The other day I ran across a recipe from my mom, that I used to love! She had written the recipe down on a small piece of paper that had been torn out of a tiny (pocket size)spiral note pad. The paper has been folded and unfolded many, many times over the years, intentionally and accidentally, so it's rather worn. The paper itself has also aged, yellowing, stained, splattered, no longer looking crisp, clean or white. I am guessing this recipe was written on this tiny piece of paper anywhere between 35-40 years ago.
I made the recipe, for "Pepperoni Salad" yesterday and it is still pretty yummy after all of these years, but now I love this tiny little piece of paper. A little piece of paper that until now, I had only paid attention to what it said and nothing more. It was written by my mom in her beautiful handwriting. She honestly has the most beautiful handwriting of anyone I've known. I can tell by looking at this that she wasn't even trying to write pretty, this is more of a spur of the minute kind of..jotted down look for her. But, her hand writing has always been so pretty that nearly every one to see it, ha commented or complimented her on it. I remember as a little girl standing next to her in the grocery store while she wrote her check for our weekly groceries and week after week, trip after trip the cashiers would compliment her on her handwriting. I remember teachers that I had in Elementary school commenting on her beautiful handwriting after reading a note that she had written to them and sent to school with me. I also remember attempting to duplicate her handwriting a few times while growing up (not always for the most innocent of reasons! Such has, "Please excuse Melanie from class today, as she has a doctor's appointment." type of thing! HA!) but usually I was attempting to write like my mom, just because I loved the way she wrote.
I have several scrapbooked recipe albums, full of recipes that I have scrapbooked over the years. While I love the beautiful recipe pages I've created with beautiful papers, with coordinating embellishments and accents... this little piece of paper with the handwritten recipe, just jotted down on it, will more than likely be added to a page in one of my albums, as is, original, yellowed and beautiful!
Pepperoni Salad
1 - 7 oz. package thin Spaghetti (broken into bite site pcs.)
1/3 C. Mayo
2 T. prepared Mustard
1 to 2 T. fresh parsley
3 medium tomatoes, chopped (2 C.)
2 - 3 oz. packages pepperoni (chopped)
4 oz. cubed cheddar cheese (1 C.)
1/2 C. chopped green pepper
(Note: I usually add frozen peas to this recipe when I make it and sometimes sliced green or black olives.)
Thinking of how I noticed and appreciated my mom's handwriting on this recipe recently, also made me think of something that just recently transpired with my own son, our oldest. A month or so before graduation, parents of Seniors were encouraged to write their sons and/or daughters a letter that would be delivered to the kids just moments after graduation, and just before they were to load the buses to go off to Project Graduation for the night.
I told my husband that it would be nice if he would also do this. Write a letter to Kyler on his own. NOT something you would typically expect him to do. He is just not that kind-a guy. HA! BUT he adores this boy and is as proud of this boy as any dad could possibly be, so I had no doubt in my mind that he would do it. No doubt at all. I had already known that I would be writing him a letter, upon his graduation for a long, long time. Well, before the school had suggested that parents consider doing this. But once they had, I became obsessed with thinking about what I wanted to say in my letter, what I wanted him to know, what I needed to say or needed for him to know. I wanted this to be a letter that he would hold on to for the rest of his life. I wrote rough draft after rough draft. Starting over every time I made a mistake (a paper-wasting life long habit of mine!) When the deadline came to actually have the letters in to the school, guess who was frantically finishing her letter at the very last moment?? Yep, me! Was it all I wanted it to be? No. Was it driving me crazy that it wasn't all I wanted it to be? Yes! HA! But that's just how it ended up.
Ok, now fast forward to graduation night. Immediately after graduation had ended, the kids went back to assigned classrooms and were given their letters. He would be handed two letters, one from me and one from his dad. Would he get at all choked up reading them? Would my letter cause him to tear up? Would that mean I did a good job? Would his dad's letter cause him to tear up? I was betting it would if simply for no other reason than the fact that he had written one. The commons areas of the school is filled with parents waiting for their kids. We're there... waiting. A few minutes go by and then Kyler finds us. The first thing out of his mouth...the absolute very first thing he said was, "Mom I couldn't read your letter, because I can't read your cursive handwriting." gulp...
I shared some of his graduation photos here (below). So far I have only had a chance to scrap one page. Here's a peak at it.
In our household we believe in eating well. "Well", not always "healthy", but WELL! Father's day has pretty much been a day long feast here! Started off with our youngests going to get donuts for everyone and his dad's favorite candy bar as a surprise. 
The morning treat was followed by a lunch surprise when our oldest came home with a special Pizza he "designed" where he works. He did just inform me a couple of days ago that he is a "Pizza Artist". 
The day of feasting ended with hubby's requested Meatloaf (ick!) and twice baked potatoes dinner. It was a little (ok, a lot) late, as I had a minor mishap with the oven. I say *minor* because once the timer went off and I realized I hadn't turned the dang thing on in the first place...problem was solved after another hour of waiting! LOL! I feel it is important to add that I kind of did make the three of them pose for these pictures. NOT their idea. I find they are more prone to play along with me on holidays! HA!
