Hey You Guys & Gals! A De-Clutter Party!

Hi-de-ho Everyone! It's time for a party! What kind of party? A De-Clutter Party!


I just turned 50 and I'm ready to turn over some new leaves in life. One of the most huge is to simplify, simplify, simplify!

I'm a merciful artist with a hint of prophet and this tendency translates, hanging on to things but feeling crummy about doing so, not really displaying the things properly or using them. I am also married to a self employed Realtor broker-George Bailey in Smalltown America. Hubs isn't a high pressure salesman but a man who enjoys people and working with them...

Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? ~Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

All the while I desire simplicity and always have but I have a bit of a Depression era mentality, my parents and grandparents were Depression Era. Living in a Realtor home is much like living in a farmer's home, some years have good crop and some years have bad. I tend to keep a lot in store just in case...Plus I'm just not good about decluttering. Period. But that is going to change. Yes indeedie.

My wardrobe for winter usually consists of black tights, black skirts, wide black belt, black workout pants and my black turtleneck, maybe red, grey or green. Black blazer and cardigan. I hear CoCo Chanel usually wore black, very simple. Do ya think CoCo Chanel cleaned house with black workout pants perhaps with her pearls? lol Who knows, (I sure like CoCo Chanel Mademoiselle perfume though!) I'm not to a minimalist wardrobe yet, but I'm almost willing to bet I could pare down to these things alone for winter.

Anyhow, the name of the game here is Simplify-Simplify!

I've been scouring & perusing minimalists blogs & books and I am really on my way finally. I'm finally getting that perhaps I am missing out on life because of stuff. I'm not materialistic. Some of my favorite things are old and sentimental things not new name brand matchie-matchie poo-poo stuff. About the only name brand I like much is Chanel perfume, and throw in a few Avons too. And I know Amana makes good refrigerators. ; ) (I don't even have an Amana but I know they are good!)

For those just now arriving for the party, my Declutter-Simplify-Simplify game with day to day, morning, afternoon & evening finds are below my micro-bio. Enjoy & join the freeing fun!


My Micro-Bio:


I am half Italian and half German; both my parents came from hard working down to earth families from a small waterfront town...

The German side, my father's side; valued books, education and good music. My uncle went to Rice majoring in Drama if that tells you anything. My father did some drama and is a wood artist, speaker, writer, restaurant owner, one time city counselman, you name it, a major entrepreneur and smalltown dinosaur.

The Italian side, my mother's side, my small town Italian grandparents valued; family, food, good health and sweet laughter. My Italian uncle majored in Animal Husbandry to be a vet. My mother went to art school. She used to make some neat paper dolls with me and oh so lovely ballerina costumes...She managed to keep a neatie home too in an old 30s built house with hardly any closets.

Neither family cared one iota about the kind of car they drove, the size of home they lived in or the size of diamonds on their fingers. Thank the Lord they didn't.

Amazingly, all of these young people, both uncles, my father, my mother all returned to the small waterfront town...There was nothing like it at the time. My uncle told my mother he dreams about it sometimes...Both grandparents had waterfront businesses.

My Italian grandfather was an opera singer in New York in the early 1900s as a very young single, he was actually discovered when he was singing hanging clothes outside his city apartment. He was eventually called home to another state by his mother when she arrived in America from Bisaquino Sicily. He always loved the water and became a professional fisherman and shrimper and owned a fishing camp.

I think he was the Great Caruso of the Bay, a quiet sweet soul...But when he spoke he spoke and when he laughed he laughed and when he sang boy could he sing. When we had family get-togethers there was good food and laughing in their simple home.

Sometimes I think my love for animals came from my uncle and perhaps my dad too....Daddy loved our dogs something fierce, in fact our dog's Christmas card to the pound actually made it to 60 Minutes!

My dad rescued our dog from the pound after the new dog catcher captured her one day. In the small waterfront town you just didn't capture my dad's dog, Minnie Pearl. No sirrie bobbie. Let's just say the rescue involved my dad's pickup truck and a pull chain. ; )

Did I ever tell you that my dad was also a creative welder? I remember finding him in the mall bookstore; that was he and Mother's meeting place after an eve of shopping. He was there in his cardigan, pipe in pocket studying a book on a Civil War era canon. He made the canon to scale and he would shoot things out of it over the bay from his gas station for boats...Oh the stories I could tell...And did you know he also flew airplanes for a hobby? Oh it goes on and on.. Maybe more stories to come. I have them from the Missile Crisis, just all over the board. Amazing stories.



Okay, that's my partial eclectic background story...You can't really put me in a box when it comes to stereotypes you see. Just ask my hubby. With a smile, he'll tell you, you can't put me in a box, except when it comes to loving God and my family. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Love God and hate sin. : )

Now.....About that party.

I'm going to post things here on this entry that I am donating to charity or throwing away if unfit for charity.

I thought it might inspire me and others to de-clutter and simplify.

One-Two-Three and Away We Go!

I will now commence to this game of Simplify-Simplify!
You too can comment here and let us know what you are de-cluttering if you like! We can encourage one another!

