Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Vintage Christmas

I love looking at vintage Christmas cards. We send cards out every year. I love getting mail. It seems like no one writes anymore, no cards in the mail, no letters, and we seem to communicate mostly through email and text. It definitely makes it easier to be able to text someone, so I am not going to dispute technology being convenient, but I do think we are missing out on the communication of hearing someones voice or seeing their handwriting. There is something about getting a letter in the mail, it just warms the heart.

I hope you enjoy some of these vintage cards that I found on the internet and pinterest.



I love this pic of the little kids looking at Santa out the window. I remember as a kid peeking out my window Christmas eve hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa. I never did see him ;)




I love this picture. I love the truck, the bookstore, and seeing the man load up the real Christmas tree and put it in the back. It has a real "down home" feel to it. Do you have a real tree or artificial?





I love this picture. Look how nicely dressed the couple is while out Christmas shopping.  I wonder if its Black Friday ;)





This little girl is the cutest. Our daughters always wants to help me in the kitchen. Baking cookies is a must during the holidays. I love this time of year.





Look at the kids in the bed. My brothers and I would always sleep together on Christmas eve. Mom and Dad didn't mind since we were all so excited. We would stay up so late and talk about what Santa was bringing for us. We would peek out the window. I miss being a kid. They were good times. 




There is something about a train and christmas that make me feel like a kid. I guess its because we would put a train under the tree some years. I love that look. You don't see that much anymore. I would love to get a nice train for our kids and put it under, maybe I will have to look for one. Do you put a train under your tree?





Our daughter wants a bike this year. Do you remember your first bike? I do. It was pink Huffy with a basket. I loved that bike. I road it everywhere. I can even remember Dad teaching me how to ride. I was so scared, but he stayed right there with me as a wiggled back and forth. I love this picture. This is the same bike my Dad said he got for Christmas one year.  He swears its the best bike ever. 




We would wake up our parents so early Christmas morning. I don't think they cared at all. They were just as excited as us kids. I love this picture. 




Don't forget the good food during the holidays. I love gathering with the family and eating some good food. Everyone brings a dish, you exchange gifts, and spend time together reflecting on the year. In my opinion there is nothing better than that. Do you cook a big meal on Christmas?  My mother always baked a ham. We would have family over.  I do the same thing with our kids now. This is what memories are made of.  





Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Vintage November

I love this time of year. Here are some cool vintage Thanksgiving pictures I came across on the web.

This one in particular is the same decoration that my mom hung every year. I love it! I wish I could find it somewhere.


Every kid loves to take a pic with the turkey!! I loved waking up to the smell of the turkey in the oven. My husband does ALL the cooking on Thanksgiving. I wake up and the house smells so good. He makes the BEST stuffing and all I have to do is clean up the mess. I guess I can't expect him to do it all, can I?





I always make sure to DVR the holiday episodes of the old TV shows. I love watching them with my family. They don't make TV like they used to. 





I Love Lucy. I never miss an episode. Our kids will sit and watch it with us. Not many shows on today where you can sit and watch as a family. 




Thanksgiving isn't the same without The Macy's Day Parade. Its my favorite thing to have on during the day, we decorate for Christmas while my husband cooks. Its our little family tradition. Here is a picture of Betty White and Lorne Greene.





I love the old vintage ads. Everyone loves Disney and Mickey. Our kids will watch all these old cartoons.






This was on TV today and I set the DVR so I could watch it later. I never watched the series when it was on, I would love to get it on DVD and watch the whole thing.






How cute is Shirley Temple? I think she is the cutest thing. Our daughter loves watching her sing and dance. I wish more shows were on today like that.





Here is another cartoon we don't miss. We love Charlie Brown, and we especially love the holiday episodes.





Lucy baking. How many of you bake a ham with Thanksgiving dinner? My parents always have a turkey and a ham. I am content with just the turkey. We love the leftovers. Nothing better than a turkey and mayo sandwich.





