“the chew”

Is it possible to actually GAIN weight while working out on the treadmill…?

Many of you already know that I love to watch “The Chew” on ABC. I tape it and watch it religiously while I am on the treadmill. This, my friends, is right up there (on the intelligence scale) with going grocery shopping after an excruciating week-long fast…. Watching them cook all of this delicious, mouth-watering food while exercising…? Pure torture! Sometimes, if I have an extra episode “in the bank”, I will treat myself to watching while I am cooking dinner. With a glass of wine. Much, much better…!

Now the hubbie and I have a list of TV show favs; including Downton Abbey, Modern Family, The Middle, Shark Tanks; but “The Chew“…? Well that’s MY show!! Needless to say; going to a taping of “The Chew” is DEFINITELY on my bucket list. But I’m not stoppin’ there! No, No, NO!! I want to be on the tasting panel, as well!! Yes maam. I wanna be right up there where I can be a part of the action!! Smell the garlic, maybe answer a question, get a close up of Carla & Clinton dancing… and, of course, SAMPLE THE FOOD!!!

Until that time comes, however; I have “The Chew” book that I love. It really is a great cookbook that is packed with lots of ‘extras”… Each recipe is coded (ie “light & healthy”, “5-in-5″…) plus an indication of skill level and price range. Also included – Q&A with each individual host. Great book! So you’re probably wondering to yourself at this point… “Hmmm… Does she have a fav”? Nope. Love ’em all. But each one for a different reason. Michael Symon is just as sweet and sincere as can be and makes me laugh. I love the way he talks so lovingly about his wife, Liz. Mario Batali makes me want to open up a bottle of wine, buy a pair of orange crocs and book a flight to Italy. OK… actually that’s a “no” on the orange crocs. Daphne Oz cooks the way I try to cook (most of the time, anyway) and she fills my brain with so much good healthy (practical) advice. Love her attitude towards food. Carla Hall pumps up my ENERGY level and fills my head with “sweet” thoughts. Great dancer, too!! Just watching her is a real workout! And Clinton Kelly…? Have been a fan since “What Not to Wear”. Love. All I can say about Clinton Kelly is… Make me a cocktail, baby, and “LET’S CRAFT”!!

So you say you don’t cook? Well watch it anyway. The tagline on their book is “Food. Life. Fun.” They are fun and you will have fun. As different and unique as they are individually, there is so much chemistry between them which makes it all come together. For a little taste of a “non-cooking” segment (no pun intended… ha!), I have a couple of cute video clips for you to watch. For the “Pie throwdown”; click HERE . For the “Pie throwdown, explained…”; click HERE .

Oh ya… And as for my original statement/question… “Is it possible to actually GAIN weight while working out on the treadmill…?” Well I’m gonna say “yes” after watching a taped show from Monday, May 13. I give you exhibit 1: “Wendy Bradley’s Tasty Trashy Taters”. Two words: tater tots and bacon. Ok; I know. That’s three words. You get my point, however. If I made these for my (college) son and his buddies… Wowza! “And the mother of the year award goes to…”. (The crowd goes wild.) Ya. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. But I’m telling you, I seriously think that I gained weight just watching. Everyone was going on and on and on… (please stop talking!) about how super-duper YUM they were. And I was SO, SO hungry at this point. What to do??? Lucky for me, there were no tater tots OR bacon in my freezer. But, lucky for me, I did have all the ingredients for a super healthy breakfast smoothie. Yes; I know. Daphne would be so proud of me…

that’s my mama

5 / 12 / 13

If I had a nickel for every time my mom said; “Oh my – You are just. like. your. father!” Now, mind you, this is usually stated in a rather loud voice, and is not to be mistaken as a compliment. At least not at the time that she is broadcasting this fact.

Research states that we have a tendency towards either left-brained or right-brained thinking. I “think” that I am, however, the exception to the rule. (And I think that I think this from my left-sided thinker. Ha! Kinda “Dr. Seuss-ish”!). I really do believe that I am pretty close to a 50/50 split. 50% left brained, like my dad. Logical, analytical, mathematical, thrifty, conservative and stubborn (Mama no like that last one…!). But… I am ALSO a right-brained thinker, like my mom. We are creative, intuitive, spiritual; possibility thinkers (dreamers) with a hint of mischief. OK. On occasion, slightly more than a hint… (Did I tell you the story about when my mom was a little girl at (Catholic) “summer camp”…? Snuck into the nuns tent when they were sleeping and hung their “double D’s” out on the clothesline for all to enjoy…)

Growing up as the oldest of seven, I was “Mama’s little helper” from day one. My “maternal instincts” developed at a very early age. Some of my brothers have been known to throw the word “bossy” around (what the heck??) when we are reminiscing about days gone by… their ~~rough~~ life growing up with two older sisters. Ya… whatever. Let me just say, in my own defense, that – to this day – I would do anything in my power to protect my sister or any of my brothers from anyone or anything. Family, ALL FAMILY, is my beginning and my end. Period.

