Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread Cakes

I love Cornbread and I love Blackeyed Peas so why haven't I written this post before? I have no idea but I wanted to do something for New Years Day and you should be eating Blackeyed Peas for good luck on New Year's Day right? You have time to go to the grocery for ingredients before tomorrow. Here's how I make this dish. Remember that it's only Papa and I eating this (it is enough for dinner and lunch the next day) so you may want to double the recipe if you have more people to feed. This is a very frugal dish to make.

Start by placing 1 cup of Blackeyed Peas in a pot and cover with 5-6 cups of water. You may want to add more water later. Bring to a boil and turn the heat very low and simmer. Most people soak the peas over night but I usually don't remember to do that.

I often cook them with chopped ham or a ham bone; sausage is good as well as bacon. I am cooking the bacon separate this time as to not add the fat to the peas. Also I really like the crunch of the crisp fried bacon.

You could also add some type of fresh or frozen greens (2-4 cups of kale, collards or even spinach) at this point, but the man of the house wouldn't eat it if I do so I leave them out.  A can of chopped stewed tomatoes is a really nice addition too but I don't add them for the same reason as not adding the greens :) Continue to cook another half hour or a full hour until the peas are soft and your additions are cooked. 

Serve the Blackeyed Peas over a Cornbread Cake and garnish with crisp fried bacon.

Now that's the way to start a new year, with delicious and healthy food. Well, this is my last post of this year. It has been a year that was busy and full; and very blessed. There were trials and issues to overcome, but we came through it all together. I will see you in the new year! Thank you so much for stopping by!

I link at these parties; Old Time Farmhouse and The Shabby Creek Cottage.

If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Grandparent's Say It Saturday

Happy Saturday! We had a wonderful Christmas here; it was quite a busy day. A new member has been added to the family of the four legged variety; a sweet and tiny (though full grown)Yorkie rescue dog that my grand daughter has named Kitty Kitty! She is well loved around here. I wish you all a very Happy and Blessed New Year! Thanks for stopping by.

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Please link up to three post, not to your home page, and link that back to Family Home and Life. While you are here I hope you will visit the other linkers and come back to see who links up later. We all love comments! No Etsy shops or giveaways please. This link closes on Monday night. 

Be sure to visit Lisa at Grandma's Briefs to join her linky, GRAND Social, on Mondays. Thank you for linking up with me!









 If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Projects to do With the Kids

I am going to have a look back at some of my post from the past years. I hope you will look with me.

 Need to occupy the kids indoors right now?

*Join me on Wednesdays for Wow Us Wednesday live at 12:00 AM*

Easy and inexpensive indoor activity (above) from ingredients in your kitchen.

Here is a fun, fast and easy cup cake to make with the kids.

Here is a whole binder full of kid activities.

Use spoons to make people.

Do your kids know how to measure?

I link at these parties and The Shabby Creek Cottage.

If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Wow Us Wednesday

Hello everyone! How was your Christmas? What a wonderful season to celebrate. I love it all and yet, by the day after, I start itching to clean up, regroup and reorganize. How about you? I love new beginnings! And speaking of new beginnings, this is the last link up this year; wow that went by fast!

I have to tell you, I agonized over picking my favorites this week. You guys are some very talented people and it makes it very hard to narrow all the links down to a few to feature. Since I love to re-purpose and often remake things to suit me, I decided to choose a few links that do just that. If you can't find what you want, you can make it. Or remake it. Yes you can; and if you need some advice, there is probably a blogger whose "been there done that!" with some good info for you. 

A Bunch of Bishops remade stickers for her childs toy.
AmgCrafts made fabric labels  for her bottles using her computer.
For What It's Worth used something that was a throw away to make beautiful creations.

Four Eleven Rox has a wonderful idea for the week after Christmas that could become your new family tradition.
Our Cultivated Life writes about unrealistic expectations this time of year and how to enjoy the moment. 
The most clicked link this week was Bowdabra Blog's Curly Ribbon Clips.

Thank you for stopping by today! While I would love to comment on all link ups, I simple do not have the time. Please know that I value you taking the time each week to link up here. Hope to see you next week!


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If you have been featured, please choose the button you like best.

Wow Us Wednesday is a linky for:

• All items, projects or ideas made by you, please don't link post about another blogs projects or photos.... crafts, art, photography, furniture re-dos, organizational feats, recipes, money saving tips, decorating ideas, party plans, you name it! Please don’t forget to link back with text link or button!
• Please consider following me, and visit some other linkers and comment there too. 
• Link up to three specific post, not your blog home page. No Etsy shops or giveaways, please!