This is one of my favorite covers of the Post. I love how the son is sitting and helping with the preparations for dinner.



Well I hope this holiday season is a wonderful one for everybody!


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Pistachio Cake

This cake is really good! Its so good that I had to share it with all my friends who follow my blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

Pistachio Cake

1 box of yellow cake mix
1 box of pistachio pudding
1cup of milk
1 cup of oil
3 eggs

Mix all the cake ingredients together, add a few drops of green food coloring for a brighter green.
Pour in a cake pan and bake @350 for 35 minutes.
Let the cake cool before you add the icing.

Icing

2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 box of pistachio pudding
Beat together until the icing thickens. It won't take to long to thicken, once its done refrigerate it until the cake is cool and the icing is stiff.

Add the icing to the cake and sprinkle chopped pistachios as much as you like on top.

I hope you enjoy!!



Friday, May 8, 2015

Happy Mothers Day

Hello everyone! I am so honored to be writing this blog! About 2 weeks ago I asked my friends to send me stories and pictures about their moms that they would allow me to share on Facebook and Blogger this Mothers Day. I love to hear all the old stories, new stories, and any story that has to do with the love and memories we have for our moms. Being a mom isn't easy, most of us can relate to that statement, but its also the best thing in the world that I've ever done. I am so thankful that I am a mom to 3 beautiful children. Its such a blessing. I hope that these stories will bring a smile to your face like they brought to mine.



Rachel Anderson and her mother



This is a picture of my mother holding me less than 24 hours after I was born.  My parents were told that if I lived, I wouldn't be normal in any way.  My mother had been on treatment for rheumatoid arthritis for several years and only figured out she was expecting when she was about 4 months into her pregnancy.  Her doctor took her off steroids and narcotic pain relief abruptly, she went through horrible withdrawal.  The doctor also put her on an 800 calorie a day diet to lose weight.  The doctor gave my parents a list of facilities that took "abnormal newborns" and advised them that "If it lives, put it in one of these institutions and forget you ever had it."  My parents refused to give in to the doctor's bleak outlook.  They decided to keep me and care for me no matter what.  When I was born, they put my mother in the large operating room theater where students could observe (it was a large teaching hospital).  Everyone wanted to see the "abnormal birth".  No doubt they were disappointed when I made my debut all pink and perfect with a very loud statement about the doctor's prognosis.  You can see in the picture how happy my mother was and I even had a smile on my face (probably a newborn way of saying "Ha ha!! Deal with that, Doc!!"  Mother's day had always been special between my mother and me. Now that she's gone, the memory of her strength, faith, and love help me deal with impossible situations.  She showed courage and her memory gives me courage.

Thank you for such a wonderful tribute to all mothers who give themselves fully to their children!

Rachael Anderson




Brenda Nichols and her Mom



It was on June 2, 2001, that I told my mom good-bye for the last time. She was surrounded by her family as the angels came to take her home. My heart still aches as I remember it. I think about her every day.

Sometimes when I look at my hands, I think of hers. She had strong hands and they were always moving. I’ve watched her hands while she peeled potatoes, stitched a quilt, set tobacco, squeezed out cat-head biscuits, planted a garden, or played “Rooster, Pullet, Hen” with an unsuspecting child. If you’re not familiar with that little game, it went like this: She would touch a youngster’s forehead and say, “This is the rooster.” Then she’d touch his nose and say, “This is the pullet.” She would touch his chin and say, “This is the hen.” She’d touch his nose once more and ask, “What’d I say that was?” When he answered “Pullet” . . . she would.

She could tie the prettiest hand of tobacco. She tied backwards, but the hands were neat and tight. After Daddy packed them on the basket, it was almost a work of art. Daddy told me that he never once asked Mom to go help him on the farm. She would ask him every night about his plans for the next day. She would be up the following morning and ready to go by the time he got out of bed. She loved to work, whether it was in the field or in the kitchen.