My mom taught me SO much about life, love, happiness… Those lessons and experiences helped shape me into the woman, wife and mom that I am today. Looking back, there were so many things that I did not understand, so many unanswered questions… all crystal clear once I became a mom myself. I have to laugh now, thinking back on the days when she would declare that “for the rest of the day“, we were not allowed to use the word “Mom”. Or “Mommy”. Or anything even remotely close. Pam. We had to call her Pam. Alrighty then. Pam it is. That’s my mama.

As far back as I can remember, my mom always encouraged me to be me. I’m a little (Ha!) “out of the box” at times, but she has always supported and embraced that part of my soul, allowing me to grow into my authentic self. Truth be told, I am still growing into that “authentic self”, and she is still there supporting and encouraging me every step of the way. Yep. That’s my mama. My mom makes me laugh. A lot. Belly laughs that make you cry. My mom is funny, and I love that about her. Sometimes when you’re down and out, you just need someone to tell you to “put your big girl panties on and deal with it“. Well, friends… that’s NOT my mama. Sometimes, however, you need someone to rub your back (even if it’s long distance), tell you that it’s OK to cry and reassure you that everything is going to be OK. Even when it’s not. That’s my mama.

So today I say, thank you mom… for everything that you are; I am; we are. From now until forever, I will always be proud to say…

Yep. That’s my mama…xo

Oh… and P.S. – You still make the best “homemade, from scratch” cinnamon rolls on. the. planet. Enough said.

a birthday to remember??

5 / 5 / 13

When I was writing my May newsletter, I mentioned how much I loved May. And springtime. And flowers. The grass is green, the trees are budding, the warm sunshine a welcome reward after a cold, never-ending winter. I feel especially blessed to have a May birthday. May 2 to be exact.

I awakened on my birthday to the sound of our local weather forecaster, Joel, sharing the good news for the day; “An absolutely miserable day ahead…drizzly, dreary, raw raindrops…” Wait – Did he just say RAW raindrops? What the heck…?? He was, obviously, confused. This is May, and May is warm and “springy”. There was only one thing to do. Change the channel.

Well – looking on the bright side (huh?) – It appears we have very accurate weather forecasters here in Kansas City (on “KMBC”; Channel 9. And BTW – Just kidding about changing the channel – TeeHee!) Yep – They were spot on. “Raw” was certainly an appropriate adjective to describe the moisture that was falling from that dark, dreary (May) sky. All. Day. Long. By afternoon, my “Happy Birthday” songs, via family phone calls, had joined chorus with a rather unique style of “background music”… the ping, ping, ping of sleet and ice pellets whipping against the window. This sleet and ice soon turned to (gulp!) SNOW… at which point I declared that my birthday had been officially postponed.

Once that had been decided, we settled in for a cozy evening at home. It had been a crazy couple of days full of unexpected surprises; so a warm blanket, a glass of wine, a fire in the fireplace and an episode of Downton Abbey was just what the (birthday) doctor ordered. Especially when there is a winter weather advisory. In May. At the end of the night, the hubbie had an idea. We went outside and “wrote” the date, 5-2-13, in the snow as documentation… of a birthday to remember. And just the beginning of what (obviously) promises to be a very exciting year!!!

maybe later…?

4 / 23 / 13

P-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n……

Hate to brag… but I gotta say, I’m pretty good at it. I’ve got a garage sale/sample sale starting on Thursday. It’s Tuesday. Is that a problem? Yes. It certainly is. So what to do? Eat some chocolate. Dark chocolate. Ya, that’s it. It will give me endorphins… those “feel good hormones” that make you feel like you can do anything.

