Hailey in what I consider to be one of my family’s greatest gifts and calling.  I know that Hailey will think back to days like this and will have many, many smiles and stories to share because she got spend this time with you. 

 

Comments

Anonymous said…
My pleasure and honor to spend one-on-one time wth grandchildren. Did it take lots of time? YES! Was it messy? YES!! Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY!! God gave me these precious gifts and does not want me to waste the time He gives me with them. We don't know how much time we have in this life and I want to invest in my grandchildren as much as possible. Time is always short. Make memories!!! Love all of my family! Gram

Popular posts from this blog

C'mon Mom, it's just PB and J!

When Mommy makes Grace a sandwich, she takes lots of time to cut the sandwich in small, manageable pieces for Grace. Mommy also has a thing for clean fingers, clean hair and hopefully clean ears. There is certainly nothing wrong with this approach. I applaud her enthusiasm for Grace's manners. However, sometimes... well, come on... really. It is just peanut butter and jelly. At this point, I should probably take a moment to thank the sponsors of this particular blog entry, Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Gramma's Strawberry Preserves. Gramma's Strawberry Preserves and Peach Butter is only available at a small pantry in Tyler, TX. She doesn't advertise, she doesn't sell her products online, heck, she doesn't even sell her products period... But those in the know, know where to go to get their jelly fix. Since I am down to my last jar of Strawberry Preserves, and I am completely out of Peach Butter, it must be about time for another journey to East Texas. Since Gramm...

Type 2 Diabetes - An Inconvenient Journey

I wish I wasn't the type of person that needed to get hit in the head with a 2x4 before I take action.  I really do want to be the type of person who heeds the warning signs that appear when someone else is walking through a challenge and is able to apply them to my own life.  I am 44 years old and I have a literal lifetime of warning signs, sounds, flags, banners, smoke signals and alerts that have been going off all around me. It isn't a news flash that obesity causes a variety of health-related issues.  I took health in junior high and high school.  I have been told many times by teachers, trainers, coaches, doctors, and nurses that I cannot outrun or outlive poor choices in diet and exercise.  As an adult, I have read many books on topics of health and self-improvement that encourage healthy habits and stress the importance of using daily exercise to reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health and increase energy.  I have read about the importance of...

Learning to make things grow

Grace is Granddad's girl when he is not at work. Given a choice, she would rather be with Granddad than just about anyone, especially if he is going to be outside! With the warm temperatures in Texas this week (it is supposed to be about 75 degrees today), it is a good time to be working in the yard. Granddad built a raised bed this winter and now it is time to get the bed ready for planting. There is something truly special about watching a toddler as they explore their new world. Today, she may just be playing in the dirt, but as the year progresses, she is going to get to see the planting of seeds and bulbs, followed by the sprouting of new plants and hopefully, the harvest of fresh veggies and herbs! Best of all, she will be able to share all of this with her Granddad. That is something absolutely priceless. I can think back to my childhood, spending weekends and summers with Pa, there were a lot of weekends that we worked really, really hard. Whether it was planting seedling...