Baking Christmas sugar cookies has been a tradition in my family since my girls were old enough to stand on a chair or stool and roll out cookie dough. It is a VERY messy tradition... yet one that brings so much pleasure, it is worth the mess and clean up afterwards.
I will include my sugar cookie recipe at the end of this blog... this is the recipe I have been using since 1986... it continues to be the easiest dough to work with, and the flavor of these cookies are absolutely delicious!!! The baked cookie is very tender, and yet also crisp. The sugar cookie is one of those foods that have fans for both types of the cookie... some like them soft and chewy and decorated with icing, some (like me and my family) like them thin, crisp and decorated with colored sugars... either way... my family just has to have sugar cookies as part of our Christmas morning tradition... we eat them for breakfast along with chex mix! Weird... but OH SOOOOO GOOD!!!
I have cookie cutters from when I was a child, some I have found in antique stores, and others that are newer versions. The old plastic ones I use have lots of details carved inside the cutter... my newer ones are just outline shapes of bells, trees, stockings, and such. I really like the intricate designs of the old cutters, but they are a bit finicky when trying to get the cut out dough onto the baking sheet... they are very delicate and take lots of care getting them cut out correctly and transfered over to the baking sheet. My newer ones that are much easier to use, make the task go quite quickly. However.... the nostalgic-ness of the older ones, and the tradition of just taking an entire day to bake cookies, always win out over the newer cookie cutters... but in the end... my cookie tin contains a mixture of old and new cookie cutter shapes. Making these sugar cookies is an 'event' and it's ok if some cookies take longer to cut out than others... the eating of them, and the deliciousness of them is all the same on the tongue, and in the tummy!
I keep LOTS of colored sugars on hand for any occasion when I make these sugar cookies, these cookies are good for all holidays and occasions. I make lips and hearts for Valentines, Shamrocks for St. Patty's Day, and Egg shapes for Easter. Even though these sugar cookies are DELISH for all occasions, they always remind me most of Christmas... and I never skimp on sprinkling of the sugar on these cookies... my lips always are the color of whatever sugar is on the cookie I am eating... which of course makes it hard to sneak a cookie without getting caught! : )
When we visit various relatives houses over the Christmas Holiday, there are always lots and lots of cookies of all varieties to enjoy. My Mom makes wedding cookies, chocolate peanut butter balls, and majestic's... just to name a few. Chocolate chip cookies are usually among the mix at most houses, as well as the sugar cookies. My sister-in-law (Kari) is quite the baker and will arrive at the family gathering with a platter of cookies with at least a dozen variety of cookies.... each one more delish than the next! Kari's sugar cookies are the softer kind with the icing... but... the detail she puts into decorating her cookies with that icing is amazing! She must bake for weeks to accomplish such a plethora of goodies! My other sis-in-law (Linda) makes these amazing sesame cookies native to Georgia, and always brings tins of wonderful decadent fudge too. While I enjoy each and every type of cookie served at each and every house we visit... the simple un-prententious sugar cookie remains my all time favorite.
Tis the season for so many wonderful family traditions... from caroling to cookie baking, and everything in between... may you experience many joys with your loved ones as we all continue to carry our traditions forward to the new generations following behind us. Here now is my all time favorite sugar cookie recipe. Put on your aprons, bring out the sugar sprinkles, and start making a wonderful messy memory with someone you love.
Vickie's Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup - shortening - (part butter)... I use 1/2 cup crisco and 1/4 cup real butter (NOT margarine)... but
you can reverse it and use 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup crisco... it's a
personal preference and both work beautifully.
1 cup - sugar
2 - eggs
1 tsp - vanilla (use real vanilla extract NOT imitation!!! this is VERY important! the better your vanilla,
the better your cookies)
2 1/2 cups - all purpose flour -measure flour by the dipping/leveling method.. sifting not necessary
1 tsp - baking powder
1 tsp - salt
Cream shortening and sugar til smooth and creamy... add eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together and add to creamy mixture. Shape dough in to disk, cover in plastic wrap, put in refrigerator to chill at least one hour.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough out to 1/8" thick on a lightly floured surface. Try to incorporate as little flour into dough as possible. Cut dough out with cookie cutters of your choice. Place cut out cookies onto an un-greased baking sheet (I prefer the baking stones... but any baking sheet will do just fine). Bake 6-8 minutes or until cookies are a "delicate" golden color. Makes about 4 dozen cookies using 3" cookie cutters. Quantity will vary with different size cookie cutters.
Remove cookies from baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack... then... enjoy eating these delish cookies and wear your colored sugar lips proudly!! : )
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
The Hutchinson Christmas Symphony Concert
The other day while driving down our tiny Main Street in our tiny town... I noticed that the Fox Theater was presenting it's "Christmas Symphony Concert" on Dec. 15th... immediately checking my calendar, I see that Joe and I have that night open without any other obligations... so once I got home, I called up and ordered our tickets to attend. WOW WOW WOWZERS is all I have to say about last nights program!!! It was AWESOME and I'm soooo glad I noticed the advertisement and bought the tickets.
Last year I went to this event with a bunch of new lady friends I had met in the few weeks since we had moved here. And last years program was soooo good I knew I wanted to make this an annual habit. I also remember last year while I was watching the program just how much Joe too would enjoy it.
There were 3 local folks who performed singing solos and a duet last night... and OH MY GOODNESS!!! Who knew this tiny town had soooo much talent in it. The songs sung at last nights program were all the old traditional and spiritual songs that literally made the hair on your arms stand on end because they were so beautifully sung!