Or maybe a cup of coffee? With caffeine. Perfect! Instant energy once that caffeine kicks in! (Those who know me limit my intake to one cup. HA!) So last night the hubbie “tried to help”. Kinda... He suggested that we watch an episode of “Downton Abbey” (We’re trying to “catch up”) so that I could “price stuff” while I watched. (Notice how he said that… “WE could watch: I could price…” Hmmm.) Well, that didn’t work. You cannot watch that show and “multi-task”. You miss stuff. Important stuff. So what to do??? We watched TWO episodes. I don’t need to tell you whose fault that was now, do I…? He is, obviously, an enabler.

OK… really. Need to do this. You know, “Nike” kinda stuff… “Just do it”. Fine. I will. Right after I wrap up a couple of loose ends… Figure out what’s for dinner. Make my bed. Empty the dishwasher. Rearrange my closet. Organize my Pinterest boards. Buy a guinea pig. Solve world hunger. Write a blog…

about p-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n…

Seriously – Some great advice from Marie Leslie – “The Perils of Procrastination —11 Ways to Put an End to Putting it Off”. Definitely gonna read this. Right after I make another cup of coffee. And clean out the guinea pig cage…

Do it first thing in the morning Mark Twain is reported to have said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” If that task is showing up on your to-do list every day, make it the first thing on your list and get it out of the way. Sometimes the dread of a task makes it seem worse than it really is. Getting it over with first thing in the morning will free up both your time and your mind for other things.
Get an accountability partner Find someone who is willing to hold your feet to the fire and keep you on task until it’s done. Sometimes all it takes to end the procrastination is knowing that you have to keep telling that other person you aren’t done yet. After a while, you just feel kind of silly, don’t you?
Be prepared ahead of time If you know it’s coming, gather everything you think you will need as soon as you know. Having it all there and ready makes the project a little less overwhelming and will make you less likely to be late or miss a critical deadline that could cost you both money and reputation.
Break down an overwhelming task into smaller, more manageable ones Does it just feel like it’s too much? Look at the task and see if you can’t divide it up into smaller, manageaable pieces. A bunch of little tasks often seems simpler than one big one. Plus, if it doesn’t have to be done all at once those little tasks can be spread out over a series of days.
Delegate If you are procrastinating something because you either don’t feel like you have time or just hate to do it, find a way to delegate it to someone else. If it’s a school project or a medical procedure, you’re stuck, but if it’s something else, there is almost always a way to delegate or outsource and have someone else do the deed.

Re-think the task Is this something you really need to do? If you’ve put it off this long, how important is it really? Re-evaluate whether it is something you need to do at all. Sometimes we procrastinate things because they aren’t all that important to us. Check your motivation and your need to get this done. If they aren’t there, perhaps you should just scratch it off the list and move on with your life.
Avoid Distractions Do you find yourself checking your email, visiting Facebook, doing the laundry, scrubbing the toilet or just about any other activity but what you need to do? Eliminate the distractions. Shut off the internet, send the phone to voicemail or go to the library and get rid of the things that distract you. Some of my writer friends will even check into a hotel for a few days so they work without any interruptions to meet a deadline or finish a project. Rid yourself of the reasons NOT to get it done.
Reward yourself Give yourself some incentive to get the job done. Reward yourself with something you really enjoy—and then stick to the deal. As soon as you’re done, you can go get that massage or have that cheesecake—or that afternoon off.
Be realistic Are you putting off this project because you feel overwhelmed or inadequate to the task? Step back and evaluate those feelings. Are they valid? If it really isn’t something you can do yourself then get the help you need. Is it too big for the time frame or for just one person? If the answer is yes, then adjust the time frame and your resources accordingly and relieve that stress.
Give yourself a deadline This one works for me. As I said before, I am deadline oriented. Whether the deadline is set by me or by someone else, knowing I have a drop-dead date to get a project finished means it will be done by then.
Suck it up and get it over with Most often, the best way around a problem is right through it. Just suck it up and get it done and remind yourself that the sooner it’s done, the sooner you can move on with life.

earth day

4 / 22 / 13

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Earth Day. Today I share with you a short, relaxing video to help you pause, ponder, reflect. It’s a “food for thought” kinda day.

So what are YOUR thoughts…??

new neighbors

4 / 18 / 13

So it looks like we’re getting some new neighbors.

