LABOR DAY

When I was growing up, I so remember that my Mother would have to do her shopping during the week and at the latest, Saturday.  It was unheard of to think of going to the mall or grocery store on a Sunday.    The weekend was for people to go to the church of their choice, but definitely not for shopping.

So today when I needed to go to Walmart for the things that I had planned on cooking, I had to THANK the cashier that checked me out.  I try to remember to thank people when we go out to eat on Sunday after church, for giving up their Sunday's to work.  I found myself asking, "why do I wait until Sunday to go to the store, when I don't work and have all week to do so?"  I think I would have to say, "I'm not sure."

Today is Labor Day, a day that is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of all American Workers.  The Workers down through the years are the backbone of the strength, prosperity, and well being of our United States of America.  I want to say, THANK YOU to each one that choose today to stay at their jobs and forgo their own family gatherings.

I usually find our home full of children and family on holidays.  Yet, today, I only had my children that live close.  My sister and her two daughters, with their families live close, but for today, we chose to not get together.  I think that everyone is so tired of going that we chose to stay close to home.

My daughter and her husband, grilled the meat and fixed a green bean casserole, that was outstanding.  Then I was told that I would do the potato salad, deviled eggs and of course, the tuna dip.

My potato salad is rather simple.  Only potatoes, onions, dill relish, eggs, mustard and mayonnaise.

I know that reading others blogs, many others made deviled eggs.  I read of others making it with onions, sweet relish, and paprika in them.  I have at times put dill relish, but that didn't go over well.  So I just stick with taking the yolk, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and mashing it all together.  I don't even do the frills, I just take a spoon and fill the center of the egg.  I wanted so much to do something fancy, but I had gotten rid of my cookie press.  So plain it was.  But they did get all eaten.

Now on to the TUNA DIP.  It has been at least 35 years since I first tried this recipe.  I think that I found it the daily paper.  All you do is take 1 8 oz. can of tuna that is in water, 1 8 oz tub of sour cream.  I also add worcestershire sauce and onion salt.  Now for these last two, I add a little at a time until it tasted like I thought. Start with a tsp of the onion salt and 1 tbl of worcestershire sauce.

This was by far the quickest and easiest Labor Day, I have had in a long time.  I even got my hair colored after dinner.  Now that was a great big plus.  Thanks to my daughter, Bridgett.

A Real Tree, Again and Birthday gift

Normally, I just want to put up a fake tree.  Why?  Because, I am the one that has to clean up the needles and make sure that it is watered if we have the real McCoy.

This year, the girls wanted to have a real one, with all the needles and of course lest we forget, the wonderful smell.  That is the only good redeeming part of the real thing.  So on Monday, I forked out some of my birthday money and got a 8 ft tree.  I did have to give it a hair cut.  I will admit, the tree really is nice and the needles are not so bad, since I have hardwood floors.

After 2 trips for lights, I finally got them all on and now the girls will put on the ornaments.  I wanted to go with just gold and red balls, but oh, no.  The girls would have nothing to do with that.  I will be so glad when it comes time to be able to make my own decisions.

Christmas is so hard for me to get into.  I suppose if I had all my children close and I knew that on Christmas, we would have a house full with laughter, children, food, puzzles and games to be played, it might not be so hard.  But I really don't mean to complain.  The Lord has been so good to us, that I really should be thankful that I still have some family around.  I do plan on doing some more decorating, but my hours of daylight are being spent painting and redoing a trailer.  I tell myself every year, that come December, I am going to be relaxed and have my house in order so that each day in December can be filled  with having family and friends over.  So with that thought in mind, I would like to share two of my favorite ornaments.

My Mandy gave this to me one year.

One that I made when I had time years ago.

I wanted to share a special birthday gift.  My sister, Tammy had a young man make a wooden basketball.  He did an awesome job and he even painted it.  Now wouldn't the serious San Antonio Spurs fans love to have one of these.  It is a one of a kind.  The basketball that has my name on it, was given to me by my Mandy.  I love these reminders of my favorite sport's team.

To Have Thanksgiving Dinner or Not?

Every Thanksgiving Day, I am always in a fix.  Do I have everyone over or do I just plan to fix for my husband and girls.

Well, this Thanksgiving I found myself with so much stress on my life that I actually told my sister, Tammy that I would not have the dinner at my house this year.  But, as my children know, I caved in and told everyone that we would have dinner at my house.

It is so hard to let others down.  So last night I started on my cooking.  First the Baby Food cake for Gabrielle.  Then on to the Pound cake(only my grandmother's will do).  So I fixed two, one for my sister and then one for Payton( Alexis' boyfriend).  Then on to the Deviled Eggs.  Now one year, we let Marie fix them and thank- goodness I had fixed some and we replace them.  Now we know when asked, we give her something else to fix.  I only know one way to fix them and that is the way my mother taught me.

I had gotten some squash at the store and decided that I would fix a casserole.  Now when it comes to this, I just wing it.  I never fix it the same way, I just add things until I think that it tastes good.  I do think that this year I would have added jalapenos if I knew that others would have enjoyed the heat.  But to say the least, I think that it was the best one so far.

I got the tea fixed, oh, I almost forgot the brownies.  This time I used small muffin tins and then I forgot to set them out.  The kids will enjoy them when they all get back from Mississippi.  So this holiday, I had none of my children at home.

We still had a great time with Tammy and her children and their families.  Normally, each Thanksgiving I bring out a book that I made in 2002.  We will bring this out each year and we all write something that we are thankful for.  Except this year, I completely forgot to get it out.  I even forgot to take pictures until my Mandy reminded me about pictures.  So I went ahead and took a few pictures of things always asked for.

This year my life has been filled with alot of ups and downs.  Without God being the Lord of my life, I am sure you would find me in a mental institute.  My Margins have been tried and have gotten very small, but then the Lord always brings me back to normal.  What do people do that don't have the Lord in their life?  How do they handle the day to day problems that come up?  It is a blessing to know that with every problem, I have got the Lord on my side.

 Here's hoping that your day was everything that it could be.