Use it, pack it or pass it along?

Downsizing.  Oh the images that word conjures!  Everything you've ever heard about the process is true.  It's hard, it's painful, it's time consuming, it's overwhelming.

We're in the process of this right now.  But, we have an added glitch in the system.  We will be living in our 5th wheel camper for the next few years.  Setting off for new adventures.  Traveling the country. Seeing the sights.  Very exciting, right?  Yes.  Yes it is.  However, we now have to clear out a three bedroom house and a three bay garage.
Not only do we have our own belongings, we have inherited stuff from my parents.  We've inherited stuff from Rick's Mom.  We're "holding" stuff for our children.  Bottom line?  Oh boy, do we have stuff!

This is where the hard and overwhelming comes into play.  Making the truly hard decisions.  Deciding what goes into the camper (with very limited space), what just gets packed to go to our next house (wherever that may be), or what moves on to live with someone else.  Over the course of a lifetime, we gather treasures.  Mementos.  Things we just have to have.  Now is the time to weed everything out.

I probably have over 50 cookbooks.  Seriously, who needs (or uses) 50 cookbooks?  But I've got `em.
Scroll saws...….at last count, we had 4.  4?? Really?? Yup.

My Dad's motto was always "if someone offers you something, and you don't have to feed it or clean up after it, take it.  You never know when you might need it."  He had quite the collection.  We now have to clean out his collection.  My Mom was a great "record keeper".  A skill that I sorely lack.  But I doubt I need a receipt for some kitchen appliance that she bought over 30 years ago. It's a challenge.

While this task is daunting, every box packed, every decision made is a good one.

And the treasures that one finds evoke memories from a time gone by. Artwork drawn by one of the kids.  Programs from concerts, old family photographs.  The list goes on.

By the time we're done, everything will have fallen into a category...use it, pack it, or pass it along.

Hidden treasures

Are there any other folks out there who still have a recipe box?  I am blessed to have two such treasures.  The one pictured above belonged to my mother.
Oh the things I've found while sorting through this piece of history.
History?  You bet!
Like so many women of her day, you shared recipes with family and friends. You added notes with ingredients you changed or with a critique of it's "worthy-ness".  You made sure that the name of the person who gave you the recipe was also on it....if the results were tasty, you could praise them.  If not, you knew not to ask for any more recipes.
There was no Pinterest!  You read the newspaper and cut out recipes or articles that were interesting to you. 
Besides tasty food, you could find handy household tips.  Did you know that an ordinary light bulb can be used for darning socks?  Oh ..... that's right.... that's a lost art.  Does it count that I have a darning egg?  Those who know me shouldn't be surprised.
As I went through this simple little box, so many memories returned. 
Pictured above is also one of my grandmother's recipes.  She love to bake sweets, and always made sure the cookie jars in the pantry were full when we would visit.
Some of the recipes have ingredients some wouldn't recognize.  Anyone remember Spry?  How about Fluffo?  Lucky for me, I took every chance I could get to bake with my grandma.  I can still use her recipes because I know what modern equivalent to use.
There are some of these recipes that I may never make.  Yet I find that I cannot throw away any of these snippets of history.  These glimpses of yesteryear.  So back into the little green box they will go.  Sitting quietly until the next generation decides to open the treasure trove.

Food for thought

Food for thought

So, the "old school" in me came out today as I watched Rachel Ray on television this morning.  Her show today was all about teaching a family (Mom, Dad and two children aged 7 & 9, how to cook and eat at home.While interviewing this Mom, she said " I wish I had time to cook, but we both work and the girls are into many activities."  

Uh-huh, I thought.  Most families today are in the same boat.  Then, I actually THOUGHT about what she said.  To me, she was saying that she couldn't be bothered to MAKE dinner for her family.  That it was easier to just make a phone call or hit the drive through. 

While I don't deny that choosing that route is much easier, two things came to mind.  First, by eating that way, are you teaching your family the importance of eating right?  Are you teaching your children the life skills of cooking?  Are you enjoying time together, as a family, for a few minutes in your hectic day?

When our kids were growing up, our household was as crazy as anyone's could be.  When the kids were little, it was four of us for dinner every night, and eight of us every other weekend.  When Rick's kids moved in, cooking for a crowd was a normal, every day thing.

Yes, Rick and I both had jobs.  Yes, the kids were into after school activities.  There were days that Rick and I would pass each other on the road while taking or picking up kids from one event or another.  BUT, dinner was made for them every night.  You were expected to sit down at the table and enjoy a meal with the whole family.  

Did it always work out that way?  Sure, in a perfect world.  But the reality was far from perfect.  That being said, the majority of our meals were as a family.  They were moments that I now look back on and cherish.

As we all know, children grow up so quickly.  One day it's play rehearsals and basketball games. In the blink of an eye, you're at their graduation.

