Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Nana's Soup & Fried Corn Bread


Yummy!!!



Today has been a very dreary rainy day. I decided to make some beef stew soup, fried corn bread and sweet tea for dinner. A family favorite all through the year and especially during the cold winter months.

As a child my mom made fried corn bread many times for us and sometimes she would put honey on it. So yummy! 

Monday, August 28, 2017

Kids Say the Darndist Things


My grandchildren have been such a blessing to us. Among the many things that keep our fire burning is the cute things they say.
Brittini our youngest of 12 is 4 and she is so talkative. She said yesterday as granddaddy was finishing replacing the toilet handle;
B- Is it flushable now?
Me-Yes
B- Ok, here goes everything! lol

At dinner last night she told her granddaddy that he could get a surprise after dinner if he followed her directions...lol 
He ignored her and she said; at the count of one you better be standing up! I will not count to three....hehehehehe. 
It is so hard to keep a straight face with her.


B is a very strong willed child. Wonder where she got that...lol Her dad was as well.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Family, Fun Time & Memories



 Charles and I have been married 45 years as of July, 2017. We were blessed with 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.  Sharing just a few pictures of our family. We are very close and have so much fun when we have family gatherings. When the children were growing up we lived out in the country and they had a lot of fun riding horses, bicycles, jumping on the trampoline, and swimming.
What a joy for us as parents to be able to be with our children even tough we both worked. We always managed to work our schedule to be with them. Yes, we were fortunate and thankful that I could own my own business and have them with me while their dad went to College and worked full time.
Memories we will cherish forever. Love our kiddo's!!         

  Below L-R 
Chuck, Dad, Robbie
Karen, Mom, Pam



Robbie, Karen, Pam and Chuck 
(Robbie on far right passed away in 2009 at age 43)
 

In memory of this precious child. We miss him so much. 
Robbie
12/17/1965-10/23/2009



Below L-R Pam Chuck, Karen
and the parents




L-R
Pam our daughter lives in Tennessee. She and her husband have a church in Johnson City.

Chuck lives in Georgia, travels all over the United States and Canada singing Southern Gospel Music.

Karen is a Real Estate Agent and she and her husband own their own business.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Friday, August 18, 2017

Happy Week-end

                                                          




Hope everyone has a wonderful week-end. I am looking forward to a very quiet peaceful time at home with family.

It's always comforting to be able to chill and think of family and home and avoid the hustle and bustle of traffic going to and from work. We enjoy our time together especially when the weather is good however tomorrow is going to be HOT in Georgia!! Stay cool and remember that Fall is just around the corner. 

Blessings from our home to yours!!




                                                   




Saturday, August 12, 2017

Saturday Quote





What a great Saturday we had. I hope you all had a great one as well. So many things to be thankful for from the smallest of things to the biggest! Enjoyed family time today. Working in the house and cooking a great meal for the family.

Life is truly a blessing in it's self. God, faith, family and much love to share.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Beginning school year 2017-2018








Friday was the ending the first week of school and Nana who is excited and sad at the same time that my little "B" is in Pre-K4. Where does time go and why so fast? I remember when her dad was beginning Kindergarten! I thought she was such a cutie and so grown up entering that BIG building with people going every different direction...not knowing where to go. Teachers in the halls at certain areas of school holding the Kleenex Tissues for all of the parents/grandparents.... LOL
YES.....I did shed a few myself.
Love my little Princess. She is our #12 grandchild. she was so much braver than Nana and her dad. Kids are so amazing and such a Blessing!! I am BLESSED with 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.


Nana's Little Dumpling Helper


Today has been a very special day with my "B". School day and lots to do. We decided to make chicken and dumplings for dinner. What a joy to have B helping tonight. I hope she will enjoy cooking when she gets older. She told me that she wants to be just like me. If you are a Nana you can just imagine how that made my day. Children are priceless and I certainly enjoyed mine when they were growing up.
I have a couple of pictures to share with you and hope you enjoy.

Recipe for the Dumplings

Chicken:

1/4 Butter
2 tablespoon. Olive oil
One whole chicken (I cooked in Crock pot) cut in pieces
Chicken broth ( I used 2 cartons in crock pot)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup of carrots
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup medium onion (finely diced)

Put everything in the crock pot, cook on high 3-4 hours. The chicken will literally fall off the bone at this point. Shred carefully as it will be very hot, and add back into the crock pot. Keep all the broth.

Dumplings  

1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
2/3 cup of yellow corn meal
1 Heaping tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups of half-and half milk
2 tablespoons of flour

Sift the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of milk. 

When chicken is done, take the 2 tablespoons of flour, a little water and mix into the broth still in the crock pot. This will thicken nicely. 

I used two spoons, dipping one in to the flour and cornmeal dumplings mix, then used the other spoon to help drop the dumplings into the broth in the crock pot. Cover and leave on low for one hour, letting the dumplings cook slowly. 

When done, fill the bowls and watch the family come running to eat. You are welcome to add minced parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

This was the tedious task of preparing the dumplings.
B is working hard to get the right consistency.


Yes.....she finally made it!! I had so much fun Nana.
The finished product. I might add that it was quite yummy.

Hope and Sunset

Our hope is to be able to end each day in a beautiful way with a Grateful Heart. At the end of the day all we need is Hope, and strength to...