The first clue was discovered amidst the sweet little pansies on the front porch. I had planted them next to the front door at the very first sign of spring. They are cheerful little survivors… and for me, a real sense of hope after a LONG winter. I say that because here in the midwest, “springtime” teeters on the edge of full blown winter. Yep. Sure does. As I type this, the cold (winter) wind is a’howlin…

OK – so anyway… I went to take the dogs out last night for their last “potty break”. The front porch was covered with; well… birdie poo-poo. Right up next to the front door. Actually, it was even ON the front door. Weird. Clue #1.

It was then that I noticed that it looked like a wild (and angry?) rodent had thrown a temper tantrum in that little “shreddy filler stuff” that I had carefully tucked around the pansies in the planter. There was a big hole where the shred had been “removed”, and it was then haphazardly strewn about in little piles everywhere. Hmmm… Clue #2.

We have little birdies that used to come every spring and build a nest. That is, until my hubbie decided that he didn’t like the “ambiance” of a front porch covered with “birdie droppings”. And a wife that wouldn’t let him use the front door once “the babies” arrived. So he decided that HE was smarter than a bird. He put bricks up at the top of the pillar… kinda like taking the “vacancy” sign down. Well, it worked for a while…

It wasn’t until morning when I took the girls out for their morning potty break that I saw the final clue. (OK – Is it me, or does this whole post seem to revolve around one basic subject??)

You see, we have TWO pillars. Ouch!! Being outsmarted by a bird… that stings.

If you’re keeping score… Birdies – 3 points. Hubbie – 0

I will update you when the “family” moves in….

the whole “kindness” thing…

4 / 17 / 13

“Random Acts of Kindness”. Hmmm…. You’ve heard of it, certainly. It’s one of those “buzz word phrases” that gets thrown around a lot; but have you ever really stopped to consider what it ultimately has to do with YOU…?? Well – my opinion on that, (be it ever so humble), is; in a word… Everything. Now let’s just think about this for a moment. You are already living your daily life as a “kind” person; Right? Practicing Random Acts of Kindness (RAKS) is just taking that daily kindness and bumping it up a level. Or two.

OK – You already smile at the person behind you in line or strike up a friendly conversation; So how about letting them jump ahead of you when you have a full basket and they have just have a few goodies? What about leaving a quarter in the gumball machine (woohoo!) or taping a dollar to the vending machine at work? In the winter, try leaving hand/foot warmers for the mailman or offering to buy the Salvation Army “bell ringer” a warm drink. Can you imagine the sheer joy of a “little nugget” (my daughter’s phrase) upon discovering a dollar bill on the shelf of the toy department ? (make sure you pick a lower shelf 🙂 If a friend is under the weather, perhaps a little homemade soup is “just what the doctor ordered”. Your trashmen work so hard, and they love cold bottled waters in the heat of summer. Warm chocolate chip cookies are always good for the soul, or perhaps a soothing candle for a friend who is feeling overwhelmed. An unexpected hand-written card or note in the mail will certainly brighten anyone’s day.

One of the simplest things to do is the “pay it forward” in the drive thru line. Any drive thru. If you have never practiced RAKS before, this is a GREAT place to “start”. When you get to the window, you simply tell the person taking the money that you would also like to pay for the person behind you. It makes the person at the window happy, and the person behind you in line even happier! The true gift, however, is the way that you feel after you do it. It’s like a high. Really. And there are long-lasting benefits that you may not have considered yet. This whole “kindness thing“… well – let me tell you right now – It’s both addicting AND contagious! xo

Am I so simplistic and naive that I believe that I can “singlehandedly” create world peace…? no. Do I believe that I can, however, change the world? yes. Mother Teresa’s quote from yesterday’s (part 1) blog post bears repeating… “If you can’t feed a hundred people, just feed one”.

And so I challenge you TODAY… to start practicing simple acts of kindness with those around you. Friends, as well as complete strangers. To get you in the right frame of mind, take a minute to watch this little video – “Take a seat – Make a friend”. Watch it all the way through, and it will, hopefully, leave you inspired. For free printables of the cute little “Kindness Quotes” (below), click on this link – “Thirty Handmade Days”. For even further inspiration, click HERE for some actual pics of heartwarming examples of RAK and HERE for a list of 134 simple ideas for RAK!!! I’m making it SO EASY for you… only because I sincerely believe in the true POWER of kindness!! “There’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end”. – Scott Adams

so what to do…?

