Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Okay, so it isn't 1911, or even 2011 but I loved this old post card.  Happy New Year!  They (who ever they are) say that what you do on the first of January is what you will do for the rest of the year... And I'm good with that.  Today we slept late (yes, both boys stayed in the bed until nearly 10 a.m.), visited both sides of our family, cooked together, ate together, played together.

We had a traditional New Year celebration at Mom & Nick's with these three silly kids...

 And one super cute new edition...

We also had our traditional good luck food.  Not for sure if this is a world wide tradition or just something that is important in almost appalachia.  My family actually believes that if you do not eat these things on New Years day... it is fated that you will have a year with no luck, money, job, etc.

So, my Nana made the Hog Jowl... We actually used bacon because it was the healthier version.  

(Yes, you read that correctly.  Bacon is the healthy alternative.)  The jowl, or pork, is supposed to bring you prosperity and happiness at work.  

Nana is battering the bacon before she fries it.  I think there is a reason we only do this once a year.  That's a lot of prosperity, folks.  

Cabbage is supposed to bring you money for the upcoming year.  Christmas was expensive, I'm working part-time, and the truck needs new tires... I ate some extra cabbage for the family.  

Black eyed peas are supposed to bring you good luck... Now, I need luck. But yuck.  Somethings I just can't take the burden for the family.  I like to eat just enough to keep bad luck at bay.  

Cornbread because it looks like gold and really at this point, why not? We just battered and fried bacon.

 I'll post Mom's yummy skillet cornbread recipe this week.

And there's no luck symbolism here but we topped the meal off with some yummy apple dumplings and Blue Bell ice cream.  They are easy and a crowd pleaser... I'll post the recipe as soon as a take a few photos of the process.  Which will be soon.  The hubs and big boy have been asking for more!

So, I hope "they" are right and this is a peek at what the rest of the year olds!  Yep, I think it's gonna be a pretty fine year!! :)