My List & Quandries:

This past weekend:
*All the decorative doodle-dandies from under my guest bathroom vanity....Christmas, Valentines, Easter figurines. Several fragrance lotions well over a year or two old.
*All Christmas ornaments deemed "ugly" by my girls unless they are antique or sentimental. Any ornament or anything that has "To: Mommy" or "I love Mommy" will not be given away no matter what dear daughters (dds) say.
*A blazer with a collar that looks like wings. A pink fuzzy robe from '93 when my last baby was born. A green terry cotton robe. Three dressy tshirts that don't fit that great.
*A set of Beatrix Potter paperback books.
*A hardback of "A Child's Garden of Verses"
*Several platters, plastic and stoneware forgot I even had.
*Three pair of nice leather clogs, since my back injury the clogs cause more back pain. Go figure.
*Two jumpers, one black, one seer-sucker...My girls shook their heads when I tried them on and murmured frumpy-frumpy. I did keep a cute one with button straps, yes I did. It will be nice with sandals in warm weather. I still love it.
*Tossed 2 chipped mugs, they were pretty but chipped.

1.4.11 A Christina Rossetti book, featuring "Goblin Market" (Who wants to read about morbid goblins?) Plus the book doesn't even have, 'What Shall I Give Him" or "Who Has Seen the Wind"

1.5.11 So far...3 plastic containers from my master bath cabinet never re-used. I also donated 4 little chef-men pairs who held 2 of the white pillar candles. I don't use them any longer for decor and the poor dears were sitting all alone in the dark living room cabinet. Someone else will be blessed by them. Stay tuned...Dear Daughters?

1.6.11 AM *Another pair of clogs; used to be touted for comfort but after putting these on for only minutes realized even these are no longer that great for my back. *Two bars of perfumed Red Door soaps still in cellophane. *Pair of navy hosiery, hubs can use them to strain paint. *Undergarments that are not comfortable...Hopefully adding more throughout the day! Stay tuned... PM: *An angel frame I've saved for years to use, still in box. *A knit top, too short. *My dds decluttered a boxed set of Resurrection eggs, that will be a definite blessing to a young family. *We shall see what we shall see for tomorrow...Trying on a few things.

1.7.11 AM *Oh yay, happy day, happy day, I'm doing good today. I donated my soft lined capri workout pants. The way I see it on lined capris is...If it's cold enough to wear lined pants they need to be long ones! : ) I also donated a nearly new black velour pair of lounge pants, the velour is not that flattering and they weren't as comfie as lounge pants should be...On with my decluttering...Okie-Dokie it's officially 1:30ish PM. I'm sipping on Duncan's Donuts Christmas Mint coffee I snagged for 70 cents clearance. Yes indeedie, made it double strength in my French-press, no weinie coffee here. ; ) Decluttering so far: Many white fitted tshirts, I just don't look that great in stark white or round necklines. Pink winter p.j.s. I had forgotten I had. Getting ready to give many like-new Christmas Target-Christmas long sleeve tshirts away, I'm just not wearing them at Christmas time like I should be. Someone else will love them. I may keep one favorite and probably be able to wear it since it's not hidden in clutter. A Christmas mug with a ceramic snowman standing in the cup. Cute but no one uses it, the snowman is a hindrance of sorts. I must tell you that one main way I've decluttered is to NOT buy anything that is not in my favorite family of colors. Also passed on a pair of shoes, 20% off w/free ship. Did I need them? No. I also passed on a pretty floral brown toned skirt, no. I don't need to have to hunt for a brown shirt to go with it, plus I do much, much better in blacks & greens etc. On with decluttering...3:45ish PJs not being worn, if they are not really loose, super comfortable around the waist, donate. Gave some cute Old Navy striped cotton ones, they aren't knit, I always go for cotton knits first, the others make me feel bound up when I sleep. I figure gee whiz, sleep comfortable for pete's sake. : )

1.8.11 AM *Good Morning Folks!* So far I've decluttered by NOT buying a blouse. It's a spring/summer weight blouse but it wasn't on sale, but was tempting w/99 cent shipping.

I said to self:

"Now self, you do not need that now. The online store will store it for you, it is a regular item there. There will be free shipping in the future, hold tight"

I'm eyeballing decorative baskets up in my laundry room, decorative baskets that probably aren't deep enough to really do neat things like berry picking etc. Also a red plastic booster seat for tots. Canopy bed netting my dd21 has stored may be going if she doesn't have plans for it...Okay, now to warm my coffee up...see you back here later with more declutter victory. : )

1:44PM Alrightie...the net canopies are up in dd17s room for her to decide. I've donated 6 skirts. Several are nice skirts but not that super-long tea-length that I so love. One of them is a dressy silver-grey taffeta, it's neat, it crinkles & swishes, but it's not my length, and wore only once for a dressy occasion. Out it goes to bless someone praying for a dressy skirt. One hawaiian looking jumper sleeveless type of gauzie dress. Dd16 looked at it and giggled, "Oh Mom...I can't believe you are even considering that... One skirt still has tags on it, it was a gift from my girls 2 yrs ago, it's just not long enough to wear bare legged, and it's strictly spring/summer. I hate to give it, but out it goes for someone else. I should have taken it back but was going to try to make it work. Shucks.