I love to feature projects I choose and share them the following week here and on Facebook - by submitting a link to this party you are allowing authorization for your project to be featured with a photo from your post. I also Pin all Features. Featured links will include a photo and a link back to the originating site.

**I have an on going Mason Jar link up in the Pantry there in my right column. Please also add your post using Mason jars there any time. **

If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Beautiful and moving song, I hope you will take a moment to listen to this.

This one is so beautiful, the music is just exquisite.

 Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Grandparent's Say It Saturday

Hello all. Here we are at such a busy time of year, and if you are reading this time didn't come to an end at twelve last night! Guess the Mayan's had it all wrong and we still have a few days left to get ready for the big day, Christmas Day. I am so busy I am having a hard time keeping up with what day it is and where I am suppose to be when and which kid I said I would watch ....... all straight! I am going as fast as I can and I think I'm going to be ready just in time with only a minute or so to spare. I love it all and I am so glad when it's over too ;)

I simply don't have enough time to show you or tell you all that's going on around here but gramma's work shop is on overload as usual. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read and link. Merry Christmas from my home to yours! Be Blessed!

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Please link up to three post, not to your home page, and link that back to Family Home and Life. While you are here I hope you will visit the other linkers and come back to see who links up later. We all love comments! No Etsy shops or giveaways please. This link closes on Monday night. 

Be sure to visit Lisa at Grandma's Briefs to join her linky, GRAND Social, on Mondays. Thank you for linking up with me!





While I am honored to be PINNED on Pinterest, or have some one link to my post or blog (using one photo is ok), using my content or photos without my permission is theft! I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Merry Christmas Elk Color Palette

While I am honored to be PINNED on Pinterest, or have some one link to my post or blog (using one photo is ok), using my content or photos without my permission is theft! I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Wow Us Wednesday

Thank you for stopping by today. Last link up before Christmas....time is flying by. Merry Christmas to you all!

Sewing Barefoot has a super simple yet so cute.......snowman Fingerprint Gift Tags.
Table for Seven made a Fluffy Jello dish very similar to a dish my mother always took to pot luck meals. This one comes in handy for something easy when company is coming.
Twelve O Eight shows us how to make Sparkle Snow that you can use on your winter craft projects.

The most clicked link was for Sow and Dipity's Rustic Burlap Trees.
Chocolate Chocolate and More has delicious Peanut Butter Cup Bark, I've got to try this one.
Diana Rambles made a yummy Apple Crisp Baked Brie.


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If you have been featured, please choose the button you like best.

Wow Us Wednesday is a linky for:

• All items, projects or ideas made by you, please don't link post about another blogs projects or photos.... crafts, art, photography, furniture re-dos, organizational feats, recipes, money saving tips, decorating ideas, party plans, you name it! Please don’t forget to link back with text link or button!
• Please consider following me, and visit some other linkers and comment there too. 
• Link up to three specific post, not your blog home page. No Etsy shops or giveaways, please!

I love to feature projects I choose and share them the following week here and on Facebook - by submitting a link to this party you are allowing authorization for your project to be featured with a photo from your post. I also Pin all Features. Featured links will include a photo and a link back to the originating site.

**I have an on going Mason Jar link up in the Pantry there in my right column. Please also add your post using Mason jars there any time. **

While I am honored to be PINNED on Pinterest, or have some one link to my post or blog (using one photo is ok), using my content or photos without my permission is theft! I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Nativity Set for the Kids

Every Christmas, I have a birthday party for Jesus in my home. We tell the Christmas story gathered around a birthday cake, sing Happy Birthday, and each child gets a candle to blow out on the cake. Since having grand kids, this celebration has become more special to us all.  As the kids have grown older, they have begun to join in with the story telling. This year I wanted to include the kids even more. I decided I would make a nativity for them to use in the story telling. Since there are a lot of cardboard tube "people" made out of empty toilet paper and paper towels rolls around Pinterest, I decided to try to make a nativity using empty toilet paper/paper towel rolls.

I began by trying to draw the figures on paper that would then fit around the empty rolls. Then I stopped myself because as I like to say, "why reinvent the wheel" and Googled to see if anyone else had a good nativity set template I could download. There are not that many and I almost decided to try my own again because I wasn't happy with what was out there. Then I found these and I love how it came out! There are still more pieces to make but I ran out of time before posting this.

I had the two older girls over to help me color and make the nativity; soon each one decided they also wanted to make a for themselves to have at home. So, I ran out of card board tubes but it didn't matter a lot, as the figures will stand up on their own. They could also be printed out onto card stock to make them sturdier. 

