#23 My Mom made this......

Sunday seems to be the day that strikes me deep. I try to go to church as much as I can on Sunday, which means I listen to a teaching that most of the time resonates with me, but sometimes it doesn't. It's also the day I have purposely set aside to visit my Mom. I will talk to her during the week, and she may even stop over, but I like to see her in her environment where she is most comfortable so I can see how she is really doing.

While I was with Mom today I asked her for her date ball recipe. Some in the family have referred to them as "coconut balls" or "porcupine balls"...LOL..because that is what they look like (not my words, but others have said that jokingly with my Mom, to which she responded with an eye roll and says... OH CARL...I can always count on you to be....YOU>>>

She pulled out her red and white cookbook....Better Homes and Gardens. I have the same one. She gave it to me when I got married. She thought the recipe was in there. I knew it was written down on a recipe card. She did not know where to find those. I said...That's OK Mom, I'll look it up. I read her some of the recipes I found and asked her if it sounded right....she thought so.

I am usually drained when I leave Mom's. Its a grieving process when you see your parents changing into a new person. My Mom has always made those date balls. ALWAYS.

Not this Christmas.

I was surprised by how much this grieved me as I drove home. I decided I must make these balls tonight. I went to the grocery store, bought the ingredients, went home, immediately started making the recipe.

As you can see, I got ONE ball out of the recipe (I ate the other one). The balls would not stick together. I tried. Several times. The date mixture tasted AWESOME. All the ingredients were fresh. I followed the instructions. I decided to improvise and put coconut in the bottom of this pie plate, then the date mixture, then press coconut on top. I'm waiting for it to harden.

I then took this video, its on the facebook post, because for some reason it won't play here...

Sometime you have the recipe, ingredients, great environment, the want, the desire, the ability, the big plans to recreate.
And it doesn't work.
So you improvise and try something new.
And it works, it just looks different than the plan.
Then you enjoy it anyways.



Sounds ALOT like life.

Basically, that IS life.






I could be utterly discouraged. I wanted to do something my Mom always did, but on my first try, it didn't work. I could have tossed it in the garbage...um..no. It looked different but tasted DIVINE.
I don't waste anything.
And neither should you.
Create something new and different. Just do it.

You'll be surprised how awesome life will work out, and maybe you'll enjoy a new treat or two.
 (winky face insert here!)

Happy Holidays and Such,
Love you Much,
Julie