2:34 Oh goodness shazzam... I have definitely done damage to the clutter world here, at least in my closet: 2 pair of hawaiian capris, (won't go in to dd17's reaction LOL) white capris. Lavender long formal satin straight skirt, long formal black velvet straight skirt, they just don't look that great on. Black velvet tunic jacket and straight dress. Dress doesn't fit right and tunic jacket doesn't have a waist, ya know, why do I want to wear a jacket with no waist when I have a waist? Pink & black suit jacket I used to love but it looks huge for me these days, just dated for some reason. Longer green skirt that looks like a Buick on. Polka dot skirt, that I loved; hubs gave it to me with an aqua cardigan set, it's all going, haven't worn it in a while, skirt's too short for my now lower heels. Black velvet dress too short to wear with lower heels. Several and any other sweaters with shorter sleeves if they make my arms look weird. That's the wrap for now...Wowza.

6:59 PM Supper's being tweaked: & I'm tuckered out. A pink sweater several years old with satin collar never was worn this winter or last...I think it will bless someone else. And to all a sweet sleep & peaceful night.

Here's a lullaby and prayer for you on my other site, VisionForaGodlyHome. Amen.


Today. 1.9.11 Sunday AM: Good Morning this fine day in the Lord! Will be starting homechurch in the hour, so no decluttering at this time, but the Lord has alerted me to some things I need to pull out of my closet. So later I will be checking in with my finds. So proud of Dd17:

...Yesterday I heard clinks, clanks & rumples, not to mention a few boom-boom-booms. Dd17 decluttered her room in less than 30 minutes. There is a glorious pile of stuff on the back porch ready to be donated, outgrown but nice books, purses, decor including a hilarious pile of netting and material from a retired vanity skirt.

3:13 PM Back from a drizzly, cold outing to a quick lunch with hubs & girls. Naptime now but will soon be doing a light declutter item or two. ; ) Evening high-heels look-out....

5:15 PM Haven't quite dove into my closet for those heels yet, it's Sunday and I'm sipping on some hazelnut coffee and eating hot banana bread Dd25 made...Enjoying beautiful music with Dd25 & Dd17: "Radio Ballet" by Eluvium on Pandora. Pandora is a great way to declutter and not buy an excessive amount of cds. Try it. Pandora. ...Be back hopefully with some heels in hand.

5:55 PM Just went in to seize those heels. They are in a shoebox under several other boxes. It's Sunday so it will wait, I like to keep things restful on Sundays & God centered. Yesterday there were a pair of pj bottoms in nice shape that will make it to donations since dds don't need them. Also, yesterday I had found yet another white cap sleeve top! Oh my goodness, did I think there was going to be a prohibition on white tshirt tops? *smiling shaking head* Well it's late now, supper time is upon us. I think I will keep it simple and warm Progresso Tomato Basil soup with some Pita bread sandwiches of some sort. The Greek grocery store has the best fresh pitas ever...They roll down a conveyer belt from an uppper story bakery!

I'm also placing all friendship hurts, usuries & disappointments at the Father's feet we have experienced this year. Yes, we need to declutter those things too from our minds, and ask God to help us do so. God is Just, He is very capable of taking care of those who despitefully use us. We can hop on the Father's lap and tell Him all about it...

To all a good night. Sweet sleep to all. Check out the beautiful lullaby on my VisionForaGodlyHome

Jesus is Life, He loves you and me. ~Amelia







Things weighing in the balance:
*Snowman cookie jar, a bit chipped, slghtly cracked...Aren't we all? lol Maybe I can use it at our new house in the country? I love snowmen...He is so loveable...But he is seasonal...Help meh somebodehhhh...I think I love the little guy.
*A stoneware gravy dish & saucer. Dds think it's uggy. I think it's practical because the only other one I have is my china one. But how often do we use a gravy dish? Maybe we could use it now that we know where the blasted thing is?
*One white pillar candle perhaps as a storm candle.


Come on back now and see what I've added and decided. Let me know of some of your decluttered items and quandries too! I hope to keep a running total of things here. Let's encourage one another and lift each other up! Amen. : )

Blessings to All! ~Amelia

Easy Natural Gift Ideas to Make & a Sweet Recipe Too!

Hello Dear Ones!

Here are some nice natural gift suggestions done by our daughter, Marianna a couple of years ago. Marianna and I have our level one herbology certificate (Family Herbalist) and we are trying very hard to achieve more natural ways of spicing up life.

I'll follow up with a sweet recipe for you as well for scrumptious melt in your mouth Molasses cookies from Marianna. Having four daughters is a blessing, they love to cook and create so it usually looks something like You Can't Take it With You (1938) ....Me? I'm the mom on the typewriter with the kitty as a paper weight! LOL Instead of making fireworks in the basement, hubs is either making his music in his recording studio, or scooting out the door with a brief case to his small town office...Sewing, cooking, creating and we're all creative messies. Imagine that? (Never come over unannounced!) Ha!

