Tips from Grandma.....
from Tammi Branch

My grandparents lived very frugally.  My grandma never worked.  My grandfather worked for a steel company which paid them lucratively.  They saved a lot.  To this day they have never even had cable.  We didn’t know they had soooo much money until one year when their taxes were done.  I was about 9.  They would buy cars and pay cash for them.  They dressed really nice but they never owed any bills.  My grandparents have never believed in debt.  They paid their building off in 7 years.  Her advice to all of us has been save money.  They plant gardens in the summer and the food taste a lot better.  They cook lots of meals from scratch and save going out to eat for special occasions.  They have never replaced the furniture in their home other than things like mattresses and it is beautiful... many now antiques.   She has taught me how good their quality of life is just in its simplicity.  She has taught me that in simplicity, they were able to create wealth.  And that a lot of these qualities are still applicable for establishing a really good foundation for retirement years.  I am older than they were when they started utilizing these precepts but they work no matter where you start.  I recently went through a job transition and I am so glad that I had some money reserved that I could tap into.  I was surprised how much I had saved in just two years.   
 

---

A Fun Memory of My Mom
from Linda Thompson

We always had some kind of little swimming pool when I was growing up. For a while they were plastic, but constantly needed to be replaced because we would get holes in them. Finally, one year my parents bought a metal, horse’s trough for our pool. It was about 2 ½ feet high and 5 foot in diameter. It wasn’t big, but it helped cool us off. We had fun in it. We would throw people in it with their clothes on. It was fun to chase around the yard or the neighborhood trying to catch someone to throw them in the pool. Before it was time for our friends to go home, sometimes my Mom would pack us all in the station wagon (as many as 11 children would be in the car). All the windows would be rolled down and she would take us for a ride through Palos Park. She would go fast (or it seemed fast to me) so we would dry off and so our friends wouldn’t get in trouble for being wet. Everybody liked coming to our house because my Mom could be fun and there was always food. Thanks for the memory, Mom. That’s just one of many I could share. I love you.
 

---

Grandma Made An Impartation
from Linda Thompson

My Grandmother lived with us all of my life. She was such a blessing. She worked all week downtown and on Saturday mornings she would get up and make us homemade doughnuts or good-ta-laddies (see recipe). When we would use the bathroom upon arising, by the time we went back to our room, our bed would be made. Grandma made it for us. She was a real servant. Before we got married, Robb & I enjoyed going in the basement to talk to her. She was a good woman and made a tremendous impartation into our lives. She shared the gospel with us. We didn’t realize it until after we got saved. We thought it was just grandma talking. Grandma died, unexpectantly, 3 weeks after we were married. She sowed a seed in us that has produced a great harvest. I look forward to seeing her and thanking her when I go home to be with the Lord.

---

Inspirations from Grandma Kay Jones
from Sue Hickey

• The secret of prayer is secret prayer.

• The devil has many tools, but a lie is the handle that fits them all.

• You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could, and should do for themselves.

• God gives every bird its food, but he does not throw it into the nest.

• Always be tolerant of people who don’t agree with you. They have a perfect right to their ridiculous opinions.

---

Bathing an Infant - Wisdom from my Mom
from Toni Mc Carty

I was explaining to my mom that I found it frustrating to bathe my first son when he was a newborn. I would drag out the baby tub, mess with the water forever because it was always either too hot or too cold, then I would be nervous because baby was so floppy and his head was bobbling everywhere. (Not to mention how slippery those little pups are when you are trying to lift them out of the water.) My mom shared with me how she did it and I have done this with all my kids while they were in the “infant” stage of babyhood. First, you put a full size folded bath towel under the baby on your bed/couch/floor (where ever you are going to bathe the baby) and you get a bowl of warm water.  Then you just put a little soap in your hands with a little water and you wash the baby with just your soapy wet hands.  Then you dip a wash cloth in the water and your rub it over the baby to get the soap off. When you are finished rinsing the baby, you can use the towel that is under the baby to dry him off. I find it quick, easy and very little clean up. (Not to mention that it alleviates the slippery, floppy baby-wrestling match!) Happy bathing!!

