When I was a young mom..

  C'est le mois de mai..le mois de Marie..et le mois des mamans au Québec~

Les filles au Parc Belmont  circa 1970's ap.
We wanted to eat them up..every day~

I really had no idea what I was doing.. I played house..
Married at 20..a mom at 21..and no one to really show me the way..

Thank goodness for 19 years I had had a great great great great  mom..so I knew  a few things....but I was zero in the kitchen..

And pretty close to that in sewing..Everything I made couldn't have a zipper..or a buttonhole..so there was a lot of velcro going on and hand stitched little loops for pearl buttons..
I loved to dress the girls alike..
Even though there were 18 months difference..between the two of them..
I was the first in my friends to have a bébé..♥
No kidding.. I am not talking the 50's..the 70's here..
My friends were youth hostaling Europe..or continuing university..
I had to stop university..for many reasons..

But I do believe in "Le destin.."~
So at 19..my destin began..



It was so affordable to sew back then..Bouclair had a dollar stage..where all the fabric was $1.00 for 1 yard..I could get at least 2 little dresses like these out of that yard..

 

Un peu plus tard

That little expression ..to the left..is very Max.. She is Max and Oli..The little one's expression to the right at that moment..is Noah..looks like his dad..but has his mom's expressions..
Lucas..is the oldest and a blend of everyone..!
Life was so simple then..no computer games..so the kids played outside all the time..
Finding fun in the simplest of things..Like making dandelion picnic tables..wearing Strawberry Shortcake tops.

Les filles et leur amie dans le sous-bois

And if they stayed in..well we didn't have superhero costumes..but they could don my boots and shoes..(oy remember those shoes?)... (Candies I think)..I don't own a pair of heels now..for the last 25 yrs at least..put one of my aprons on and their hats..
This was a particular day when their dad had done their hair:)And they had tried on anything available..
I can't believe I had window boxes..inside...Priscilla curtains were on every window..and our bed was festooned in a Priscilla Canopy.
Oh lala he put up with a lot..
Even Holly Hobbie wallpaper.
This is a polaroid below..:)

Les filles..in the 70's..

I must admit I love seeing old shots..we had a 35 mm camera..so most are on slides.Or a Polaroid..
I have so many beautiful photos of our darling photogenic  funny adorable girls..But you need a VIEWMASTER..:)
I made up for lost time as soon as I got a real camera..

The love of cooking and baking came with the years..
I loved playing house..
And along the way I met people that influenced me..Thank goodness...I had no role models..I needed guidance:)
One of the first women I met  that influenced me was Denise.. a back yard neighbor..she had 3 boys..she gave me the recipe for my fave Gâteau Blanc I have made for the past 40 years..we were not there long..
I had spent 10 yrs there..but we moved when I had both girls..

Then Nicole.. when we first moved to the country.. it was mainly because of her...Oh no one could decorate a house or make things pretty like Nicole..she had 2 girls and we were such nice friends..life changed.. she moved..her life changed yet again and we lost touch..
But she is the one who made me enjoy setting a pretty table.. making food look good..well trying to make food look good..She was a stewardess and I had her on a pedestal.. she never fell off..♥
Then Gail..Gail had 3 daughters a bit older..and what a dear she was..she would pass down kilts and leotards..and snowsuits..and recipes..Oh her onion pie at Christmas..and her shortbreads..her spritz cookies..
and these..her Oatmeal bars..
When I went over for tea and these oatmeal bars were on the counter waiting for me..for us..
It felt so cozy and welcoming..
Life changed..she moved and we lost touch..
It's a shame that moving from one province to another..changes everything..no more dinners together..tea.. holidays..
She was one of my daughter's first piano teachers too..The goodness in that girl..and her laugh..contagious.
My daughters loved her and  her oatmeal bars ..so I made them and made them and made them..
I could make them in my sleep..

Even though  the girls don't live with us..
Jacques still loves these..and the girls do too~

Gail's Oatmeal Bars

La Recette~
2 cups of rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ings add vanilla and melted butter..stir well  make sure everything is well coated..
pat in an 8x8 pan..
Bake at 350 for 20 mins..
Cut in squares when slightly cooled.

Trip down memory lane.
Such sweet innocent days.

I loved all those women who taught me so much..:)

Feeling  Mother's Day ish I think:)
The girls and I are going out to lunch..:)♥

You can't help but think of your own mom..every single Mother's Day.

And  ..you become very grateful..when you see your mom's jet black hair on one of your daughters..freckles of your dad  on another.. the best of the best in them..to me..a very partial judge.
Genetics..
A wonderful mystery.

Since then..Oatmeal bars have expanded..

To granola bars..

I thought my alphabet boys would love these.. it was Pinned through Helene.  (I am a follower..of her beautiful blog and Pinterest..).to the original site..

Who was I kidding?
I knew everyone would love these..

No Bake..peanut butter chocolate chip ..pretzel  granola bars..♥

You can find the recipe HERE..so so good.Crazy good.Even cold.

Bon Weekend..~