Old Hollywood

~~~~~~~~~Sometimes I admit that I get so caught up in the past era's that I lose sight of how things really are today. We have a very old fashioned family in that we have our "roles" that we all bring to the relationship and they are not always what people agree with. Just like old Hollywood, I love watching the old movies where woman wore dresses and makeup, always very ladylike, the men in suits and still opened the car doors. Now I know its a movie, its not always how it was but isn't it nice to have these films where we can take a step back in time and get a little slice of what it may have been like? There is something about them that make me feel like a child, maybe its because I grew up with my mom watching the old films. We always watched The Academy awards and it was like a big deal, mom would take popcorn and put it in a brown paper bag and pop it in the microwave, yes we didn't have gourmet microwavable popcorn yet! I'm really not even that old! Something about those movies that bring out the memories in us. I am so thankful we have them. There are few actors and actresses today that can even hold a candle to those back then. Now we are a family that watches modern day shows, but, its nice to take a step back in time once in awhile and feel what it must have been like even if its only for a few hours.

Fred Flinstone buy's cigarettes

Back in the day when cartoons even advertised smoking, boy we've come a long way haven't we?

Fried Chicken

Yummy, one of my hubby's favs. I don't make it super often but we do love some friend chicken, its so fattening though because it only taste good in the crisco! So I try not to make it all the time. I like to get a whole chicken, cut up, use some italian bread crumbs mixed with flour, dip the chicken in the egg and shake in the flour and get to frying. Sometimes I like to pop it in the oven towards the end because for some reason I have a major phobia about chicken not being cooked all the way. I think its better when you pop it in the oven. I think it holds in the juices in more. Anyway I always make a gravy, potatoes and some broccoli and cheese with it. Cant have to many carbs so I must add a green. I think tonight I may make a red velvet cake too, I've been craving one of those suckers for awhile now. Since its so close to summer I really need to cut back on all this baking and cooking! Its so hard when you love to cook. Well anyways I'm off for some evening baths and relaxation. I hope you all have a great night.

Mod Podge

If you are ever bored or feeling crafty get yourself some Mod Podge, there is so much cool stuff you can do with it. This weekend we decided to take our old kitchen table and let the kids have it for a Lego Table, they are always taking up my dining room table so I figured why not let them have this one? Now they have their own space and can be crafty and creative themselves. So, we bought some Mod Podge, dug out all the old lego playset instructions that we kept and some big flat lego pieces and starting glueing away. We plan on adding baskets underneath but that may have to wait until next weekend but in the meantime this is what it looks like for now. I plan on adding more pics when its finished. Kids love legos and its good to occupy their little minds with. Mine can play really good with one another and I'm hoping this will be a nice quiet time for them to get away even during homeschool if they just need a little break. I love this stuff and have been eyeing up a lot more furniture in my home :)

Social Networking

them

So many changes with all these Social networking sites that I'm getting very confused. I don't like change to much. I get used to something and I don't like to change from it AT ALL! Hubby has been trying to get me an iPhone and I'm so used to mine that I'm unwilling to change and he thinks I'm crazy. They say all this technology is supposed to make life easier but for me sometimes it complicates it more, and Lord knows I don't need anymore complications! As much as I love blogging and getting on Facebook I will admit that I miss the days of having to grab a book to occupy my mind, or going out and sitting on the patio with friends and family to pass time. I fear that with all the technology those things will get lost. I really try to make it a point for our family to spend those kind of moments together because its scary to think that their generation is going to grow up and probably not know what its like to sit down and just read a good book without it being on the iPad or kindle. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my kindle/ipad they are very convenient but my fear is they are replacing the quality time we should have with one another and the appreciation for a good paper back book. Emails are taking place of phone calls, iPads are taking place of good conversation and the internet is taking place of family time. I try to limit the amount during the day that my kids are on them and the TV. I will say that there are days where we just chill and watch whatever and its sort of an anything kinda goes day, BUT, I do make that time because its so important, I want my kids to grow up knowing that spending quality time with one another is what brings us closer and its what family is all about. These things are awesome tools for reaching out to people we would never have the chance to, for education, we use it for homeschool all the time and for connecting with family and friends we would otherwise would be unable too. I just pray that I'm mindful of my time and my families time using them.

Monday Blessings

What a wonderful time we had yesterday with family and friends. Its a lot of work to entertain and have a houseful but its so worth it. I love making the memories and knowing that one day my kids will pass them on to their own families. I always think about what I want their childhood to look like in their eyes when they are older. I want it to be a childhood of fun, happiness, unity, and love. I try to not worry so much about cleaning every little thing up right away or taking their homemade tent down off the couch and any other thing that kids love to do. I want them to be kids, for us all to enjoy one another. Leaving good memories is priceless, when we are all gone the only thing thats left is what memories we have of one another. Doesn't matter what material things or money you may have, those things fade away but memories last a lifetime and then some. I am so thankful for making them.

Happy Easter

I know we come from all walks of life, each one of us different, but for my Family we celebrate Easter by acknowledging the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am so Thankful for what he has done in my life and my families. I am grateful and thankful daily for what he has given us, even though at times I wonder whats the point in certain things, can't wrap our minds around some things in life, tragedies, ect...but through it all I believe there is a bigger purpose and calling for us. I have to believe that and have the Faith and Hope, if not then life seems meaningless to me. I do not try to push my beliefs on others, I respect that there are those who do not share what I believe but I pray that one day they may. I pray for all my friends that you have a great weekend and a wonderful Easter. Whatever you may believe and whatever your traditions are I pray that you enjoy your time with family and friends.

My sweet Grandma Edie's Pineapple Upside Down cake.

My grandmother is gone now and everytime I make this it reminds me of her so much, I have alot of recipes from her that do that. Its really easy. You will need a yellow cake mix, pineapple chunks and slices, cherries, brown sugar, eggs, oil and butter....Oh and don't forget the best part is the cast iron skillet to bake it in :) Use the cake directions as it says except you omit the water and substitute it for the juice from the pineapples, you also want to add the drained pineapple chunks to the cake mix, you need to coat your skillet with butter and once you do that spread brown sugar on it and layer your pineapple slices and put cherries in the middle. Pour your cake batter into the pan. The cake needs to bake a little longer then the time says, usually around 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Let it cool when its done before you try to flip it from the skillet...This is also one of my hubby's favorite cakes as well..........Enjoy!!

Handprint Easter Lily's

So today the kids and I made some crafts, this week we will be doing all kinds of fun stuff in preparation of Easter a Holiday that we LOVE.....You will need:
Pipe Cleaners, purple yellow and green.
Scissors to cut them,
little hands for prints
and some white construction paper to trace them.

Trace your hand on white paper and cut out. Curl the ends of the fingers on the cut out to make them look like a flower.
Take a short length of yellow pipe cleaner and twist it to the end of a long green pipe cleaner then wrap the handprint around it. You need to fool with it to make them stay on, I used some glue stick and it worked fine. Then take a purple pipe cleaner and add them all together in a bunch and make a purple bow. I used some old glass jars and put them in those to give to the grandparents and used some Easter stick on's for our windows and put on the glasses to decorate them.