These fleeting moments of simply sharing a home cooked meal, around the table go by in the blink of an eye.

I don't understand why families today don't indulge in this simple practice.

Is it easy?  Heck no.  Is it "required"? Nope.  Is it worth it, in the long run? More than you know.

If you're a fast food/take-out family, try a dinner at home this week.  Buy the ingredients.  If your children are old enough, enlist their help.  Then, sit down and enjoy a meal together.  The time spent is more precious than you realize.

Tools of the Trade/Making memories

( This photo is of our dear friend, Ed, or crazy Uncle Ed, as our kids call him, helping the grands decorate  Christmas cookies.)

This time of year, lots of baking is going on in houses all over the world. Everyone has their own favorites to make during the holiday season.  Perhaps its a recipe that has been in your family for as long as you can remember.  Perhaps you're starting new traditions with your family and want special foods to be a big part of the celebrations.

Whichever applies to you, you need the right tools to pull it off.  There are wonderful, time saving tools on the market today.  Mixers that do everything but the dishes, chopper-dicers to save you the time consuming task of chopping up nuts, fruits or what-evers.  Aren't they amazing?  Well, yes they are, but they're not for me.  I have a lovely stand mixer, a fancy little chopper-dicer, a bread making machine, all those time saving appliances.  And, I use them throughout the year.  But, you know what?  I find I don't use them this time of year.

During the crazy hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I find myself going "old school".  I have found that the simple act of kneading bread, sifting flour (yes, I still do that!), or chopping nuts is therapeutic. It forces you to slow down and enjoy the tactile sensation of hands on baking.

Now, before anyone starts saying "What?? Are you crazy?? I don't have that kind of time!  I have kids!  I have a job!  I have a life!"  Precisely why you should take the time to do things the old way.  Invite your children into the kitchen, have them help!  Will is be messy?  You bet it will.  Everyone may be covered in flour or powdered sugar before you're done. (Heck...I'M covered with flour and powdered sugar and I'm baking by myself!)  But guess what....it will be a memory that each of you will carry throughout your lives.

I too, had a full time job.  I too, had children.  I too, had a life.  To my regret, I didn't take the time that I should have to include the young ones very often.  You only get one shot at their growing up.  Don't waste it on things, make memories instead.

So dig out your mixing bowls, your wooden spoons, and your pudding steamers.  Dig out your elbow grease and DIG IN!

This time of year is special for so many reasons.  We each have the power to make it even more special and more memorable just by taking the time.  The time to slow down for a while, the time to feel, the time to engage with each other and enjoy each others company.

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas.

They say that your home is your castle.  It's where you reign with absolute authority.  Sure, right.
It seems that lately, our house has been the one calling the shots.  You see, this winter, part of the ceiling in the girls bedroom collapsed.  Bad enough, but it was covered with back mold.  (Side note; my hubby is extremely allergic to black mold.)  Within three days, his vertigo reared its ugly head.  We contacted our insurance company, only to find out that they don't cover the type of damage we sustained.  "So sorry" they said.  We had a few choice words to say.  (Alright, ALOT of choice words).  But the bottom line was, what were we to do about the situation?
We were renting out my parents house to a couple that were in the process of going their separate ways.  So we made the decision to move into my parents house.  All it needs is some cosmetic work right?  A little paint, a little elbow grease and it should be good to go!
Oh, the life of a naive person. 
Little did we realize that time had taken its toll on that house too.  We still had to do the paint and elbow grease parts, but there were buckets of elbow grease needed.  We've replaced floors, sections of ceiling, ripped out carpets, repaired water damage, patched holes, and  re-sheetrocked.  And painted......and primed and painted some more.
When you move into a new house, you want the colors and "feel" to reflect your taste or lifestyle.  That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with another person's choices, they're just not YOUR choices.  The wall coverings had originally been selected with my Mother in mind.  Not bad, but not us.  Our tenants had changed up some of the colors.  Again, not bad, but not our taste.  So we get to pick and choose.  Something as simple as "How about yellow for the kitchen?"  turns into a maze of color chips, samples and lots of praying.  For example.....I had selected a color for the master bathroom that I thought would compliment both the bedroom colors and the existing dusty rose colored countertop.  (Remember dusty rose and country blue?)  So we primed and we painted.  When we finished, I stood there looking at the finished product and said  "Oh no.....I can't live with this color!".  It didn't turn out at all like I had envisioned it.  My Mom probably would have loved it, but me?  Not so much.  So, plan B.  Back to the store, new paint and let's try this again.  Luckily, I was happy with how it turned out.  (You all know the old adage....."if Momma ain't happy..." )
We're still working on getting our new "castle" finished.  There's still lots to do, but at least I feel like progress is being made. 
The photo for this blog is sort of how our castle looks at the moment....a bit rundown and surrounded by water (thanks to all the rain for the past few weeks) but, it's our castle and once in residence, we shall reign with absolute authority.  (Unless you ask the dogs......)

