That Smell

Have you ever noticed that a smell can bring a million memories back to your mind and heart?
You know what I am talking about.  Maybe they are really good smells or maybe they literally stink!!!
Those smells like......
-Your Dad’s cologne
-Your husbands aftershave
-You Mom’s perfume
-Grandmother’s body powder
-The cinnamon rolls that your Mom used to make
-The smell of fresh bread
-The horrible smell of the paper mill factory going to the mountains
-The smell of the biscuits in the oven.

I have so many of them.  I know when I was little, my Daddy always wore Brutt cologne and Right Guard deodorant.   Those are smells I will not forget and the memories of all the fun that we have and are still having.  My Mom’s perfume, Chantilly was always worn on special occasions.  My Grandmother always had some type of body powder.  Typically Estée Lauder  and it was amazing.

Yes, I even listed the not so pleasant smell.  When I was little we would go to the mountains.  We would go through Canton Tennessee.  There is a paper mill there.  The smell.  It was sooooo bad!  Like 10-15 miles of trying so hard to hold your breath because it would make you nauseous.  We would laugh about it and try to get Daddy to drive faster!

I picked up groceries early this week because we were going to be so busy and bought Pillsbury cinnamon rolls.  You know the ones in the can that you pop open.  I offered to make them for Kaleb on Thursday morning for breakfast which is completely OUT OF THE NORM!  I put them in on Thursday morning and the smell just filled the house.  It was AMAZING!!!!!  The memories were flooding!!!!!!  When my oldest was about Kaleb’s age, I would make these.  It was always a contest to see who could get to the pan when I would call he and his sister to breakfast to see who would get the middle one.  You know the one in the middle.  All the edges are soft and the extra icing from the ones around the edge has run to the middle.  EVERYONE wanted the middle one!!!!!!
I snapped a picture and sent it to him.  He asked if Kaleb got the middle one.  I said, Uh, NO!  Mama got the middle one!!!  Kaleb doesn’t make a big deal about the middle.  He just loves them!!!!!

What are some of your favorite smelly memories????

Pictures are worth 1,000 words

2020 will be a new decade!  Can you believe that?  I’m still amazed at the fact that 2019 is almost over much less we are entering into a NEW DECADE!!!  Where in the world has time gone?

On Social Media there is a new challenge floating around.  I am sure there are plenty of people that have taken part in it.  I absolutely love seeing them.  The best part is to see what people write about their own pictures and some are so very critical of themselves and then you read the comments from friends and family.  On the other had you have people that have had some drastic changes and they are so proud of what they have accomplished and of course the Congrats in the comments.  It’s really interesting to read.  So my question is this....Have you done the Decade Challenge?  Well, I did.  I had an eye opening experience doing the challenge.  It’s something that has “bothered” me for some time but this was the perfect timing for me to be able to share it.

Here is what happened for the Decade Challenge with me.  I’m wondering if may have happened with any of you????

So, obviously it is 2019 and we are to post a current picture next to one that is from 10 years ago.  Simple, right?  WRONG!!!!  My current picture was NOT a problem.  I probably take some type of “selfie” 5 out of 7 days of the week because of my business and/or running.   That was super easy.
I honestly thought finding one from 10 years ago would NOT be that big of a deal.  I would go into Facebook and look through the photo albums.  I scrolled.......and scrolled.....and scrolled.....and scrolled more.  I thought “well this is ridiculous!”.  I went to my Husbands profile and scrolled.....and scrolled......and FINALLY found one but it’s actually not quite 10 years.  It was a moment!  

A BIG MOMENT!

I knew that I was one that would hide behind a camera.  Years ago I would just cringe from having my picture taken.  It was before we had all of the fancy cameras and such.  Me in the picture would JUST NOT HAPPEN.  At that point in time, my thoughts never went to the fact that when my children or family looked at pictures for memories, I would not be in them.
 Let me say that again......when my children or family looked at pictures for memories, I WOULD NOT BE IN THEM!  Let that sink in for a minute.  OUCH! Then the tears!
The bottom line......MAMA, STOP HIDING BEHIND THE CAMERA! Your family and children are NOT going to look at your pictures  and pick them apart.  They are not concerned with your messy hair, your 5 pounds that you gained, your postpartum weight, or your menopausal metabolism.  THEY JUST WANT YOU!!!

My challenge for you, especially with the holidays coming, GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE CAMERA!  Be IN the picture.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  JUST BE REAL!!!!!!

Grandmother and Granny’s Biscuits

THANKSGIVING is coming.  It will literally be here before we can blink.  I think it comes earlier and earlier every year.  At least that is the way that I feel.  Some people made plans for this year last year and some are making new plans this year and haven’t planned their menu yet.

I had a crazy idea to start a Facebook Group for Thanksgiving ideas and just called it “Talkin’ Turkey”.  I thought it would be fun to talk ideas, fun, kids activities and recipes.  Little did I know when I made the group I would have over 100 women!!!  Who knew?? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️.   It is going to be absolutely amazing.  I have a ton to share and I hope they all enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed getting everything ready!  If you want to join, I would love to have you.  Just drop a comment below and I’ll send you the link.  We start on Monday, November 18th.

I thought I would take just a minute and share one of my favorite memories.  It is really hard to narrow them down but amazing food and family were always the center.  Our family was always in South Carolina for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.  We were always surrounded by Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins and nieces and nephews and anyone else that came.  I always say that my Daddy is from the city and Mama is from the country.  The recipes and the cooking are still the same.  Everything made with butter, whole milk, lard, white sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk and TONS OF LOVE!!!

 Granny’s biscuits were perfectly pinched off, rolled out in her hands and flattened by hand and every biscuit was the exact same size.  Grandmother’s biscuits were rolled out with a rolling pin and cut with a biscuit cutter or a tea glass.  Both were amazing and I would give anything to make them the way they did.  It was one of those things that there was never a “real written recipe”.  I would love to have a dozen of each to have on Thanksgiving.

My Mama’s dressing.  Well, let’s just say, I left home at 19 and today I am 51 and I have come close a time or two making dressing that taste like hers but never comes quite close enough.  There is something about the right amount of sage, broth, the bread combination and the right amount of celery, onions and butter.

What about you?  What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving memories?  I’d love to hear from you?  I could write and share for pages and pages and I just might make a few more post about memories for Thanksgiving.  Treasure your family and the time together!  Be Thankful!!!!