Mom was the best cook I’ve ever known. It was old fashioned country cooking, much of which came from the garden, either fresh or canned. New potatoes, fried corn, green beans, peas, sliced tomatoes – I can taste them now. Sometimes she didn’t even have to go to the garden, for example when she cooked dandelion greens or fried poke stalk. She would bake a pan of cornbread every evening. When there was work to be done on the farm, she made a big breakfast, including biscuits and gravy, so they would get a substantial start to the day. I can’t imagine cooking breakfast, packing lunch (which was called “dinner”), working all day in the field, cooking supper in the evening, washing dishes, then doing the household chores – and never once complaining about it.

I don’t know how many quilts Mom made. It seemed every winter she would piece a new top. She and other ladies in the neighborhood would set up a quilting frame in an empty room or even a vacant house. They would then meet to put the quilt together. I was amazed at the way Mom’s hand rocked back and forth as she made the quilting stitches. The stitches were so tiny, they looked as though they had been done on a machine.

Mom loved to sleep so she could dream. That was the only time she could see. If all the things above weren’t amazing enough, she did them even though she was legally blind. During the last several years of her life, she could only distinguish light from dark. As she held my newborn daughter on her lap twenty years ago, she said, “I can see the light shining in your eyes.”

Mom started losing her eyesight just a few years after I was born. It never stopped her – it just made life more challenging for her. If she wanted to see your facial features, she would “look” at you with her hands. If you were a man with a beard, you could expect to have it pulled as she felt of your face. When the electricity goes off and I’m groping around in the dark trying to find a flashlight, I'm reminded of how her every waking moment was like that. I don’t think I could ever be as brave as she was.

I admire my mom for her perseverance, her strength, her love of hard work, and her love of family. I miss her so much and I still love her with all my heart.



                                                          Lucy Venable and her Mom


Enjoy your facebook page so much!

This is my mom and i heading out to the country club.  I am the baby of 5 girls, no brothers.  My mother passed two years ago at a happy age of 84.  She was a lover of all animals, in fact, we had 2 pet monkeys on separate occasions.



                                                                 Levonne Price and her Mom







I'll try to make this short, but my Mom as always and continues to be one of the strongest, unflappable people I've ever come across (and I'm 64 years old!)

Just an Ordinary Christian Girl that grew up in Chicago, where she met my Dad.   They were married for a couple of years and she gave birth to me, their only child.  My Dad died 11 months later in a work-related accident.  And she was alone.......with me.
We moved back with her parents who welcomed us with open arms.   My Grandmother was also, such a Queen of "Mothering" also.  And Yes, I imagine that I was quite spoiled!!
I was raised in a very modest, fun, Christian home.  Solid as a Rock.  Mom went on to further her education and became a Licensed Practical Nurse , while my Grandparents took care of me.
As she went to work in our local hospital, Tampa General, she met a fine man that had "Accidently" broke his back.  Well, as you can guess.  They were married and Mom and I and Dad became a family.

Mom's not a pushy person, but she has certainly made a Mark in this world by her actions.   Her gift, her Heart is to be God's Servant and she has certainly mastered it.

Thanks so much, RetroWifey for this opportunity to share this "testimony" about my Precious Mom.

Happy Mother's Day to You, Also 

Levonne Price



                                                        Barbara Yerby and her Mom 






Our mother, Margret Hofmann, was born in Germany and lived under the oppression of Hitler. She lost family members in concentration camps including her own mother and was able to emigrate to this country in 1946. Since being here, she has accomplished a great deal including raising not only her own 5 children but helped out neighbor kids as well. Among her many achievements were civil rights marches, meetings, and letters, publishing books and 100s of articles, speaking to many groups, organizing people's lives and homes, wearing many hats depending on which was needed, helping refugees, saving trees in Austin, Texas, helping pass the no smoking ordinance and the leash law, taking care of our father's business and his apprentices, serving on the city council, exposing her children to adventures, getting sidewalks built around elementary schools, substituting in schools, acting as the Quaker Meeting archivist and clerk for many years, being an informal counselor to many, and taking personal adventures such as a 7 month trip to Alaska when she was in her 60s, hitchhiking alone in the northeast in 1948, and driving 5 children from Texas to Canada and back herself.  