---

Family Memories
from Chantelle Mesiti

My best memories with my parents would be our family holidays. Every year we would go away with the Houston’s to Noosa, which is on the north coast of Australia. It was so fun because we had our friends and family there. We would just go to the beach. Also, as a child staying up late with our parents was so fun. Our parents used to go get dinner and the children would stay in someone’s room. It was so fun.
 
I think the thing that both of my parents have taught me was to keep strong. I know through my parents break up my dad and mum still stayed planted in the church and always put on a brave face for us. They never blamed my sister or me. They always held us up high and made sure we were looked after at school and in church, which really kept us both grounded. I’ve seen a lot of kids leave church through something like that, but my sister and I stayed planted and serving God knowing that all would work together for good. It was the strength my parents planted on the inside of us and that we watched in them that enabled us to keep going in spite of our circumstances.

---

The Legacy Gramma Left Me
from Gretchen LeFever

My Gramma taught me how to respect and love the word of God, and that a relationship with Jesus was the most important thing in life.  When I lived with her I remember always seeing her sitting in bed reading her Bible, it was the first thing she did in the morning.  Another thing was going to church.  My grandparents lived only 2 blocks from church, but they would get up early to pick us up in another town and bring us to church every Sunday.  She loved the Lord more than anything and I will always be thankful for that legacy she left for me and my family.

---

My Grandmare - A Woman of Influence
from Lisa Voightmann

Each time I was at my Grandmare’s house, she would have wonderful things cooking or baking in the kitchen. She would always let me help.  I remember her taking time to explain what ingredients she would use- she would let me smell, touch and sometimes taste them. Maybe that is why I remember those moments so well – she indulged my senses as she showed me what she was doing. 

There are many things that I do now with my children that she would do with me.  Each activity we were a part of whether it was making the beds, washing our hands or playing outside, she took the time to explain to me the right way of doing something.  I listened to her- she was interested in making me better when she was around me.  This caused me to understand the difference between right and wrong, even in the little things. I remember her by bringing those things about in my own life as a woman of influence.

---

Mama's Birthday Tradition
from Ana Martinez

All throughout my childhood years, my mother really enjoyed celebrating us on our birthday every year at 6:30 IN THE MORNING!!!  She would wake us up with a serenade singing (with a back-up record) “Las Mañanitas”, which is a morning birthday song and she would give us a gift.  My mom would do this for all of us who lived in the house, and for my grandma, aunt, and her very dear friends that lived nearby. She would even call my grandparents that lived in Mexico. She would put the telephone near the speaker so that they could hear their song just to wish them a happy birthday.
 
Here are the main lyrics to the song translated into English because Mama sung it in Spanish:

This is the morning song that King David sang
Because today is your birthday we’re singing it for you
Wake up, my dear, wake up, look it is already dawn
The birds are already singing and the moon has set
 
How lovely is the morning in which I come to greet you
We all came with joy and pleasure to congratulate you
The morning is coming now, the sun is giving us its light
Get up in the morning, look it is already dawn.
 
And THEN...when I got older, probably about 14 years old, for about 3 years in a row, I and the Catholic church choir members, on Mother’s Day,  would sneak out of the house about 3 a.m. and carpool to the house of every choir member’s mom to wake the mom’s up with a live serenade - guitar players and all!  We would sing the same song, but we would change the words from celebrating your birthday to celebrating mom plus a few other mother’s day songs.  The first time we did this, when we woke up my mom with the guitars playing, I sang to her and brought her a gift (a rose).  At that moment we both embraced and cried...she knew that this is what she had taught me to do all through the years. 
 
The last house we would sing at was my grandmother’s.  My grandma would make hot chocolate and bring us to eat whatever she had in the kitchen.  Then off we went to sing at the 10:30 a.m. service. After service we would sleep until late afternoon.

---

Things My Mom Taught Me
from Erica Basile

My mother was a housewife/homemaker when my brother and I were growing up.  Everyday she got up, put on nice clothes, and did her hair and make-up.  She didn’t believe in walking around the house looking sloppy.  In fact, I’ve never seen her in old, worn out sweats.  She didn’t walk around in a bathrobe or her pajamas.  She “got dressed” for her job as wife and homemaker.  Everyday before my father returned home from work, she would touch-up her make-up and hair to make sure she looked nice for him.  She taught my brother and I to respect our father and only spoke well of him in front of us.  We were convinced we had the best dad in the world!

