Touch of Home

mammag wrote: Another thought came to me while working on my home....

Since I didn't have a wonderful childhood I want my kids to grow up and have certain things that remind them of home. I don't have a lot of things that remind me of good memories at home. One that I do remember is when I was sick my mom would always buy me 7Up and crackers and I'd sleep on the couch. I know lots of people do that but it is one of the few nice memories of my childhood that involves my parents (I have good memories but most revolve around my sisters and things I did with them).

What are some things that remind you of home (smells, decor, anything). For instance, I think of my Grandma when I smell Dove soap or see Werthers Originals....that kind of thing.

I'd like to come up with some things to do to create a homey feel in my house.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Oh I have tons..
But most of mine are of my Grandma..

The smell of bleach big time. She soaked her dishes and everything in bleach..and I can remember her hands still smelling like that when she would touch me..or hug me. When I smell it.. on my skin I think i smell Granny..

My grandma used to tell a story she made up..but she would get a piece of paper and make these doodle bugs that went along with the story..I have found myself doing that also

My grandma used to sew quilts ..and I wish I could do the same to give to my kids and grandkids..

Oh and a simple sandwiche.. My granny could make a sandwich..like it was gourmet food. I dont know but she did!

TheOaf66 replied: well the home like scent coming from our house now is cleaning supplies, my wife is a big cleaner so i always smell clorox wipes

My grandma...always was cooking or baking so everytime i walked in there it was like walking into a restaurant, I loved it.

A&A'smommy replied: awww I know what you mean my parents did the same thing basicly babied me when I was sick and I got to watch whatever I wanted on the tv (good stuff you know). On my birthday and my brothers birthday we always got to choose a birthday meal made up of whatever we wanted plus the kind of cake or whatever we wanted. Our rooms could be done however we wanted they were our personal havens lol

kit_kats_mom replied: um...the smell of pot smoke reminds me of my child hood. How sad is that? Seriously though, if I ever catch a whiff of it it takes me back the way the smell of crayons take most people back to that time.

Other than that, my mom petting my head when I was sick, putting on loud music and cleaning house on Sunday mornings and summer drives with the windows rolled down.

lisar replied: I am the same way.. I want my kids to have lots of memories so I take lots of pictures for them and do certain things with them so that they will have good memories.

Jamison'smama replied: Getting Archie or Richie Rich comic books when I was sick and the yellow trashcan that was in my parent's bathroom that was our emergency throw-up container. I remember the smell of the trashcan with my head in it ready to puke, my dad was a smoker and the trashcan smelled like cig butts--that's sad.

Rosemilk lotion that my grandmother wore. Shimmering lights blueing shampoo for my grandmother's white hair.

Playing "Little Marcie sings Sunday School Songs" on the turntable every Sunday Morning and my mom walking around in her full slip after church in the summer when it was hot.

Sitting in the hallway with huge pillows over our heads with a radio on during tornado season (we lived in Oklahoma)

CantWait replied: I can't think of anything right now, but our new house has a trellace in the back yard. That will remind me of my grandma because she had one in her back yard covered in roses a long time ago. I hope to do the same thing.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: Apple picking at Wallingford's Orchard in the fall and getting home made donuts inside when we are done reminds me of my child hood.

Tire Swings and Juicey Juice remind me of my Grammy, who I dont have many memories of, she passed away when I was 7ish and we didn't spend much time with her towards the end....she was a heavy drinker and drunk all the time, my Dad didn't want us to remember her in that way.
She died of alcohol poisoning.

We have started doing things and making traditions so that Alex will have special things to remember from his child hood. I take lots of pictures too!

ashtonsmama replied: I'm with you-not such a great childhood, so I'm creating from scratch memories with my own little family...
And it can be hard.

But I always remember, even when my mom would be passed out or yelling, I could always smell her perfume, I don't even know what it was, but whenever I smelled that, I knew I'd be ok, just smelling that made me feel like I was safe with her.

AlexsPajamaMama replied:

luvmykids replied: Oh boy so many.

Picking mint for our iced tea.

Both of my grandmothers always wore aprons in the kitchen. I have some from each of them and wear them too! I love that memory of both of them.

Clipping roses, watering plants, any kind of gardening reminds me of all the women in my family.

Shelling pecans.

Homemade apricot ice cream, helping make it and helping even more to eat it!

My grandpa had a character in his head named Jackson Brown and made up stories about him. My whole childhood revolved around recreating his adventures. When I was there for long visits he'd end with a cliffhanger every night, I'd lie in bed imagining what the outcome was and not a hint of it until the next night.

Getting my hair put up in sponge curlers before bed, and I do it now for Kylie and Macie.

Sundays were always the best day though. We'd go to church all clean and clothes pressed, hair done, then come home to a huge, old fashioned Sunday dinner then we'd all curl up with books and fall asleep reading on the couch together.

C&K*s Mommie replied: Beans and wieners.. remind me of my father. We had those every Fri night, since my mother worked late. He said "it would put hair on your chest", I quickly rebutted with "but I am a girl"

Japanese food... my mother made it for a year straight! I prefer Chinese food over Japanese nowadays.

Cornbread... my mother made the best, and seldom can I find any that is as good.

Vinegar... my Gma used that all the time when she lived with us.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Iced tea and cigarettes (weird I know). However, now living in a smoke free environment, the smoky smell makes me ill at times. My dad is ALWAYS drinking iced tea and our house always smelled great when my mom would make a fresh batch, especially in the summer.

holley79 replied: The thing that brings back a warm feeling is popcorn. My mom didn't have a lot of money when we were growing up. My mom would always rent movies when she was off work and would pop popcorn for us.

mckayleesmom replied: Me and my brothers and sisters would have a contest every morning with our cereal...the goal was to not get any drops of milk on the table....I still do that.

Sun Tea....we always had Sun Tea

Otter Pops.....my grandma always had Otter Pops in her fridge at all times.

Ginger Snaps and gingerale....my other grandparents always had those.

Ivory dish soap....my grandma loved the stuff and still uses it.

Tereso (sp?) and egg burritos.....my mom can make them so good.

Keeblers mint chocolate cookies....My mom had a boyfriend for a long time and he use to buy junk food and wouldn't let us have any...we would wait till he left the house and steel his stash....Our mom didn't let us have junk food.

Holloween....we had to combine all our candy and were only allowed so much a day and IF we behaved....I combined the kids last year.

luvmykids replied:
Do you mean chorizo? That stuff is a staple around here!

AlexsPajamaMama replied: oooh my Nana always had and still always has short bread striped cookies! MY FAVE!

luvmykids replied: That reminds me of my grandma that passed away, she had that ethnic grandma thing of insisting you eat no matter what:

Are you hungry? No, thank you. I'll just get you a sandwich then. No grandma, really, I couldn't eat right now. What would you like? Some cookies? A danish? I could whip up a cake. Grandma, honest, I'm still stuffed. What do you mean you're stuffed, what are you, a turkey? You're skin and bones, you need to eat. You'll never get a man to marry you so skinny, he'll think you can't cook. I'll just fix you a steak then .......