The "Tree Lady" as she was known, was involved in many things including being the UNICEF representative in Austin for many years. Heifer International was another of her favorite charities as well as Habitat for Humanity. Right before she died she was worried about leaving behind unfinished business until a friend reminded her of what she had already accomplished which was recorded, archived, and a small park was named after her. At that point she seemed to relax and let it all go. She leaves behind quite a legacy. Her spirit is infectious and she instilled in us a sense of adventure and caring for all life. I would be happy to be half the woman she was. 

Barbara Yerby

                                         

                                      Christina McKerracher and her Mom


                                    



Love you on fb .... attached is a photo of my mother Alta Gracia Archuleta Flores .... 86 years old born on 08/24/1929.  She was married to my Daddy for 62 years till his death in 2009 @ 90 years old.  She continues to love him from afar.  In 2012 she under went heart bypass surgery @ 83 years old.  ... My mother had 10 children 5 girls 5 boys has 20+ grand children @ least 20 great grand children and 1 great great grand child.  She began her motherhood in with my oldest sister Frances in 1949.  I am # 9 of 10 Frances 12 years my elder and the youngest brother 7 years my minor.  My mother comes from a long line of strong NM women matriarchs.... She lost her mother young in life and was raised by her grandmother on a cattle ranch on the Rowe Mesa, NM.  Her Grandmother and Grandfather were from Spain and were revered int he community of Rowe known as "El Don" and "La Donna" ..... members of the community respected them and turned to them for assistance in life matters....as they raised cattle and dry farmed beans etc.  they had means to assist the community as well as travelers passing through NM from Oklahoma and back east during the Great Depression.  My mother is not only mother to her own but has taken on the mother figure for a rather large "extended" family on both her side and my fathers side as the parents of many of my cousins have also passed and she is loved by soooooo many! You are welcome to visit my fb site and visit my album Mother Goose ..... We call her the Goose ..... it is my tribute to my beautiful mother  Her name Alta Gracia translates to High Grace .... my Mother Goose 

                                                    
                                             Allyson Urie 4 Generations




Hello!

I've shared this before with you but I will share it again!  This is a 4 generation picture with me at around age 2, my mother Frances, Grandmother (Memere) Pauline and Great-Grandmother (Great-Memere) Irene. Great Memere lived to be 100 years old, and my grandmother passed unexpectedly last fall.  I feel extremely lucky to have had these wonderful ladies in my life!  Thanks for sharing!


                                                     John McDowell




Mom left Germany in 1951, along with Dad and my three sisters, in search of
a better life in America, after the war. They left behind many relatives,
but joined a few other ones in the states.  Mom worked hard, alongside Dad,
as they started life anew.  She began as a farmer's wife and retired as a
meticulous seamstress/co-owner of their dry-cleaning business.  She worked
tirelessly for her family, never complaining.  She always remained
optimistic in life, despite losing two brothers in the war and her mother at
an early age, thus the commitment of raising her siblings and nephew.  I'm
so proud of her strength and grateful for her love and the wonderful role
model she's been in our lives.  We are so fortunate to continue loving her
at 95 years of age!



Thank you to everyone who shared stories about their Mothers. I love hearing them. I hope we can do this every year.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Eating with the Stars

 I love looking trying recipes that have been handed down for generations. I came across these recipes from our favorite Stars. I wanted to share them with you, maybe you could try them with your family? This sounds really good, I think I'm going to try my hand at this over the weekend. Who doesn't love BBQ Chicken?!


Oven Baked BBQ Chicken with Cary Grant






Recipe courtesy of The History Kitchen

Ingredients
  • 3 chickens, 1 ½ lbs each (or 1 chicken, 4.5 lbs), cut into pieces
  • Olive or vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup A-1 sauce
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch (or more if needed)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat olive or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium till hot. Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil in batches till browned. Season with salt and pepper as you cook.
  2. Place browned chicken pieces in a 9x13 baking dish. In a saucepan, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, A-1 sauce, sugar, cider vinegar, onion and garlic. Whisk together over medium heat till warm.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water till smooth. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the barbecue sauce, whisking till incorporated. Continue to whisk over medium heat till the sauce is hot, bubbly, and thickened. Remove from heat. Pour the sauce evenly across the top of the chicken pieces. Cover the roasting dish with foil.
  4. Bake the chicken for 60-75 minutes, or until the meat is tender and well cooked. Remove from the oven. If you’d like to serve extra sauce with the chicken, skim the fat drippings from the top of the sauce. To thicken the leftover sauce, pour it into a saucepan and heat over medium. Mix together equal amounts of cornstarch and water, a half tablespoon at a time, and slowly whisk into the sauce. Heat and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, till desired consistency is reached. Serve chicken warm with the thickened barbecue sauce on the side.



Judy Garland Vegetable Salad

I have read that her French Dressing is to die for! I am not much of a French Dressing lover, but I will give this a try. This is a pretty simple salad recipe. This may go good with Cary Grants BBQ dinner? I am not going to type out the recipe since its clear to see from the picture.






I LOVE Carole Lombard, unfortunately her life was cut very short. I love that we have something special left behind as well as her movies.  Recipes are things that people hold near and dear, so to have something like this is a treasure. I will give this a try. My Husband loves Spare Ribs. This would be a great for a Sunday dinner while watching some Football. Again, I didn't type this out because its clear to see from the picture.






I found this handwritten recipe from Marilyn Monroe, what a treasure!! I have provided the link to the recipe since its hard to read and understand. If you want to try it, check out the link! I LOVE to see her handwriting on this picture, how cool!

New York Times










Here is a yummy recipe from Betty White, our favorite Golden Girl!!







I hope you enjoyed these recipes I have posted. I will look for some more and do another blog. I have a lot of Celeb Cookbooks and I can go through them and find some to share....Enjoy!!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Happy New Year!!



Hey there friends! I hope that you all had a great holiday and New Year.  Ours was wonderful. The kids got everything that they wanted for Christmas and so did we! I love spending time with the family during the holidays and making memories that will last them a lifetime. I really want my kids to look back with fondness over their childhood. We try really hard to make that happen. We are not perfect, but we try our hardest to make a great home for them.

I really hope I can blog more this year. I had totally stopped blogging for awhile. I started to feel overwhelmed with all of the different social media sites. This year I made a promise to myself that I was going to weed out all of the negative people in my life. I want this year to be a positive and productive year. I have started with deleting many people from my Facebook that I really don't talk to. Its odd to me that we accept all of these request from people that we really don't know. I mean, just because they are a "friend of a friend" shouldn't really mean that we accept them. Its almost like letting someone peek into the windows of your home. We share family pictures, our kids pictures, vacations pictures, and most of us even post where we are going & cooking for the day. I think its great if you want to share that, but we need to be mindful of the people we truly don't know that are seeing all of this.

I know some people think that is ridiculous. However it is something that has really weighed heavily on my mind. So for me, I am starting with Facebook and working my way through that list. To me blogging is totally different. I don't have personal photos posted all over my blog. I strictly share the things that interest me, and the rest of you, like Retro stuff! I love to share all the pics of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and so forth.....

Another thing that I want to try and focus more on is saving money. I would love to be more frugal! I need to clip coupons, start planning our meals better, and making better use of my time. I could use tips if you have any to share!

Do you have any New Years resolutions that you have made? Its more of a tradition now that people do it, but it's still  fun to hear what others want to try and change or work on....Well, I hope you are all off to a happy and healthy year!!


TTYL

RW