Another thing my mother did every day was read her bible.  She would sit down at 9:00 a.m. and read for about a ½ hour.  We went to church every Sunday and if my parents attended extra services, my brother and I went with them as well (even if I didn’t want to go!).  And believe me, sometimes I didn’t want to go.  For these things, I will always be thankful to my mom.

---

My Mom, My Example
from Rita Cirullo

My mom is a great example to me and has imparted so much into my life. Here are some things that I learned from her:
 
• Good manners and being respectful were always a priority in my house. Growing up, I was taught to thank people by name ..”thanks for the ride, Mr. Smith”..
• There were five children in my family and we all had to answer the phone using our name so that the caller would know to whom they were speaking..I would say “Hello this is Rita speaking”
• When an adult walked into a room we were to acknowledge them and if no seats were available for them to sit on, we were to offer our seat to them
• We never ever would go to a relative’s house and ask for anything and never dare help ourselves to anything! If we were offered a drink or snack then we could politely accept.
• She taught me to be wise with my money and never use credit cards. I didn’t even know what “debt” was until I was well into my 20’s. I had to ask someone what it meant!
• I was taught to always keep my word, no matter what.
• My mom was the queen of organization. She had five kids and a husband to take care of and she did it well. She went to the grocery store only once a week and had every meal planned out for the next seven days. I still remember sitting with her while she planned out all the meals and went through her coupons. She also had a schedule of house chores that she stuck to: ironing one day, laundry another, etc.
• My mom taught me to be thoughtful. Even to this day, I am 29 years old and she will call me to make sure that I got so and so’s birthday card in the mail. My family laughs because mine and my mom’s cards are always the first they receive. My mom is always generous and would rather shop for other people than herself.
 
One thing that I really appreciate about my mom is that she raised me to be a thankful person. I wasn’t spoiled and catered to like many of the kids today are.  I remember a family trip we took to Disney World. I was in 4th grade and it was the only “big” vacation we ever took. It was amazing and I still remember so much of it because we weren’t spoiled and taken so many places that they all became one big memory. Going to a restaurant was a special treat. It amazes me when I hear kids today complaining about a restaurant that their parents are taking them to. I was always just so blessed if we got to do something so special.
 
My mom always made everything special for me. On my 16th birthday she picked me up at school with a key to the family car, took me to get my driver’s license and had a surprise party for me. It was such a special memory.
 
She celebrates me, supports me and is always there for me.

---

My Grandma
from Tina Jacobs

I remember Grandma… Loving, giving, servant, happy, fun, welcoming, gentle, kind, lady-like, sweet and ever enduring.  She taught me so much just by living.  One of my favorite memories was playing the game “Cooties” with Grandma.  It was a couple of my sisters and me playing this very elementary game… and Grandma was laughing so hard it actually made me nervous.  I mean she was in her mid 80’s!!  Oh, we laughed and had fun just being with someone who really loved to be with us…  I am forever Grateful!

But I think my all time favorite memory is when we traveled with Grandma and Grandpa Spada to Springfield for my uncle’s wedding.  We spent the night in a hotel, and because we had so many kids in our family, half were in a room with my parents and the other half were with my Grandparents.  Oh, lots of kids and not much money… thus the 2 rooms only.  My Grandparents had their bed and then across the other end of the room was the second bed with me and my sisters and a couple in sleeping bags on the floor.  Everyone was quiet and asleep… and I remember my Grandma quietly coming out of the bathroom to get into bed with my Grandpa… Grandma was in her 80’s and Grandpa early 90’s.  I saw her come out slowly with her long, white silk nightgown and tip toe over to get into bed.  The next thing I hear is whispers and giggling… and “I love you”.  I was 21 years old at the time and thank God for such a picture.  After all these years… she is still giggling and still in love with my Grandpa.  First Generation Americans, they were factory workers, lived in a very tiny home and never even owned an automobile.  But in my eyes, Grandma Spada was the richest woman I have ever known.  I miss her so dearly and I am forever Grateful for the impact she has made in my life.