The first video is on making your own naturally fragrant bath salts, enjoy!


How to make natural body & linen sprays. How cool is this? : )


How to on making natural body powder! Is this not neat?




And here is Marianna's Molasses cookies, she found the base for the recipe in an old paperback copy of Fannie Farmer Cookbook. These really do melt in your mouth, I am not a fan of spice cookies or things of the sort, but oh my....These are what I call wowee!

Here's Marianna's variation of the recipe:

Marianna's Molasses Cookies ~Marianna

1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dark-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon groundcloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the molasses, butter, brown sugar, and egg in a bowl, combining well. Mix the flour, salt, spices and baking soda together, add to the first mixture, and blend thoroughly. Arrange by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1 inch apart, and bake for 6-8 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Sometimes Marianna will place a pecan half on each cookie. So homie!

And here's a tip from yours truly, Mama-Mi-Mi ; )

Since we're talking molasses here, did you know if you have a bitter pot of coffee (horrors!) especially if your kin folks are over....You can add a drop of molasses to a cup and voila! That molasses has a way of taking that bitter taste right out. You can also add a teaspoon to the coffee maker basket when making coffee too. Try it! : ) So far, I've not had it fail.

Enjoy your families! Enjoy this advent season, I'm trying hard to keep things in proper focus on Christ keeping things simple but wondrous and sweet too. : )

K.I.S.S. Keep it simple sweeties! (I got that from Dr. & Dorothy Moore years ago on homeschooling). Oh that we would have more Dr. & Dorothy Moores! If you ever get a chance, check their books out, they were and are a blessing!



If you get the druthers you and your entire family may be very blessed by a Bing Crosby radio program on my VisionforaGodlyHome.blogspot This is a WONDERFUL old time 1940s radio program with a precious, precious story of a special little donkey.... along with GREAT Christmas music by Bing!





Also some old time 40s movie suggestions will be gradually posted in the comments section of VisionforaGodlyHome.blogspot as we think of them for the Christmas season.

Here is one favorite called "Meet John Doe" (1941) in entirety, it's not digitally remastered as a bought copy or televised would be, but I think you'll enjoy it just the same. What a Christ glorifying message. When we came back home with my baby girl from the birth center one beautiful late November night in 1993 we watched this movie for the first time, talk about a sweet memory!

Movie: Meet John Doe (1941) in entirety!

Movie Description

Bless you all! (Said in the most southern drawl imaginable) *Muah* (A sister kiss on the cheek) ~Amelia

Rain, Candles and a Soup Mix Gift...Yes Indeedie!

Oh me oh my it's raining today in the neighborhood, one of our four doglets, Muffie is on my lap, poor little guy, he becomes very frightened when it rains. Muffie the man is a tiny little Schitzu. He is our little golden-boy, as tiny as he is, he thinks he is ten feet tall ...except when it rains. And thunder and lightening? Oh he is so frightened, he shakes and shakes, we feel so sorry for him and just try to hold him during these times. Our daughter Marianna picked him up from the middle of a busy road on the day of primaries. He was matted with his collar rusted shut, poor little thing...Apparently he had been left out in the elements. We call him Muffie, but his official name is Muffie-Buttons-Huckabee.....or simply Muffin...Muffin-Man. : )

Well gals and guys....I bet you noticed the holidays are a-coming! I love Christmas, but try to keep it simple but fun, fanciful but not too complicated. Just normal. Sweet Christmas. It's a difficult balance isn't it?

Sometimes people look for nice little gifts for hostesses or neighbors etc. Or perhaps just having a gift on hand for a "just in case"?

One thing we like to give is a jar candle.

Hobby Lobby has them on sale for 50% off this week. They do that every few weeks or so, just check their online ads, you'll see them there.

The great thing about these candles is they really do smell good; they are not for the weak at smell. ; ) These are potent candles, much like more expensive brands. We really like the "Cinnamon-Spice" and the "Sugared Spruce". You can pick these nice jar candles for around $5-$6.00 half price! These are large candles too! The wicks are lead free as well in most cases. This is a great deal and a sweet gift too, for you to treat yourself to or for a wonderful gift.

We recently had our state representative's wife come and speak to Marianna's Bible study & homemaking group of girls. We presented her with the "Cinnamon-Spice" candle in a simple brown gift bag with raffia tied on top. It made a very nice "Thank-You" gift and she liked it very much too. : )



Another thing that Hobby Lobby offers is the unfinished wood boxes and little drawer sets...These are so cute to paint and give too. One year we were on an extremely limited budget. I am married to a George Bailey in our little town...We like it like that, we would rather deal with sweet down to earth people, the sweet humility of normal folks instead of being a nervous wreck dealing with folks who are not on our page if you know what I mean...Remember, it was the Shepherds who saw the Star of Bethlehem Right? Right! You bethcha.... Peace, happiness, joy? Jesus. We are blessed, may we be like the Shepherds keeping our eyes on the Lord in humility, still enough to seek His face.

