The Wind in the Willows

"Friendships bring a goodness and grace into our lives whose value transcends material measure." Vigen Guroian

Finished reading aloud The Wind in the Willows to my kids. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs an example of true friendship or to be reminded of what true friendship is. This was my second time to read this book. I Loved it even more the second time around. I had forgotten what a gem it is. So happy I had the opportunity to share it with my kids. Had fun going on adventures with Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad. Forgot how that the best of friendships are sometimes with those that aren't exactly like me. Was reminded that true friends are patient, forgiving, helpful and there for each other when things get crazy...and they get real crazy with a friend like Toad. Through all the ups and downs Rat, Mole and Badger where there for Toad, but they also helped him to be a better toad.

In Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classic Stories Awaken a Child's Moral Imagination, Guroian recommends three books as the best books to read on friends and mentors: The Wind in the Willows, Charlotte's Web, and Bambi.

Yummy Summer Fruit Pudding

Don't really know what this is called, but my family loves this for a Summer Time Desert.

Ingredients:
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
Tub of Whipped Topping
Canned Mandarin Oranges
Canned Fruit Cocktail

Mix pudding mix into whipped topping in a large bowl.
Drain canned fruits and mix them into whipped topping and pudding mixture.

Refrigerate for one hour then Serve. Yummy!!!

Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
Wafer Thin Ham
Cream Cheese
Green Onions
Chopped Pecans

Put cream cheese in bowl and chop up green onions.

Slice up ham.

Mix it all together....Clean Hands Please!!!

Form into ball and roll in chopped pecans.

Serve Cheese Ball with your favorite snack crackers on a pretty plate...Enjoy!!!

New to me Furniture

This is the couch we had given to us. I painted the wood work on the couch and love seat Ivory Silk. The love seat was partially dyed orange. Think I'm going to get some upholstery fabric paint and paint it a color that will go with the couch. Also going to make new covers for the cushions and pillows with a coordination fabric. I love this style of furniture, it just needs some TLC.
Very happy to have more feminine furniture in the living room. Now if I can just get me a couple of strong men to carry the chase down stairs I can gain control of the living room again.

Chocolate Gravy

Granny Loffer & a few of her Great Grandkids on Easter 2006
Back Row: Mandi, Holli, Ginger, Dakota, Anthony
Front Row: Taylor, Granny, Maddy, Paige

Yummy Chocolate Gravy is a family tradition. My Granny Loffer use to make it for me when I would come and spend the night and she did the same with my kids as they were growing up. Now that the kids and Granny are getting older I decided it was time to learn how to make it so that I can pass on the tradition with my own grandkids someday.




CHOCOLATE GRAVY

Here is the recipe:
1/2 stick butter
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 leveled tbs all purpose flour
3 heaping tbs cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla (put this in after gravy is thickened and removed from heat)
*Cook it just like you do for gravy-skillet, medium heat, stirring continually until thickened.