At Considerable Cost

What other use is there for a bowl with a straw? Wow!   Busy week and we aren't even on the back-to-school merry-go-round as is everyone around us! I made tremendous progress this week toward better organization in my home.   More clutter is gone!   We were also able to give friends a piece of furniture from my parents' house.    I am so happy that it did not end up with strangers.   We already have so many pieces of my parents' furniture that we treasure.  I think we'll be able to park the car in the garage again in a week or two! Saturday, I received a high compliment.   As I was showing a friend around our home and telling stories about pieces that belonged to Mama, she said, "I wish I could have met your mom."   Then, she turned to look at me, and said, "but I know you, so I guess I have met your mom."   Thanks, Megan.    I have an azalea plant!   I grew up with huge, old-fashioned azalea bushes on our farm.   Spring and Easter w

This was one of my mom's favorite meals to serve for company because it was easy to assemble.   She wasn't Catholic, but many of my dad's associates were, so she liked to make this for them on Friday nights.    She worried about what Catholics could and couldn't eat because she didn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable or offended.   There is something about both recipes being served together.   They're just better together!   Also, add my mama's homemade rolls for the complete effect.   Tuna Casserole 2 cans tuna (preferably packed in oil), undrained 1 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 small cans chow mein noodles 2/3 cup evaporated milk 2 cans cream of mushroom soup Combine tuna, celery, green pepper, green onions, and noodles.   Heat milk and soup together and pour over other ingredients.   Toss lightly.   Place in ungreased 13x9 pan and bake 25 min. at 375. Lemon Jello Salad

A friend of mine asked me to bring this to lunch this weekend.   It's one of my favorite easy dessert recipes and it was my mom's standard "company" dessert.   My dad ate a dessert like this when he was on a judging team trip and my mom searched until she found a recipe that tasted the same.   Look for the premium cherry pie filling that does not contain high fructose corn syrup for better flavor. 4 cups graham cracker crumbs (I prefer Great Value graham crackers to any other brand for crumb crusts) 2 sticks margarine or butter, melted 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 envelopes Dream Whip dessert topping mix (with the marshmallows and jello on the baking aisle)--there  are two envelopes in a box 1 cup half and half 2 cans cherry pie filling Combine cracker crumbs and margarine.   Line 13 x 9 dish with half of this mixture; press firmly into place.  Do NOT bake.  Blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. With

My first recipe post--and it's not a pie recipe!   This is well-liked, especially by children; I have shared it many times!   Don't let the horseradish scare you! This is one of my favorite recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Southern Living's Homestyle Cooking .   It's a collection of S. L.- tested recipes from community cookbooks.   I've made a few additions and changes after making this many, many times! 2 lbs. ground beef (I prefer 1 lb. gr. turkey & 1 lb. gr. beef) 3/4 cup uncooked quick oaks 1 large onion, finely chopped (I like to chop the onion and bell pepper in the food processor) 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup milk 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish (not sauce) 1 1/2 tsp. salt (for extra flavor, use garlic salt for part of the salt) 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup ketchup 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish 2 tsp. spicy brown mustard COMBINE first 9 ingredients in a la

  As long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher and a mommy.   When I was a child, I tried to teach our dog to read.   Any given afternoon, you could find me at my little chalkboard, with my dolls lined up in a row.   When friends came over, I was the teacher and even sent them home with homework.   I used to decorate my room like a classroom, including changing my door decor according to the the holidays or seasons. Some of my high school teachers were disappointed in my decision to go into education.  I remember one who just shook his head, and walked away, saying, "What a waste."  While at college, several English professors tried to lure me to the English department, but I was steadfast in my decision to teach.   Upon graduation, my first teaching job was a dream job, particularly well-suited for a wide-eyed, idealistic first-year teacher.   I taught Exploratory Math at a middle school in south Louisiana.   In my interview, the principal described the job as follow

I've noticed other bloggers have posts which serve as summaries of their weeks.   I can see a need for that, as there are lots of things I want to post, but don't necessarily want to do a separate post for each.   So, I'm going to have the Tuesday Folder .   You see, when I taught elementary school, we sent students home with their weekly folders on Tuesdays.   That way, we had plenty of time to mark and record Friday's tests and the parents didn't have to deal with folders during the busy weekend.   So, here goes my first blog "Tuesday Folder." Part of the Plan I've joined a health club and have a personal trainer.   I'm doing individual sessions for a month so I can build a schedule and routine for fitness.   Since I am so motivated by thrift (sounds a little nicer than I'm cheap), I know I will be more faithful to my fitness routine in order to get my money's worth.  I need to have one-on-one guidance since I've had back surge

Why run through the sprinkler when you can sit? This morning was not as oppressively hot as what has become normal lately.   The kids actually wanted to stay outside and play like they used to do.  C's "googles"--one of my headbands

It has been quite a weekend.   I've said my good-byes to the lake house and in doing so, said another good-bye to Mama.   My last memories of that house will include my three precious children laughing and running around in circles until they collapsed .   I left with a feeling of peacefulness and for that I am blessed--and thankful.  As we drove home, I felt as if we were truly beginning a new chapter in our lives.   My children have had a very distracted Mama for a while.   For the past five years, I've been responsible for my father, who was in a nursing home with dementia and Parkinson's,  and my parents' two homes, one in east Texas and one in Louisiana.  My husband, family, and friends were there beside me, supporting and encouraging me, but I fear my children didn't get the Mama I wanted them to have.  I know most mothers feel that way. So, as the first step, it finally happened.   I took THAT book off the shelf, the one that had been sitting there f

This weekend, we head to my parents' Toledo Bend home.   It was the last place they lived and it was the place where Mama died.   Until one month ago, it was filled with their remaining belongings, which means many memories.   Mama is buried in Oklahoma, so I don't get to visit her grave very often.   The house on the lake is the place I go to feel closer to her.   Each time we pull into the driveway, I remember how she would have all the lamps on, with the blinds open.   The house just looked so warm and inviting, especially after the three-hour drive, usually after a day of work, on a Friday evening.   When we first arrived, she always had a home-cooked meal, which usually ended with a homemade pie.   Joey once mentioned he liked pie and after that Mama always made sure she baked at least one when we visited.  Then, sadness overcomes me for a moment, as I think of how much she would have enjoyed seeing us pull up, five instead of two.   How she would have opened the

At the suggestion of a mentor and friends, I join the world of blogging.   I intend to use this blog as a journal of sorts.   It will be a place to share memories and put my thoughts in writing.   I expect it will include anecdotes about my children, recipes, journal posts about homeschooling, and remembrances of special people, places, and times.   I don't imagine many will be interested in this simple blog, but I welcome any kindred spirits who might find something of interest here.