But to make a long story short, hubs is a Real Estate broker, we own our own business in an old town. So being in that occupation, and a business owner means commission only plus paying the bills. Enough said. You can imagine what I go through with a Christmas budget. I never know what it's going to be til sometimes December.


Anyhow...Back to my story. Several years ago it was a mighty lean year. My youngest daughter just loved American Girl dolls and would buy them with her own money pet-sitting...She was and is a major photographer these days and started with her dolls doing amazing stop motions that year. What's a mommy to do? I found a little unfinished wood drawer set (a large jewelry box?) it was around 12 inches high or so.... at Hobby Lobby on sale half price, and I gave it to her unfinished mind you. She is a little artist like her mommy ; ) and I figured she could paint it herself to her own whim. It was perfect for the American Girl doll clothes and little fancies. I even tucked a tiny little gift in each drawer. I had found a teensy miniature kewpie-doll in the doll accessory section at Hobby Lobby, her big sister found a little sleigh pin at the resale shop and a tiny little Seven Dwarf figurine...it was cute and sweet and she enjoyed it as one of her gifts. I felt like my little girl was getting one more decent gift from her mommy & daddy within our budget. She later painted the drawer set herself with white paint and trimmed in red flowers. The price? I think it was around $6.00 on sale and really made a much needed additional gift to my little girl.

If you have a tiny little girl who likes the look of American Girl dolls but they are simply not in your budget? Michael's Craft stores have some that look very similar. They also offer clothing and accessories too, AND if you have a Michael's coupon you can really do good on those. I think Hobby Lobby has look-alikes and Dollar General many times has some very sweet 18 inch dolls at times. Do I have any other Dollar General fans out there? I just love those stores...They are like an old fashioned five and dime store. (Check the link out, it is a hoot and a half!)

Well how was that for Coffee with Amelia? ; ) Yack, yack, yack right? *chuckle*


Show N' Tell

Last but not least, I have one more very practical gift idea that can be kept on hand to give others or use yourself! I don't think this will go to waste.

I presented this for a hostess gift once in a mason jar with raffia around the top tied with directions for use.

What is it you say? For Pete's sake let me tell you...

It is a Cream of Soup mix I found in my old Miserly Moms book.

This is GREAT to have on hand for yourself too! I have a big mason jar with this mix with the recipe pasted right to the front of it. When I'm cooking in the evening and I see I'm out of a cream soup? I go to my jar. It works!

This makes a great little practical gift.

I will share my recipe with you here:

~Instant Cream of Soup Mix

2 cups instant milk
3/4 cups cornstarch
1/4 c. instant chicken bouillon ( I suggest low sodium?)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper

You can use this for any recipe calling for a can of cream of mushroom, chicken or celery soup replaced with 1/3 cup of mix and 1 - 1/4 cup of water.

Boil for a few minutes, stirring often.

Enjoy! AND you do not have to have a mason jar to give this in....a plastic baggy with a simple bow or curly ribbon on top will do just fine. You can get simple plastic bags with wire ties at the dollar stores or at Dollar Generals in the house-ware section.

Enjoy your families. Remember, K.I.S.S. Keep it simple Sweeties! (That goes for me too, I am so trying!) : )

Love to all in Christ, prayers we will all have a Peace-filled holiday & Christmas season.

If you like you may want to check out my Vision for a Godly Home blog for some serious thoughts on our words and what is truly important in life. Remember, being a stay at home, wife or mom...or grand-mommy....That is the best. A very high calling! Don't buy the lie of present society.

~Amelia

P.S. Please feel free to share your good & neat gift suggestions here, we can all learn from one another. Pour yourself some coffee, enjoy and feel free to share too. : )

This entry is also linked at LifeAsMom.

Lea Saves Supper & My Show N' Tell of New Shoes!

This is a great recipe our oldest daughter ....

~Lea....
(Photo by our youngest daughter Rebecca)

...Made for us the other night. It was delicious, and a bit different too. The sauce is more of a light sauce with chicken broth and fresh tomatoes. Wonderful! Bella!

I welcomed the light sauce, if it's not my Grandma's recipe it's not pasta gravy so the light done right is music to my tastebuds. Yes indeedie as we say in the South.

Lea really does her research, this recipe is from October '08 issue of Southern Living.

Cheese Ravioli With Spicy Tomato Sauce
Lea omitted the crushed red pepper.

I hope you enjoy the unique and different ingredient for the raviolis.... Why they are done in won ton wrappers! Imagine that! : )


Show N' Tell


You know me, I like Show N' Tell, so this is my Show N' Tell this week for you ladies...


Have you been looking for a low heel feminine shoe? With a bit of a heel, neat 1930s look? And comfortable too? I think I found a really nice shoe and boy am I glad. I wore these in the black out with hubby for date-night with no hosiery and I could not believe my feet survived.