4 / 16 / 13

What happened at the Boston Marathon yesterday is incomprehensible. A senseless act of violence against innocent people; so horrific that it takes our breath away. It’s like Sandy Hook all over again. We are in shock, and react with the predictable emotions… anger, fear, sorrow, helplessness. In the midst of the chaos and confusion, however – there is another side to the story. A gentle, loving side. There were police officers, first responders, hospital workers, med students, ambulance drivers. There were bystanders and complete strangers. They all rushed in to help with one common purpose…to help in any way that they could. Marathon runners who had yet to complete the run, instead ran/walked the rest of the “race” to the Red Cross to offer what they could. Even after running a marathon. When surrounding hotels were forced to close down, messages poured out from the people of Boston – offering their homes as a warm place to stay. People opened their hearts in the midst of devastating chaos, and this reminds us NOT to lose sight of something very fundamental. People are good. Random acts of violence do not change this fact.

So what to do…?

Well, I say we fight fire with fire. OK – remember back in science class when we learned about the “law of motion” from Sir Issac Newton…”For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” (Ok. So I liked science.) Yesterday’s “action” was a random act of violence. Our “reaction” is to come back, FULL FORCE, with a barrage of RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS. Let’s show the world we care.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, just feed one”. – Mother Teresa

Ponder that thought – I’ll be back tomorrow.

“In spite of everything, I really do believe people are good at heart.” (Ann Frank)

my “lovely” friend; alice

4 / 2 / 134 / 2 / 15

(A repost from exactly two years ago… With love. To you, Alice. I miss you today xoxo)

Today would have been my lovely friend, Alice’s, birthday. April 2. My birthday falls on May 2. We celebrated our birthdays together in 1987 and 1988.

Unfortunately, that was all the time we were blessed with…

We moved to London in the fall of 1986 for a (short… way too short) two year adventure with my husband’s accounting firm. Knowing that I only had a very limited period of time, I decided that the best way to do things was to jump in feet first; and ask questions later. So that’s exactly what I did. “Getting cozy” with the Brits, however, was a rather daunting task. It was much easier to develop friendships with the New Zealanders, Aussies and the other Americans. The British are, overall, a bit more distant and hard to get to know. And I am the first to admit that my personality might be a bit “over the top” for them. Regardless, I decided to venture out of the old “comfort zone”. We had been attending mass in a massive English cathedral… cold and dark and full of gold and stained glass. “Cozy” is not exactly the word that I am going for here. I decided to pursue some volunteer work through the church. I made some contacts, and before I knew it, I had a slip of paper in my hand with two names, addresses and telephone numbers. They were “older women” who might welcome a visit or two. One of the names scribbled on that piece of paper….was Alice.

I phoned her “straightaway” and made arrangements to stop by for tea. Her flat was down a quiet little cobblestone street near “Marble Arch” in the heart of London. I knocked, the door opened… and, in that very moment, a friendship began. Yes; Really. Just like that. We started out setting specific times and dates for my visits. But as the friendship deepened, we started having “impromptu” visits between visits! I would phone her to see if perhaps I might stop by for a quick visit. “That would be lovely”, she would say. She loved the word “lovely”. Not once did she turn me away. And they were not usually quick visits, either – ha! We would just sit and talk for hours. Alice had lost her husband many years prior and had no children. Her closest relative was a niece (and her family) who lived outside of London, but she didn’t really get together with them very often. I knew that my visits meant the world to her. Truth is, they meant the world to me, as well.

Alice would leave the front door open when she knew that I was on the way. I would let myself in, and from the moment that I stepped inside that tiny, dimly lit, cozy little flat – it was like my heart coming home. If I close my eyes I can still remember everything like it was yesterday… the sound of the teacups and saucers clanking against the tray as she made her way

to the tiny little kitchen table… the scent of freshly brewed tea and something warm from the oven… sometimes the soft little purr of a kitty that also called Alice “home”. Alice had a frail little body, crooked fingers, soft golden white hair and a tiny little voice. Her eyes would sparkle when I entered the room with a love that was, indeed, mutual; and shared between the two of us. We were separated by many, many years; it’s true. But we were kindred spirits; friends of the heart. It was a gift, and I think that we both knew that we were blessed in the moment. We treasured those moments up until the very, very end. Leaving Alice felt like I was ripping out a piece of my heart and leaving it there in London… Indeed I was.

Upon returning to the states, we kept our promise to each other to write often. Those letters meant the world to me. Sometimes I would even call her just to say a quick “hi” and hear her voice. I still remember calling to tell her that I was pregnant with twins and she was going to be a “grandma”… xo! She was SO excited and just kept saying how “lovely” that was… her favorite word!! She started making plans to come to the United States after they were born. “Nothing would make me happier”, I told her.

