In Praise of Sunday Dinner {5 Lessons I've Learned}

It takes time.  Maybe that's why we overlook it so often.

Sitting down to Sunday dinner is ingrained in me. 

I was fortunate to grow up in the same city as both of my grandmothers.  And sitting down to Sunday dinner was ingrained in them.  They, in turn, ingrained it in their children.  And my parents ingrained it in me.

Even though we honored this tradition in my house growing up, I think I owe most of what I know about hospitality and cooking and serving to my grandmothers.

Lesson #1: You make time for it.

We had Sunday dinner at each of my grandmothers' houses once a month.  The other two or three Sundays we had Sunday dinner at my parents' house.  But it happened.  Every Sunday.

Lesson #2: It doesn't have to be fancy food.  It doesn't have to be pretentious or laborious.  It just has to taste good and make it to the table.

Both of my grandmothers grew up on farms in rural Texas.  Eating out in restaurants daily was not an option the way it has become for our generation.  If you wanted to eat, you cooked.  Food might have been simple on most days, but even simple food can taste fabulous.

Lesson #3: When company calls, you put another bean in the pot.

I have never witnessed either of my grandmothers stressing out about company coming to dinner.  I never saw either of them panicked, worried if there would be enough.  If someone extra showed up to the table, the meal stretched.  It just did.  And with ease.  The iced tea always lasted and there was plenty of dessert to go around.  To this day, I do not have this figured out.  To this day, I cannot for the life of me figure out how these women served their family and friends at their tables on the spur of the moment with such grace.  But I am happy to spend my life trying to achieve their effortless manner.

Lesson #4: There is always dessert.

Again, it doesn't have to be fancy.  It can be a couple of scoops of ice cream (preferably Blue Bell).  But there is always dessert.  Somehow my mom didn't catch on to this one.  ;)

Lesson #5: Sunday dinner is at lunchtime.

I guess it's a Southern thing and something I say without thinking...but when I say Sunday dinner, I mean lunch.  Dinner is the biggest meal of the day.  We eat a big dinner at lunchtime on Sundays, and then have a light, snacky supper in the evening.  Any other day of the week in my house, dinner and supper are synonymous.  But Sundays are a time to slow down and catch up with family and friends.  And, therefore, dinner is a small feast (even if it's a simple feast), so we eat it at lunchtime.

This little man helped himself to 1/3 of that plate of chicken before I even had the rolls on the table.  ;)

It might be different for you and your family.  Preparing and sitting down to eat a big meal for lunch on Sundays might not work with your schedule.  Honestly, it doesn't entirely work with my family's schedule either.  But I'm choosing to continue the tradition.

And I'm encouraging you to try it, too.  If Sundays aren't the best day for a sit down meal, think of what other day might work.  I'm convinced that there is something about the routine and rhythm of getting together once a week to share a meal that cuts through the noise and busyness of our everyday lives, gives our souls a chance to breathe, and gives us pause to enjoy living in the moment we're given.

Need help getting started?  Here are some links to help inspire and motivate you...

All of Edie's 31 Days To a Heart of Hospitality series is good, but her post on Feeding People Well particularly stands out.

Bringing Back Sunday Dinner by Aimee @ Simple Bites

Easy Entertaining by Jan @ Simple Bites

4 Special Entrees @ Southern Living

For Your Weekend...

These boots are made for walkin'...

May your weekend be full of warmth and sunshine.  And may you be blessed with good sleep, warm beverages, and peace and space to unwind from the craziness of life.  :)

Homemade Coffee Syrup @ A Beautiful Mess
I'm itching to try these - especially since coffee is finally back in my life!

Style File: Glitter & Dots @ Darling Magazine
So fun and I could actually do three out of the five!

Time's Up: Time Management & Efficiency @ Darling Magazine
A good read for everyone, but this especially speaks to my nesting-mama-soul and makes me believe that I just might be able to get everything done in the next 11 short weeks!

Adding Trim to the Geranium Dress @ Made By Rae
I just added this adorable free pattern to my to-make list for Baby Girl.  I know she'll outgrow it in a minute, but I can't resist.  Too cute.  :)

Dining Room to an Office. Or is it a Studio?

The rearranging and repurposing continues!

Here is a look back at the room formerly known as my formal dining room.

 
I'm so glad I took those pictures.  It's so clean.  And peaceful.  And pretty.

Here's a glimpse at how it looks now.  A tragic train-wreck in progress.  It's sad, but true.

 
This curio cabinet will be painted and better organized and will house my yarn, fabric, and fun paper.  Child locks have already been installed to keep curious hands at bay.  The chandelier will be painted a fun green - either Pantone's Emerald Green or I'll have Lowe's color match Kate Spade Green.  I haven't quite decided.  Eventually, all the furniture in this room (except my grandmother's china cabinet) will be painted Elephant Tusk by Benjamin Moore in a high-gloss finish.  The big bookcase that is still in the Kiddo's room will also be painted and move in here.  So the overall thought is white, off-white, tone-on-tone, with gold accents, and splashes of color.

And the furniture is already being rearranged thanks to the Kiddo's adventure with our iMac and a stack of DVD's he found who knows where.  My sad computer is off for repairs, and it appears there is no way arround having all the furniture pushed against the wall if this room is going to function as an office with little ones running around.

Which brings me to my next thought.  Is it an office?  This room sits smack in the middle of my house.  It's very high traffic.  And (God-willing) one day it will be pretti-fied and organized and look pulled together, but it will house more than just a computer.  It will house all manner of crafting and sewing supplies and general creative goodness.

So...perhaps the word STUDIO better applies?

If I have my very own STUDIO, with close proximity to coffee and snacks, then maybe, just maybe I can truly be okay with losing my pretty but seldom used dining room.

Say it with me..."this room will be pretty, this room will be pretty, this room will be pretty".

I almost believe myself.

Nursery to a Boy's Room. Progress...Kind of.

My house is completely turned upside down.  But I thought I would share it with you anyway.  (Please forgive the poor lighting...I was losing daylight on these.)

Here's a last look at my sweet boy's nursery.

And here is his new big boy room!  Still a disaster area, but slowly getting organized.  :)

 The Hubster built his bed - a modified version of this plan by Ana White.

We opted to forgo a box spring and added extra slats to support his new mattress.  Hubster also beefed up the bed frame, ensuring that the bed can handle our rambunctious Kiddo.

 

We brought in the rug from the nursery since Poppy will be getting a girlified rug.  This is also the cleanest this rug has been in months.  Photographed for posterity.  ;)

His little, old-man recliner is well positioned next to his bookshelves.

 

We're learning about how the hamper can be used for dirty clothes...not just as a fun basket to crawl in or as a hiding spot for dog toys.

And for now, the dresser/changing table is in the closet.  Kiddo thinks this is the best idea ever.  It works for the moment.

For the most part, the other side of his room still looks like this...

We still have a looooong way to go!