If you know me very well, not many do. But if you know me well, very well. You would know it is normal for me to dance, waltzing and twirling, spinning in my ballet moves from years past out of a department store as my husband picks me up at the door in the car in the night hours, moon overhead... Yes I do things like that. : ) These shoes are waltz-worthy I do believe. They remind me of Capezio dance shoes.


The pretty little heel is 1 1/4 " high, that is as high as I go these days. I had a back injury last December and one good thing about it is that I have cleared most all of my higher shoes. I have found that the lower shaped heels and ballerina flats are just as pretty and make me feel so feminine. And just for the record, I am a youthful 49. I'm certainly no fuddy-duddy but I also like sweet-feminine-pretty. I enjoy celebrating my femininity! : )



I can now relate to a sweet young Doctor of Math who was courting my oldest daughter several years ago. (No, it didn't work out for them but he was a nice guy anyhow) ; )

We can learn from others right?

One lesson I learned from this precious young man was that he hated to see women in high heels. He was convinced some female-hating designer came up with high heels.

He and I were confidants' of sorts, and he was so cute, he would tell me:

Mrs. Italiana, I don't understand why women want to wear high heels! Women have such pretty feet and when they put those things on, their feet are up like this!

(He would then put his hand, wrist up at a high angle finger tips pointed down on the table and would make his hand hop around like a vertical geisha girl foot) *chuckle*

Ya know? He was right.

Professor "C", you were right dear one. Yes, I learn from others, some times a day late and a dollar short but I learn.

And ya know? I'm so glad to see my daughters have sense on this issue. : ) Women's feet really do look so much prettier and dainty in a lower or flat pretty shoe.

I found the above pretty shoes at CowardShoe.com. They are called "Fran". If you sign up for the Coward Shoe emails you will eventually notice they sometimes offer free shipping plus sale offers, and that is a Godsend. Another company that has old fashioned pretty retro shoes if you look carefully is Amerimark. I also have the black patent "Ann". I haven't worn them yet, but they are awesome, retro plus. : ) Love this style of shoe with the long ankle length skirts and tights for a unique look of Victoriana. Their shipping is reasonable. Their clearances are really a bargain if you wait for a free shipping day. (Sign up for their emails).

Have a good and Godly week! Be nice to others, let's keep a clean heart no matter what others may spitefully or deceitfully do. We don't have to be push-overs and I know it's hard sometimes, trust me.... I do believe I've seen it all lately, but what a sweet release when we can keep our eyes on our Father and let Him take care of it as we keep our dignity and place in the Lord.

~Amelia

P.S. On a more serious note and offering some new blog entries, may I suggest my other page, Vision For a Godly Home.Blogspot.com May our very lives be a Peaceful Protest.

Crispy Fish & Paint Chips

Hello All,

It's been a while since I've updated, we are simply on overload these days building our home in the country.

I thought about you all the other night when our oldest 27 year old daughter Lea...

~Lea

...made the following wonderful fish recipe for supper:

Crispy Fish

Lea: Here's the recipe! Modifications: made less breading than it called for to scale, coated with egg, double breaded, and sprayed top with canola oil/vegetable oil spray & oven fried in olive oil @ 400.

You will notice the recipe has potato flakes to bread the fish, this makes it scrumptious. My father used to use potato flakes to bread shrimp in his restaurant, crowds from over an hour away would frequent my parent's restaurant. ...And that's another blog... ; ) (It was once written in a major newspaper that the eclectic establishment should have been put under glass and into the Smithsonian)

EDIT 5.19.11 I shared this recipe today on Life With Mom on the fantastic Fish Recipe Swap!


Take care now, and please say a prayer, we are definitely lighting the candle at both ends these days with the construction of our home. I have not even checked my dashboard as of late. I know I'm missing some wowee blogs....and I hate that. I'll be back in swing when things normalize a bit. Normalize? *chuckle*

As our dear vet says:

"Y'all should do a show, it would be better than anything on T.V."

On certain days I think he may be right!

You would probably be quite amused indeed... Hubs, Four daughters, four doglets, kitty, and I and all the little details of life. Life is an adventure, sometimes quiet and sometimes loud. Sometimes perplexing, but always knowing we can trust the Father. He is cool like that. He loves me and He loves you.

I say, live out loud whether quiet or loud. Be you.

God loves YOU. He created you to be who you are. Enjoy that and celebrate it in Him. Let's be found blameless.

Please know I'm doing okay in the midst of paint samples, sheetrock dust, and what seems at times to be a big-fat mess! Not to mention Hubs and I, toe to toe with the salesman at the home improvement store as we dare buy the cheaper no-commission unfinished cabinets. ; ) Actually it looks as though we have made a new friend in him and I think that is great. Yes indeedie.

May God be glorified. Christ's Love to all, ~Amelia

P.S. You may also enjoy 'Just Give Me Jesus' and an old 50s Billy Graham sermon just as relevant for today at my other blog, VisionForaGodlyHome.blogspot.com

Just give me Jesus...

1980 Our Wedding & Italian Wedding Ring Cookie Recipe

We celebrated our 30 year wedding anniversary recently. Here are a couple of photos from the event 30 years ago. I often joke that the entire Italian populace of the city was at the wedding, after all, I'm related to one half of the Italian population in the city and Hubs is related to the other half! : )

This was a time and place when we attended a liturgical church, much tradition and a beautiful place indeed.