To make these yourself, go to this site and print out a set of templates; please say thank you to your host there for the template. Then color and cut them out. We taped them around the card board tubes. Simple as that, very kid friendly. I found that I could cut the tubes down smaller to get two or three figures out of each one.

And here are my helpers for the day. Cousins....they are silly girls! I love them that way :)

Nativity Set printables are here.

I link at these parties and Savvy Southern Style.

I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Grandparent's Say It Saturday

I am so saddened by the tragic loss of those precious lives yesterday that I am at a loss for words.......my prayers are with the families who are grieving and the children who endured. I pray their tender lives are not scared permanently, and that through it all they still find joy during this holiday season.

Thank you for stopping by today.

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Please link up to three post, not to your home page, and link that back to Family Home and Life. While you are here I hope you will visit the other linkers and come back to see who links up later. We all love comments! No Etsy shops or giveaways please. This link closes on Monday night. 

Be sure to visit Lisa at Grandma's Briefs to join her linky, GRAND Social, on Mondays. Thank you for linking up with me!

While I am honored to be PINNED on Pinterest, or have some one link to my post or blog (using one photo is ok), using my content or photos without my permission is theft! I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Christmas Garland

The kids and I made Christmas Garlands. They are very simple to make. You fold your paper, trace on a design and then cut out. You don't cut a section of the folded edge so that it all stays in one piece. Here's how we made the Christmas Garlands.

Cut several to make a long chain, using tape to keep them together.

Christmas Garlands to take home to mommy :)

If you would like to see the Fall Garlands we made, they are here. 

Click here to print the Christmas Garland templates.

I link at these parties and Savvy Southern Style.

While I am honored to be PINNED on Pinterest, or have some one link to my post or blog (using one photo is ok), using my content or photos without my permission is theft! I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Vintage Toys Color Palette

I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Wow Us Wednesday

It's 12.12.12 today..... Welcome to Wow Us Wednesday! I am still struggling to get all my Christmas preparations ready to go. How are you all doing? Behind? All done? Right on schedule? Where ever you are, I hope your Holiday season is merry and bright :)

Second Chance to Dream has a beautiful Nativity Ornament using washi tape.
Lemon Lime Thyme has an easy kid friendly Salt Clay Ornament tutorial.
Crafty Journal shows how easy it is to make a Christmas Charm bracelet.

There were two links that were tied for the most clicked links; The Wonders of Doing for her Christmas Stars and My Salvaged Treasures for her beautiful spool necklaces. Love them both! 
The Enchanting Rose made a pretty Lace Ornament.


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If you have been featured, please choose the button you like best.

Wow Us Wednesday is a linky for:

• All items, projects or ideas made by you.... crafts, art, photography, furniture re-dos, organizational feats, recipes, money saving tips, decorating ideas, party plans, you name it! Please don’t forget to link back with text link or button!
• Please consider following me, and visit some other linkers and comment there too. 
• Link up to three post and please do not re-link ones from the previous week. Link to the specific post, not your blog home page. No Etsy shops or giveaways, please!

I would love to feature projects I choose and share them the following week - by submitting a link to this party you are allowing authorization for your project to be featured with a photo from your post. Featured links will include a photo and a link back to the originating site.

**I have a on going Mason Jar link up in the Pantry there in my right column. Please also add your post using Mason jars there. **



I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved

Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Who doesn't love a warm freshly made Cinnamon Roll with frosting melting all over the top? This time of year is perfect for making them. They are great gifts for neighbors, co workers; anyone on your gift giving list. Making Cinnamon Rolls is not all that hard. The dough for these rolls can be refrigerated overnight so that you can pop them in the oven for a quick breakfast; freeze the raw dough then bake, or partially bake and then freeze them. If you have never made Cinnamon Rolls before I urge you to try these. 

Start with the Butter Buns recipe here. The Butter Buns recipe may seem at bit intense but I don't go through the whole process as Mrs. M instructed. I warm the milk in the microwave first, finishing it off in the pan. I don't put it into warm water in the sink, or knead it for ten minutes; I only knead the dough for perhaps two minutes. I have even made the dough in my food processor and it is fine. So with that said, first make the Butter Buns dough recipe and then........

Bake them until they are browned on top.

For the cream cheese frosting I simply beat 8 oz of room temp cream cheese with 1 tsp of vanilla extract then beat in about 16 oz of powdered sugar. This makes too much really but then I have some frosting left over to serve on the side for those who like a lot of frosting. 

I link at these parties.

And at Savvy Southern Style.

I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved