Saturday, June 29, 2013

I should be sweeping floors.....

Yes, I should be doing some cleaning! But instead I'm -

Making Finger Jello:


We are having a picnic tomorrow, our annual trek to Long's Park for the Patriotic concert and fireworks show. I always make finger jello - red and blue, of course!

Aidan asked me the other day if I was going to bring it again this year. Yes, Aidan, you will have your jello!

I've been making sandwiches:

 In 1998, I saw this sandwich recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. I made it for our July 4th celebration at the Rehab center where Marcy was recovering from injuries she had from an accident. We loved it and I have been making it for our Long's Park picnic ever since.  A cream cheese spread is put on the bread, then ham on one side, turkey on the other.


 Sandwich sliced dill pickles are put on top of bottom layer of meat.


 Slap the top half over half lower half and you have a sandwich!


Wrap them tight and put them in the frig.
I'll slice them up before we leave for the picnic tomorrow. 
These sandwiches are really good!

I baked cookies!

 Gluten free chocolate chip for me...

Chocolate chip for the rest of the fam who live here.
(these are not going along to the picnic)

I have a secret to tell...
the gluten free cookies were from a box,
the others were from a pack of ready to bake =)

I washed up the dishes and now must go fill up my water jugs at the grocery store.....then, maybe, I'll get to the floors. Maybe.

Wishing you all a wonderful week end! Make some memories!
Can you believe that June is almost GONE??


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Ready for a Pixie Cut....

I needed a haircut. My hair was just cut 5 weeks ago and I had one more week till my appointment. After self-trimming the bangs not once, but twice (!), it was still bugging me. Having a heat wave around here didn't help either. I was going crazy.

So, yesterday I called my girl Jess at Verve. Would she have an opening anytime in what's left of the week? Yes! She had an opening in her schedule today at 1:00. I snatched that slot like it was a $100 bill being dangled before me =)

I didn't get a pixie cut but I was more tempted than I've ever been. Someday I may be brave enough. My hair is now shorter in the back and angled on the sides, sorta like I had it a few months ago. I just can't stand hair that lays on my neck in the summer. Just can't!

Now we are home again. Bad weather is looming, so the weather man says. Eyes to the skies.

 Time to start thinking about dinner....what will it be tonight?? I was going to cook a chicken that a neighbor gave us. I'll get it cooking but I don't think it will be dinner tonight. I want to think of something without gluten so I don't have to make 2 meals. Been doing pretty good this week and I feel so much better! (I wouldn't call me gluten intolerant but I definitely am gluten sensitive)

Enjoy the rest of your day......Blessings!



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Rain, Sun, Hail, but no Rainbow =(

There was lightening, a clap of thunder (which woke Zoe from her nap), a little rain then lots of heavy rain, hail, sun while raining....no rainbow.  Actually, Ellen noticed a very faint one...we think that's what it was!

 Small hail.
What a fascination the kids...
I brought in a piece for them to see.
Aidan also got one that jumped through the open door while I snapped a pic!


 Come on, rainbow...where are you??


 The rain is ending and blue skies are showing again...
how about that clear line!
 



 

 This is the direction that Ellen noticed a very faint rainbow...
so faint we could barely see it.


Look at those pretty blue skies!

We had another short heavy rain shower a few hours later. 
The skies were still blue with some clouds. 
We didn't see that one coming!
The ever changing summer weather.

So far today....HHH
(hazy, hot, and humid)


Monday, June 24, 2013

Having fun while we wait

Our Sunday was not a family Sunday this week. Ellen had a baseball game and a cook-out/pool party after the game at the home of her coach. What a wonderful time we had!

 #16 ready to step up to the plate.


After a very hot 1 1/2 hrs. at the ballpark
this felt good!


Lots of splashing =)

One of the kids said they should have a ballgame in the pool...
The coach stood on the diving board and hit some balls!


He celebrates a hit =)

We ate hot dogs and hamburgers made on the grill.
Everyone brought something to add to the meal.
We even had Rita's Mango Ice! 
What a treat on a hot day....
thanks to Lance's parents who own two Rita's.

************************************************************

This morning as we (Aidan, Zoe and I) were driving to my house,
Aidan said, Nana, won't it be nice to live in the same house.
I said that I can't wait, 
I wish it were today!
I told him he wouldn't need to go home, 
he could just go upstairs and go to bed.
He told me that I would be there in the morning to take care of him
 if Mommy worked,
And, if Mommy didn't work, I'd still be there =)
He said he wouldn't need to put on his shoes!!
I had to chuckle at that, don't you just love the way a child thinks?
I do.

We are ready, Lord. Show us the way!
This is my constant prayer as we wait.

***********************************************************

Blessings to you today! It's a new week, make the most of it!
 (I'm drinking pretend coffee and iced tea that Zoe is serving me, so sweet!)

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Mmmmmm

Take a deep breath....

Can you smell chocolate?
 
These brownies are for a pool party and cook-out
after
Ellen's Challenger Baseball game tomorrow
at
the Coach's home.
 
They smell wonderful but we will have to wait to taste.
Sorry!
 
Smelling chocolate brings back many wonderful memories.
My Mother would make a chocolate cake on
 Saturday evening, the last chore of the day,
as we little girls were taking our baths.
 
There was a register in the bathroom floor directly above the kitchen.
The wonderful smell of chocolate cake baking
would flow up through that register.
Mmmmmm.
It was wonderful!
 
We had to wait, most times, till Sunday
to eat it.
But I think Mother would let us have a piece of
warm cake sometimes.
 
Our Sunday lunch dessert ...
chocolate cake with white icing
and
icy cold home made applesauce.
(icy because it came from the freezer
and not yet completely thawed, the best way to eat it!)
Put a piece of cake in a bowl and
cover it in the icy cold home make applesauce.
That's the way we liked it.
I still do!
 
 
 
Blessings to you, this Saturday evening!
 
 


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

What's Up at Our House?

It's summer, almost!
  • Ellen is finished with another year of school. Of course, she only had 3 days with no school before she headed to the beach. I'd say she is one lucky girl! She came back with a nice tan and Mom is a tad jealous.
  • Two weeks of camp will soon be here for Ellen. That's something to look forward to. She's going to Aaron's Acres camp with the 'give back' community service projects in the afternoon this year. She was hesitant to try that one in previous years. She struggles with trying something new but is usually fine.
  • Now that the beach goers are back, life is settling into a normal pace. Had Aidan and Zoe all day yesterday and they will be coming again this afternoon.
  • Greta and Lynn brought 2 strawberry pies over on Sunday that they made. Oh.My.Goodness. They were soooooo good!!
  • Last evening when Corey took the kids out to his car to leave, Zoe looked up to the sky and started singing - Twinkle, Twinkle little Star. Melt my heart! It was so sweet. Wish I could have recorded it for you to hear!
  • Yesterday afternoon the skies got dark, there was a flash of lightening and a clap of thunder. The heavens opened and it poured! Didn't last long, but it was crazy! I thought, Welcome to Summer =) Next thing you know, the sun was out again. Cool!
  • The skies are dark again and I hear thunder in the distance. Yup, summer.
  • Yesterday I treated my family to ham slices with a pineapple sauce and my baked corn for dinner. Zoe said, I love corn! Aidan said, I love ham! Win, win =)
  • We got a new grill. Didn't need one but the price was right. FREE! Dale was working for someone who wanted a new grill. He was either going to sell his old one or give it away. He decided to give it away...to my Hubby. It's much larger than the one we have. Came with a cover too. We have yet to use it. I didn't realize Dale had connected a tank to it. Guess I'll have to see how it works one of these days.
  • Ellen has two more Challenger Baseball games then we're finished. Season goes so fast!
  • Some activities we look forward to - a swim party and cook out at the coaches house on Sunday after the game, our fun time with family at Long's Park for the patriotic concert and fireworks the next Sunday, a church picnic the first Sunday in July, the big Witmer family retreat the last week-end in July.
  •  I love summer but hate how fast it goes. Being intentional is the only way to enjoy it. Otherwise, it's gone before you have time to enjoy!
  • I really hope that a decision about what we are doing as far as moving or not moving can soon be made. Corey and Christy are waiting to get some info before they decide to rent or re list their home. Patience is a virtue and I'm struggling!
  • I am so grateful for a website I stumbled across. Not even sure how I found it. It's called The Simple Pen. She recommends free books which I can get on my Kindle. So many free books I have found are not that good. So far, the ones she recommended have been really good. She also puts together bundles you can purchase for a reduced price. I've not purchased any. But I get tempted!  thesimplepen.com
Have a great day!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's day to my Hubby, the father of our six children and Pop Pop to our six grands =)