That was then, this is now. : ) Voila!

Today we have four daughters ages 27 to 16. We have homeschooled now going into our 21st year. God is good.

Thumbprints of our four precious daughters...


Did I ever tell you about the day my Aunt Margaret called my Grandma? My mother relays that the beige phone rings there in my Grandma's simple house...ring-a-ding-a-ding-a...ring-a-ding-a-ding-a....

My Grandma: Hello (New Orleans accent mixed with Southern Bellishness)

Aunt Margaret: Oh Josie, my heart is black...my heart is black...

Grandma: What's-a-matter Margaret?

Aunt Margaret: It's Michael...He's leaving the priesthood....My heart is black...

You all can imagine how the conversation went...Like something from a movie. Poor, poor Aunt Margaret. Michael was one of she and Uncle Johnny's sons. He was leaving the priesthood to marry a nun he had met realizing God's plan. Before you get any ideas and start imagining things, ; ) please know he left with honor and the marriage was with honor. He is a wonderful and warm speaker these days and professional counselor...Neat man.

My Aunt Margaret was my Grandpa's sister, and she was a sweetheart. She and Uncle Johnny had a great little grocery store, now a yuppie grocery and delicatessen in a museum district. My Grandpa was a sweetie as well, a quiet soul, once an opera singer in New York as a young man. Do you know how my grandpa was discovered? As a very young man, he was hanging his clothes to dry on the clothes line outside of the building window there in New York, singing up a storm and a lady from the opera house heard him singing! That started his career singing in opera houses in New York as a young man. His mother later came here from Italy and called him to her new resident in another state and bless his heart, his singing career was put on hold indefinitely. He later did what he also loved...he became a professional fisherman and shrimper on the waterfront... Every now and then my precious shy grandpa would belt a song out, and it was glorious indeed. The Great Caruso on the Bay! (He and Mario Lanzo really did resemble each other as younger men) Yes indeed, just ask my mom.

When I think of my Italian heritage I sometimes think of the elaborate wedding showers the Italian women would give. One of the offerings they would delicately and artfully make with their loving hands were Italian Wedding Ring Cookies. I remember these type of cookies for the first time as a very, very little girl standing around a table adorned with a lovely lace tablecloth in the night hour at a most elegant but homey shower, these little cookies were the most beautiful pastel colors imaginable...I remember looking up at the young ladies standing around the table in their 60s dresses, high heel pumps and flip hair dos. What a classic memory. It is something that should be in a book or magazine.

You know what I keep on my formal table? My grandma's lace tablecloth she never used, poor Grandma, she saved everything for one day when she would have what she called a pretty house. I use that tablecloth now, and it is a sweet and precious daily reminder of my grandma.

I bring to you today a wedding cookie recipe from my mother in law's files:


Italian Wedding Ring Cookies

1 cup shortening
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
7 cups flour
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat eggs and vanilla together. Cut flour, shortening and sugar together as you do pie crust, then add to egg mixture. Let rest 1 hour. Roll dough to shape of pencil, shape into small wedding rings by twisting around your little finger and cut. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. When done, drop into icing to coat and then put on wax paper to dry.

Icing:
1 box powdered sugar
1/4 milk
1 to 2 drops food coloring
lemon juice, if desired

Mix sugar with milk to form a medium consistency to coat cookies. Add small amount of food coloring. We always use assorted colors -blue, pink, yellow and green.


These cookies are "little pretties" for the table...It's not a real Italian Wedding Shower without them! : )

I hope you all are having a sweet week in Christ. It's all about Christ and Christ alone. It's a personal relationship with Christ that counts, not head knowledge. May we be Jesus with skin on to others. : ) Please feel free to visit my Vision For a Godly Home.blogspot for recent must-hear messages such as "What Love is This?" by Dave Hunt

Reminiscing Through Recipes

Hello everyone, I've been awol...I know. We are building a home in the country to move to. Yes, I can hear those birds sing now....We won't talk much about the six foot snake I almost stepped on. (I did a left-face that would have made even Gomer Pyle envious.) I have named the fella, Humphrey. Humphrey is not poisonous so we let him slither on over to the next partial of land...We are contracting this home ourselves, my hub just loves doing this type of thing so it keeps us quite busy.

This evening our four daughters and I did Father's Day with hubby after a light day of just fun shopping, a venue at Home Goods for a few practicals including one impractical....a whimsical serving bowl with a pretty color design and a bird painted in it...the girls just loved it, it was on clearance, a small price to pay to bring such smiles to the girls' faces and some newness for our diner table. : ) Our trek also included a stop at World Mart looking for a cute comfy chair for dd24 for her upcoming room in our new house in the country. It was fun, just getting out a bit, I did find two rather comfortable pair of sandals as well at Ross...yay for comfort. I had gone into Ross because you see I have been reading "Sidetracked Home Executives" and I'm on my way to de-cluttering and getting on the ball with some things.