I still remember the day the letter came.

It was from her niece. I sat down. I started crying before I even opened it. “Auntie Alice” had passed away peacefully in her sleep. She knew that I would want to know. She had found my letters, along with my address, there next to her bed. She thanked me for being such a special person in her “auntie’s” life. Wow. “Ever had a memory that sneaks out of your eye, and rolls down your cheek…?”

If a yellow rose is the symbol of friendship, perhaps those are the tears of missing a friend…

So today, Alice, I am thinking about you with my whole heart… I brewed a pot of tea, selected my favorite little floral teacup and saucer and put some quiet music on to help me write this post. So many memories are running through my mind. It truly feels like you are right here with me. I know you are. There were tears in my eyes as I wrote this entire blog post, but they flowed uncontrollably as I attempted to type that last paragraph… I still miss you so much. I always will. I realize, however, that I am so very, very lucky to have been blessed with such love. “Missing someone isn’t about how long it’s been since you’ve seen them or the amount of time since you’ve talked. It’s about that very moment when you’re doing something and wishing they were right there with you.” Oh, Alice; If only heaven weren’t so far away…. Happy Birthday, my dear friend.

the bunny corsage

3 / 27 / 13

I LOVE Easter. It is a springtime holiday, and just for that reason alone it is a favorite of mine. Spring is cheerful and happy and hopeful… The flowers peeking up from the soil (sometimes right through the snow… like now!), there are little baby animals everywhere, warm rain and sunshine replace the sleet and freezing rain, we trade in the winter parkas for light jackets and pastel sweaters… I could go on and on and on. Suffice it to say that I simply adore spring. As a little girl in a big (Catholic) family, we had huge family gatherings for Easter. It would start with church and my first warm, fuzzy memory… a “bunny corsage“.

A carnation with googly eyes, pipe cleaner ears, little whiskers and a big bow. To this day, one sniff of a carnation and I am instantly transported back in time. Priceless.

After church we would head to my grandma and grandpa’s house for a day of celebrating with tons of food and sweets and extended family. There was always ham and scalloped potatoes and lots of cousins. We used the “pretty plates” and ate in the dining room under the beautiful chandelier. My Aunt Adeline would always make the coconut coated “lamb cake” and my mom would make little chocolate nests that would sit at everyone’s place.

These little nests are made by melting chocolate and mixing with torn up “Shredded Wheat” cereal to form little nests. Fill each nest with jelly beans and little “Peeps” or fuzzy bunnies or chicks. Funny story. One year my mom didn’t actually have “Shredded Wheat”, but she did have some “high fiber bran cereal” on hand. That should work. Well it worked all right. Really well, in fact. Especially for a few of my brothers who liked to sneak other people’s nests when they weren’t looking… (teehee!)

So time marches on… and suddenly you are in the position of “making” those special memories for your own children. Some childhood memories we did our best to “re-create”… others we made up as we went along. I still remember going to the florist when my daughter was maybe four years old and attempting to explain a “bunny corsage”. Ha! Aunt Adeline’s “lamb cake” became the inspiration for a happy little bunny cake that the kids used to make and decorate. The chocolate nests were a tradition that survived the test of time – Made with Shredded Wheat, that is. When the kids were little we had an Easter Village, Easter trees and even made an Easter gingerbread house one year. We were big on dying Easter eggs – our “trick” was to use 2 “tablets” per color to make them extra bright – and we made the most beautiful decorated Easter sugar cookies; chicks, bunnies, crosses, flowers, ducks… beautiful AND yummy; gotta say!! But once again, time marches on. Now those little people of mine are college seniors. Easter is… well; different. I still decorate, but I realize that is basically for me at this point. But that chandelier that hung in my grandma’s dining room is now hanging in my dining room. The “bunny village” is tucked away for safe keeping and I have saved all of the cookie cutters. Yep. I am patient and confident. There is no doubt in my mind that there will, once again, be bunny corsages in our future. Someday…

scalloped-potatoes-complete — Check out this blog, Dally’s Vintage Days, for a recipe for scalloped potatoes similar to the ones “Gram” used to make.

baked-ham-ck-1011300-x — Intimidated by the “How to’s” of a baked ham for Easter? Check out this video….