Random pics -


2010


2012


2011


Corey and Christy's wedding - 2006


Greta and Lynn's wedding -2012


Marcy and Scott's wedding - 2003


 2007
 
 
I'm guessing this is 2006
Look at Christy's long hair, Gina's short hair!
This has to have been a while ago...Andrew and I are the same height =)
 
**********************************************************************


My Hubby has been here -



With these two cuties and their parents -



And this girl who loves the beach as much as she loves pizza -

They left on Wednesday evening and were to return on Saturday evening. But....

The people who were to come into the condo on Saturday couldn't come till Monday. So....

They are stayng till Sunday. (I told Hubby that I'm a tad bit jealous!)

Gina couldn't get off from work. So...

She and I stayed home.

It wasn't all bad. I finished a book and started another one. I got me a Rita's Passion Fruit Gelati, yum. Gina took me out to eat on Thursday to Carrabba's where I had the best chicken topped with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes, yum. Saturday night we enjoyed salads from Salad Works, yum. Gina went out a couple of times with her new beau, Jayson. I enjoyed a quiet house. Really, it wasn't bad staying at home.

I'm happy Hubby got a chance to enjoy my favorite place on earth, the beach, this year. He didn't get to go at all last year.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's!


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A Better Way.

Sometimes I feel so [stupid]. I was sure there was an easier way to get the pictures off my phone to my computer. But I never tried. Until today, that is. Good grief, the better way was so easy. What the heck took me so long to decide to try a better way??

Pictures I wanted to share but couldn't because...oh, it's a long tale!

Uncle Scott/Daddy
entertains Zoe and Brinley while eating at Chili's =)

 Saturday breakfast Tablescape at Women's retreat

 Saturday lunch Tablescape

 Oops - 
back to breakfast again!

 Sunday Breakfast Tablescape

Guess I didn't take any pictures of Sunday Lunch Tablescape...that's not good!
(for me, that is...I won't remember what I did!!)

 A sea of Yellow!
Last School Year program for Aaron's Acres.
They unveiled a new logo and each participant got a new t-shirt! 
Ellen is among the yellow somewhere.

Zoe and Aidan had fun at a small play ground
at Long's Park.

 Brinley playing in the church Nursery =)

 Me and my daughter, Kim,
taken at Andrew's HS graduation.

Nana and Pop Pop with our boy =)
Gosh, I'm so proud of him!

Today - 
 I baked chocolate chip cookies
and...

babysat these three cuties =)
Zoe, Ainsley and Aidan

Tonight I'm one tired lady.
It's a good tired  =)

Monday, June 10, 2013

Party Time!

Aidan was 5 on Friday and Sunday was the day his Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents and cousins came together to celebrate. It was a fun party.

Aidan wanted a costume party with a Super Hero theme. The kids and a few adults had fun with that!
(party was held at our church)

 Time to open the gifts..
the kids are instructed to sit on the floor to watch.
Um, right ;-)

 Aidan gets a new Wii game!
He has already played it at our house today.
It's from Marcy, Scott, Paityn and Brinley.
Love the expression on Paityn's face.
She loves to choose gifts for her cousin's 
and
finds great joy in giving!

 Aidan opens the Superman lunch box from Gina
and finds.....


 ...it filled with fruit snacks!!


 A dolphin kite from Nana, Pop Pop and Ellen!


 More gifts!


Fun!
A Leapster from his Scott Grandparents and Aunt Donna.

 What a Super-man you are, Scott!!

 One of the Scott cousin's having some fun!
(one of Lisa's boys but not sure which one!)

 Paityn poses =)

Riley, how scary you look!

Zoe found time to play with baby Ainsley!

 Aidan told me what to make
and I made them!

 Daddy lights the candles!


 We sing and the Birthday Boy
then blows with all his might!
(his Ninja costume was a gift from some Scott cousins...
bet I know what he will be for next Halloween!)


 Choosing small gifts to take home =)
Aren't those shoes something?!!




Sweet Brinley with her Daddy!


Everyone had a great time! Enjoy being 5, Aidan!