The book, "Sidetracked Home Executives" is hilarious by the way! I bought a used older 1981 version after reading the reviews that the only difference in the newer version is they mention the card system on computer as well as card box. Phooey with that, I'll keep my card system...The book is so funny and I can relate to a lot of it...I literally LOL'd. So. To make a long story short, I de-cluttered a black patent clutch bag from the 80s, and then retrieved it back again out of my huge garbage bag full of purses not being used and awaiting the Purple Heart truck picker uppers. Why you may ask? You see my normal more up to date (resale shop find) black patent clutch that is an almost constant companion on date night with with the long strap has broketh....The cost of a new bag is expensive so I told my dd24 that I would de-clutter permanently the 80s bag but only when I have replaced it with a reasonable black patent one. I am shocked to see prices of $25. and more for a little black bag for Pete's sake. So if you haven't already guessed, that 80s black patent bag will keep it's place for now on my closet shelf in case of a dressy occasion.

Speaking of the card system...When we got back in from our fun spree, we were wondering what dessert would dd27 make for DH for our little Father's Day meal? I found my handy dandy card file from years ago....Years ago. Actually it was stuck on the 7th day of May 21 years ago, the time my sweet step daddy passed away. Yes, it was a major disruption and huge heartbreak in life. I miss him greatly. He was a talented sculptor with humility and mercy plus. A poor artist but rich in character, an Italian from the Bronx. I loved him and so did my girls...That will be another blog. : ) He was awarded the Purple Heart and sculpted Dr. Denton Cooley's family monument, a modern human heart, the same one but smaller scale of the large one in front of the Medical Center. As I write this, I suddenly see how ironic it is....my poor stepdad suddenly died of a heart attack...he barely made it onto the stretcher and to the hospital. My mother remembers seeing his head slowly turn to the side under the hospital marquee lights as he lay on the stretcher under those bright lights. My mother went home alone in a taxi with his clothes draped over her arms...

But today is Father's day for my hubs...A great guy...A godly guy. Neither of us are perfect and we don't always see eye to eye on every little thing but when it comes down to it....We are most times like Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird...And of course we pray together and have some great date nights and can still make each other laugh as well. : ) He is my protector and encourager. In fact, speaking of the sidetracked home executives? One day last year I was in tears at the state of affairs in our room, it was a mess to behold in the way of laundry baskets and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was one of those days. I remember looking down at his loafers as he stood by me as I sat crying and he just simply matter of factly and kindly said..."Don't worry it will get done..." His home had a part time maid and nanny....manicures and all that goes with that. I don't do manicures and I've always enjoyed raising our own children, it's a blessing and privilege. : ) And that meant going without a car for a time, nothing was worth taking me away from our children. It's a privilege to help make our home a place of stability and peace, family dinner on the table for us to enjoy and look forward to in the evenings is one of our favorite times! I'm so thankful Hubs has been a good father and husband as well as a godly support to me. It means a great deal to me that he appreciates these sweet things and is a down to earth guy, he appreciates my creative side and I, his. It definitely helps keep things in proper perspective.

Okay, back to that desert.

I was looking through my card file for a peach cobbler recipe my old friend Kathy had given me years ago, I'll be a monkey's uncle if I could not find it. I did find my old friend, Teresa's roll recipe which we put to work for us tonight...I also found Barbara Bush's chocolate chip cookie recipe too! Those are good!

But no peach cobbler recipe....Phooey.

Then it donned on me. Aha! My old friend Sandra, the friend that had 5 boys....yes. I had her Swedish Pineapple cake recipe passed down through her family!

I found it feebly written on an old envelope sharing it's place of honor with an old 20 year old grocery list of "stamps, ear drops, baby-tylenol, cotton balls..." along with purple crayon writing that said "Call Laura at home"...It was crudely punched in my Betty Crocker cookbook halfhazardly on one of the rings...Is that not a hoot? But ya know? At least I knew exactly where to find it! it is right next to the piece of paper also hastily punched in that book with my MIL's chicken & rice recipe....yes indeedie I say. (At least I know where they are at!) ; )

Thought I'd share the recipe with you all. You may want to make one of these for your Father's Day celebration!



Sandra's Family Swedish Pineapple Cake Recipe

Mixing by hand:

2 c. sugar (dd27 used half)
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 c. nuts

Ungreased 13 x 9 pan.

350 degree 30 minutes


Icing:
1 8oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter melted
3/4 c. sugar melted
1/2 c. nuts if desired

Pour icing mixture on cake in pan after cake is baked (we cooled it a bit first)




I'm not sure what happened to Sandra...She was part of a core of women from the church we attended years ago, we would share maternity clothes, give each other intimate little baby showers in our living rooms and it was a real sweet time. Yes, a real sweet time.

Mom's needing encouragement? Please feel free to visit my other blog too: Vision For a Godly Home

Hope everyone is having a good and godly weekend! If I seem to be awol say a prayer that everything is going smoothly. : )

Blessings to all! And to all a good night! ~Amelia