Special Memory Jar - 2013

As we ring in the New Year I pause to reflect, as so many of us do. One reason I started this blog was to convey my thoughts, my gratitude for the amazing things in life and my experiences and have them, somehow, preserved in time.

I decided to do an online Memory Jar. 

Jan 1st, 2013

Every year as a child, my mom and I would break the bread cubes up together in preparation for her amazing Turkey Stuffing. This morning my son and I did this together for the first time. 

Sidebar: 

For some strange reason I have not been able to find the large bags of pre-cubed bread like I could back home, until the other day. While out grocery shopping the clouds suddenly parted and I found them!!! As I danced a jig (aka happy dance) I snagged 3 large bags in the event I never see them again. 

This is where it all began!!!
These things are impossible to get most of the time in Eastern Canada. 

Breaking the bread cubes with my Mom was part of the fun. 

Onions, Celery, Fresh Parsley and yummy Butter!!!

Spices: poultry seasoning, sage, marjoram, thyme, dried parsley, salt and pepper

I didn't have any homemade chicken broth, so this will have to do.  

Mix in the sauteed veggies. 

Add in the spices and mix. 

This is where I had to stray from my Mom's tried and true method. 

My Mom always used a large double boiler and steamed her stuffing with chicken broth in the base. It totally infused the bread cubes with the flavours and moistened them, but did not leave them totally soggy. I don't have one of those glorious things, so I had to use my crock-pot instead. 

45 minutes on High Heat, then Low for 4-8 hrs, depending on when you want to eat. 

Anyways, this morning as I made my Mom's turkey stuffing recipe, I felt strangely homesick and started missing my Mommy immensely. You see, since moving across country we have not seen my Mom & Dad for almost 2 years. My whole life I have been close with my parents and my son was equally close with his Grandparents, despite us living 5 hrs away, by car. 

So it's special memories like breaking bread cubes that make me miss her all the more. The care and attention she put into cooking and caring for her family. She was an amazing housewife, homemaker and most of all, my Mom. 

May you all have memories like this to share with your own children in 2013. 

Antiques in waiting...

I have a few antique furniture pieces that I purchased off Kijiji. They have been quietly sitting in my gigantically small aka teeny tiny apartment for quite some time now.

1) 1930's (?) Antique Buffet which I began by painting a beautiful turquoise blue. I had planned on using it in my bedroom, possibly as a dresser. I found it too big for the room and so it sits with 2 doors and 3 drawers painted. Now, I must figure out how to paint over the enamel paint, with latex because I can't find a spray paint in the colour that I like *sigh*.

I moved on to wanting to paint it a light pink and move it into the Living Room as a TV/Entertainment Stand after finding these beautiful inspirations:

I found this turquoise beauty over at "A Diamond in the Stuff"

I can't find where this beauty originated, but I promise to provide the correct link once I locate it. 

Find this gorgeous vignette at "Sweet Pickins Furniture" formerly known as show and tell

2) 1930's (?) Antique China Cabinet. You can find it's journey and my war wounds here. These bad boys were my inspiration:

You can find this beauty at "Forever Pink" 

This sweetheart can be found at "Cupids Charm" 

3) Antique round pedestal Table. Ok, so it's not an antique but it sure does look a wee bit dated. Let's call her, vintage. But I knew what I was getting into when I found these pretty little things:

I'm sorry, I have no idea where this originates. Gotta love Pinterest. I promise to post the link if I can locate it. 

I found this lovely on Decorpad.

Shocked and dismayed...

Ok, not really dismayed but I am really shocked!! Honest!!

So I went hunting for blogs written by single parents who travel with their child or children. I found 3. How is this possible?! Are we the only ones out there? Perhaps, like the occasional aliens you hear about landing on Earth.

I started to read the first one I found and was pleasantly surprised by this man's journey, his story telling ability and of course his lifestyle.

He is a single father, quit his job, hit the road with his adopted son to explore the world...one locale at a time.  All while home schooling him!! I am so fascinated by this...off to read/stalk some more. Wait, this isn't Facebook, he's purposely posting his stories...no stalking needed!!!

ps Feel free to check out my 1st ever...Travel for 2 blog (see the tabs at the top of the page).

Tasha

Newbie alert!!! Testing, testing, 1,2,3

I am a major decor geek and a mom in training. But most of all, I am a wanderer. I love to travel and have weird and strange new experiences in far off places. I have travelled extensively for work and pleasure; mostly pleasure. I am just starting to figure out how to continue to do that, as a single mother of a 5 yr old boy. 

I will try not to bore you all with my wild and crazy ramblings about motherhood and how I am the best mother on earth and how everything I do is sunshine and gold. Truth be told, I often struggle with motherhood and what I think are my failings. But hey, few people like to talk about those things...so instead, we will talk about things that I do well, like: decor8ing, party planning, cooking and travelling. Perhaps with a few funnies about my misadventures in motherhood.

This is my little boy when he was much younger...yet still so darn cute!!! 

Here's one of my newest creations in progress. I am still on the hunt for a beveled mirror for the top, to hide the damage caused by humidity. This girl is old, but she sure is pretty!