Another Christmas rolls around.  Today, the snow is falling gently outside my window, setting the perfect Christmas card scene.  Colored lights twinkle on trees and in windows.  The smell of holiday baking fills the house with wonderful aromas.  Friends and families begin to gather together to celebrate this most magical time of the year.

We each have family traditions that we proudly carry on.  Perhaps it's an orange in the toe of your stocking.  Candy canes that Santa hangs on the Christmas tree.  Certain cookies or baked goods that, while they would taste wonderful any time of year, are only made this time of year.

Christmas, for me, is all of those things.  Is it crazy?  Sure is.  Is it hectic?  Very much so! Will it be crowded in your kitchen,  or around your tree?  I do hope so!

As we prepare, we remember.  The Christmases past, spent with the people (and critters) that we hold so dear. The very people who gave us the traditions we carry on today.  Now, that's not to say that we haven't added a few new traditions to the list, but these are our foundation.  Our roots.  Our beginnings.

This year will be difficult for many.  They will be spending their first holiday without an important ingredient to their family equation.  In our family, it will be no different.  While we celebrated many wonderful moments this year, we also grieved for the loss of  dear ones.  For some of us, this year is bittersweet.  Yet, as you uphold your family traditions, take a moment to "talk" with your loved ones who won't be sitting at your table.  They will be there with you, heart and soul.  I know that we'll have a gathering of very special angels at our house.  We remember each of them with our little traditions, quiet reminders of Christmases past.

If you have a moment during this season of hustle and bustle, try to listen to a beautiful song, "Christmas in Heaven" by Scotty McCreery.  Be sure to have a kleenex or three with you.  It is a heartwarming song that sums up todays blog perfectly.

Take the time, this year, to hold close those that you hold dear.  Welcome them in, welcome them home and carry on the traditions that make this time of year so special.

May you each have a magical, beautiful and blessed Christmas.

Shall we dance?

"Stifling an urge to dance is bad for your health — it rusts your spirit and your hips." ~Terri Guillemets.

That being said, we've been keeping our hips "rust free" for a few months now. Why did we embark on this journey?  What made us decide to forgo any sense of rational thought?

Because we wanted to!!

Rick and I have always loved to dance.   We both come from families that love to dance. Maybe we weren't the snazziest couple on the dancefloor, but we always had fun.  When the "happy feet" urge would strike, we'd head out to find a place that played music we could dance to.  Not the grinding, dance club type music, but the classics.  You know, Frank, Bing, 40's style big band.  It suited us just fine.  We used to joke, while dancing on a crowded dance floor, that we had to watch out for the movers and shakers.  Those couples that had obviously taken ballroom dance classes.  The ones that would run you over if you got in their way.  We would laugh and move away accordingly, all the while thinking "That could be us".

So, for Christmas, our son Josh gave us a gift of ballroom dance classes at the local Fred Astaire studio.  Fred Astaire.....they must be good, right?  Wow.  Little did we know the first time we walked into the studio that we would be having so much fun.  

Has it been easy?  Not always.  Many is the evening when our brain is overflowing with new dance moves.  The hardest part is remembering which dance those steps go to!  Was the "grapevine" in the foxtrot or was that the rumba?  Do we do a "twinkle" in the waltz?  Does this dance have a heel lead or are we on the balls of our feet?

"Muscle memory" is the term our instructors use.  Eventually, it will become second nature.  For now we practice, practice, practice.

The classes are private, meaning it's us and our instructor for 45 minutes.  That's not to say that there's no one else in the ballroom.  Sometimes it's a bit like 690 at rush hour!  But that's part of learning.  How to be a mover & shaker without any major crashes!

 We have seen our dancing improve. We have watched while friends of ours have made great strides in the ballroom.  (No pun intended!)

Bottom line?  If you enjoy dancing, go dance!  There's no need to take lessons, just go dance.  If you want to learn more, find a class.  It can be a locally sponsored class, like at the "Just Dance" studio in Chittenango.  Those classes give you a taste for all different dances and is fun.  I'm sure wherever you are, there are classes like that available.

But if you want to take it to the next level, find a Fred Astaire Studio near you.  the instructors are phenomenal.   They make you the best dancer you can be, all while you're having fun!  And for us, fun is the bottom line. 

The photo on this blog says it all...dance is enormously entertaining, irresistible, we give it two thumbs up and when we dance, it can be a charming comedy!

Will we ever be as good as the professionals you see on Dancing with the Stars?  Ummmmm....probably not.  But, that's okay!  I could hold my own if Maks or Tristan ever shows up and ask me to dance.  And since the likelihood of that happening is pretty slim, I'm not too worried.