Change Begins at the Dinner Table

All great change in America begins at the dinner table.
~Ronald Reagan


Three of our four daughters. The pics speak for themselves.... A fun patriotic family evening...



Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known.
~Ronald Reagan

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Little Projects Anyone?



Projects anyone? I call them little "doodle dandies". I call a lot of things little "doodle dandies". ; )

Do you ever wonder what to do with those little mint tins? Those little doodle dandies? I like little craft projects, I'm an "art" person, an HSP, highly sensitive person, yes that's me... I usually color outside the box in various ways if you will.... Even in highschool, I would turn out several fashion illustrations a week, and they would usually be displayed in the showcase at school along with a portrait every now and then.... My media? For the fashion illustrations I used pastels, colored pencils, a Bic black ball point stick pen, and a child's watercolor paint set, those little dime store ones. Yes indeed. For my portraits, a number two pencil worked fine. If something works don't fix it, and don't complicate it. I was the girl who didn't buy many record albums, only the very special most favorite ones...the radio worked. : )

Here is one of my little projects I threw together, I just (try to) do and K.I.S.S. "Keep it simple sweetie" If we overcomplicate things it stresses us and we are not happy campers... Have you ever been around someone who complicates things unecessarily? They aren't much fun to be with are they? So I just try to have fun, and only detail things that are worthy of detailing in life... Keeps a smile on my face...And a smile on my family's face too. : )

Here is my tin I painted and mod podged, the little print on the front is of a painting of Udine, Italy. My grandma was from Naples, Italy and I'm thinking this scene looks similar to Naples. My grandpa was from Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy. The little pic is from the thumbnails on the back of my calendar from last year.

I first glued white paper on the top of the box, then the little pic. I painted over the white paper and sides with shades of white and green acrylics. I then brushed the modge podge on the painted part carefully around the pic... purposely leaving brush marks for that old world painted look. I gave this to my mom for an Easter gift, a little something. I like little somethings.... She uses it for her vitamins and cough drops etc. I think it would also be nice for little stevia packets too.



What's for dinner tonight at your house? Lea, my oldest cooked a Greek dinner last night and it was so much fun! She even made little name cards with her chosen Greek names for us!

I'm not sure what I'm making tonight yet... Yes, the dinner table is an important place to be for a family. : )

Have a nice rest of the week. K.I.S.S. (keep it simple sweetie) ~Amelia

Oh Y'all! You Have to Hear This!

Oh y'all, you must hear this old fashioned radio program from 1943... http://shar.es/mqyl6 This is a Kraft Music Hall Bing Crosby show, as a matter of fact it was done on December 30, 1943. My birthday is December 30, but 1960. ; )

But oh you must hear this sweet program...It is SO interesting. Songs about Americans being warned not to speak secrets of our country, war ration coupons etc. Women celebrating their femininity unabashedly. Just the unity and love for God and country. Oh I wish it were more like that once again in the way of respect and morality...So much more of a sweet spirit.

Hmm... 1943, my parents were 13 years old then... My dad was in a private military school in Biloxi Mississippi back then. My dad had lost his mother (who I was named after) when he was eleven, and in their family the best thing in their eyes was to send their son to this particular private military school. So my father went to this military school from around the age of eleven. I have a shoebox full of his letters home, the V for Victory stamp on each one. His brother, ten years his senior was a graduate of this very military school as well. You would not believe the sweet tidings I've read in my father's letters home. My dad tells me that when he was there, they used wooden "dummies" for guns because the real guns were being used at in WWII.

This radio program reminds me of what it must have been like in those times. A love for God and Country. A healthy fear of God. Loyalty to one's country.

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Today I tried to go through my closet trying to remove some clothes I no longer use. Why is it when I read those articles on decluttering they make it sound so simple? If you don't wear something in two years blah-blah toss it.

Hmmmmm... Not so easy when you forgot about the item since you are so lazy as not to want to reach to the back of the closet and you now discover you really like this item....and re-discovering it is like a new clothing item! ; ) Not so easy when you're hubby is the "George Bailey" in the community....and you've learned to scrimp and not toss quite so easily as the working gal with the salaried hubby down the street.

Now I'm not complaining no siree bobbie. I love my home and my hubby for that matter and I think it's truly wonderful that he works in a less than wealthy part of town actually helping people buy and sell their homes and enjoys the sweet people greatly, but this gal has learned to be quite resourceful by George! I figure every dime or penny for that matter I save is added to my hubby's commission to support our family....So I've had the best time re-wardrobing etc. My latest project is cloth napkins. (pics to come) But to make a long story short, I did manage to give 9 items away today, the fit was just too far gone. And the other day I did get rid of over a dozen pair of shoes, some were too high, last December I suffered a pinched nerve in my back so I have to be much more careful in the height of heels. And I've learned no shiny black patent shoes are beautiful enough if they pinch my feet and make my feet feel like they are on fire! So they went out too.

Oh me oh my... the Joy of Life. : ) I grew up in a home where obviously my parents were raised during the Great Depression and my grandparents saved everything....and I mean everything.


Here is my hubby and I at his 35th high school reunion a year and a half ago, he is so funny...He was having such a fun time with his friends. That's yours truly next to him... Me. ; ) That's one of my favorite things to do, wear a turtleneck or some kind of knit top, belt it and pair it with a black skirt. No muss, no fuss just simple elegance.



I just felt like blogging this afternoon, some things really struck my heart today, just memories and so forth.

Here's a pic of my dear dad graduating military school as I had written about.

My dad when he was a little boy... so cute. A head full of curly blond hair...
College age...That's my dad!

You know what? I found a plaster ornament hiding in my closet today... I had wanted to paint it for my dad for Christmas, it's of an old retro Santa Claus in an airplane flying to deliver gifts, my dad once flew for a hobby....He was and is quite the practical joker, a salty writer too not to mention a hot shot flyer, bless his heart.

Do you know that once my dad wrote a Christmas card to our town pound on behalf of our dog, Minnie Pearl?

The news of the card from our most precious dog, Minnie Pearl made it to 60 Minutes on National TV!

The horrible and awful day Minnie Pearl died, she had been hit by a car. My poor dad ran out of his restaurant and sat in the street weeping, holding our precious dog as his friend, Harlan guided traffic around my poor dad...I told you today opened up so many memories...

Now he has the start of macular degeneration and is unable to fly at the age of 80. I'll have plenty of time to paint his ornament for next Christmas. : ) Praying for my dad's healing.

Hope you all are having a glorious week so far. Take care now, your fellow Soldier for Christ, and your fellow traveler in this crazy world we are in. We will look upon the hills from whence comes our help. The Lord. I'm doing fine, just a sentimental day with much to be grateful for. Amelia : )

I have some serious thoughts on, Roe vs. Wade and What has Happened to Us? March.10...VisionForaGodlyHome.Blogspot