Butter My Biscuit

Hey kiddies...guess what time it is? That's right....it's day three of the Bellarama Birthday Giveaway Countdown! This is what Jenn has selected to be added to the growing gift bag....Puttin on the GRITS by Deborah Ford. Deborah founded GRITS, Inc. over 10 years ago and it has grown by leaps and bounds. She has written several books (or manuals, if you please) on all things a Southern girl just has to know. By the by...for those of you unfamiliar with GRITS...it stands for "Girls Raised In The South". (Trash Hint #1: Down here we take entertaining as seriously as we do our grits so have plenty of sugar on hand for both!)Jenn intends for Bella to be raised knowing all the "rules" to being a true Southern girl and all the responsibilities that go with it. It's a true testament to a mama's raising when a girl from the South can make anyone feel relaxed in her home. It's also all about the food. We cook at the drop of a hat with different food for different occasions. There's funeral food, family reunion food, church social food, picnic food, receptions, showers...the list goes on and on. You got an event...I guarantee you we got a punch recipe for it that will serve up to 100 guests! Give us a can of cream of anything soup and a jar of Cheez Whiz and we can whip up a casserole before you can say "Shut my mouth"! (Trash Hint #2: Down here...we don't make dinner...we fix supper!) When Jenn found this book she of course bought two...one for Bella and one for y'all! It's just chock full of information to have you saying Y'all and ordering sweet tea in no time! (Trash Hint #3: Down here it's pronounced sweetea...one word...real fast!) So if you want to know the secrets that little Southern girls learn at their mothers' knees...here it is!

~Precious (presh' es) adj. in the North, something valuable such as a gem, in the South, a glorious gem of a girl~

Putting on the GRITS-Deborah Ford There's recipes tucked inside as well as anecdotes. There is a whole calendar of reasons to have a party (like we need an excuse, but just in case...) like Elvis' birthday, Kentucky Derby, start of Nascar or even the Red Neck Games. (No Robelyn, I am not making that up...google it if you don't believe me!)

With this book in hand, you'll be able to hostess a party that folks will be talking about for years and you'll be changing your name to Scarlett! (Hint #4: Down here folks tend to get so relaxed that they don't always want to leave. I've had "come and go" parties that lasted for days. Don't say I didn't warn you!)

So for all of you anxious to learn how to act and talk Southern (Pam, are you reading this?) and for those of y'all already Southern, but need a little brushing up on your entertaining skills:

1. Go to Jenn's blog

2. Leave a comment about Bella

3. Sign on as a follower of Bella

4. Fix yourself a glass of sweet tea and wait for March 12!

One last thing...Deborah also provides the proper etiquette for saying grace at a party. The most important thing to being from the North, South, East or West is to always remember to thank God for His blessings. Our family is especially thankful for the blessing of Bella and for y'alls friendship.

Whoa Nellie...I almost forgot! Today is Debra's big day or to quote I Love Lucy..."Today she'sa her birthday too!" Go sing her a few bars of "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"!