If you really want to witness the "Spirit of Christmas", the best place to do so is at concerts and programs put on by your local town... whether it is a school performance or a professional performance, both will leave you in the Christmas Spirit, a smile on your face, and a jingle in your step! Joe and I talked about our wonderful experience all the way home... and sung snippets of the songs we had just heard... although... our singing was no where near what we had just heard... but all the same... tis the season for lots of singing!!!!
Among my favorites sung last night were... "Ave Maria", "Breath of Heaven", "Mary, Did You Know" (accompanied with a sign linguist), and "Cantique de Noel"(which was sung in Italian). The Hutchinson Symphony Orchestra played all the music for the program, and they too did a marvelous job! The music, the singing, the atmosphere... all of it made for a very magical night.
I am sure that next year, if it is at all possible, Joe and I again will be amongst those in the audience who want to capture and enjoy a moment of true Christmas "In The Air" Spirit. Going to the Christmas Concert has quickly become one of my new favorite Holiday traditions!
Jingle Bells... Jingle Bells.... La La La La La........
Last year I went to this event with a bunch of new lady friends I had met in the few weeks since we had moved here. And last years program was soooo good I knew I wanted to make this an annual habit. I also remember last year while I was watching the program just how much Joe too would enjoy it.
There were 3 local folks who performed singing solos and a duet last night... and OH MY GOODNESS!!! Who knew this tiny town had soooo much talent in it. The songs sung at last nights program were all the old traditional and spiritual songs that literally made the hair on your arms stand on end because they were so beautifully sung!
If you really want to witness the "Spirit of Christmas", the best place to do so is at concerts and programs put on by your local town... whether it is a school performance or a professional performance, both will leave you in the Christmas Spirit, a smile on your face, and a jingle in your step! Joe and I talked about our wonderful experience all the way home... and sung snippets of the songs we had just heard... although... our singing was no where near what we had just heard... but all the same... tis the season for lots of singing!!!!
Among my favorites sung last night were... "Ave Maria", "Breath of Heaven", "Mary, Did You Know" (accompanied with a sign linguist), and "Cantique de Noel"(which was sung in Italian). The Hutchinson Symphony Orchestra played all the music for the program, and they too did a marvelous job! The music, the singing, the atmosphere... all of it made for a very magical night.
I am sure that next year, if it is at all possible, Joe and I again will be amongst those in the audience who want to capture and enjoy a moment of true Christmas "In The Air" Spirit. Going to the Christmas Concert has quickly become one of my new favorite Holiday traditions!
Jingle Bells... Jingle Bells.... La La La La La........
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The History of The Advent Calendar
My huband (Joe) really enjoys reading his Wall Street Journal every day, especially on the weekends. He often clips and sends articles to various family members, and friends when he spies an interesting article pertaining to a specific person. When one of his clippings arrive in one of our mail boxes or email in-box, we are all delighted to be the recipient of one of his clippings, and eagerly begin reading the article. Well today was my day! I received the following article, clipped from the Wall Street Journal... his timing on sending me this particular article is absolutely perfect!!! So.... now I am sharing the same article on my blog... this blog ties into my other blog "Christmas Countdown Advent Calendars" in which I spoke about these calendars being a tradition in my family and how much I personally enjoy them each year. This is a very interesting article... I hope you enjoy how these precious calendars began.
Americans can thank Germans for a holiday tradition besides the modern Christmas tree: the Advent calendar, a card counting down to Christmas in which children open one "window" a day, finding a picture, a poem or story, a sweet or a small gift.
Photos: The Advent of the Advent Calendar
![[SB10001424052970203501304577084483697858766]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vJ-gtU-RwISi1Ty1075x4x0sAUgo-cHvVjH9acglX9hnUD087F77RiR4N2HKXArcI_5ty-dYZh5REI3E81HW4Hr1-pldyqO2QAvfQG2iIlkjyiAE0v037ZnCbN5RKxKsLV1feP05nTM1M1IxDwmbC_2A=s0-d)
As a new exhibition in Germany shows, the old calendars also mirror the nation's past. "It's amazing how the twists of Germany's history—the charming, the good, the bad" are shown in the calendars, says Tina Peschel, an ethnographer at the Museum of European Cultures in Berlin. She curated the exhibit of around 200 of them.
The father of the Advent calendar, Gerhard Lang, drew his inspiration from his late 19th-century childhood, when his mother baked 24 meringue pastries and affixed them to a carton, indulging her son in one each day through Christmas Eve. (Advent begins around the end of November or the beginning of December.)
Mr. Lang published his first Advent calendar in 1903, a cheerful jumble of illustrated children's toys surrounding Christmas-themed poems. Youngsters could paste illustrations of dancing pretzel makers and angels working for the German post office over the verses. In 1920, Mr. Lang's publishing house invented the perforated doors used on modern Advent calendars—but failed to get a patent. Copycats profited.
After the First World War, Advent calendars were "demilitarized," and docile animals replaced drawings of cannons and toy solders. But "Hitler quickly co-opted the calendars," says Ms. Peschel. Nazi symbols were substituted for Christian ones: swastika-clad children building snowmen and Nazi soldiers enshrined within Advent wreaths.
After World War II and Germany's division, brightly colored Christian Advent calendars returned in West Germany, garnering G.I. fans who sent them home to their families with pamphlets in English. The calendars took off in America when Newsweek published a photo in 1953 of President Eisenhower's grandchildren grasping for an Advent calendar. Demand and production jumped.
![[ICONS advent]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tbo-6Hb0nnQmbllV4p5QomSk8TH5oWWy3bfhyjGEvbXB4ZmsT1cRAnYIZVpUBPEBFUAdzPmTkda3ed7Pq9w8ljr2xAzyOUUNNVGhe4HpPLfhoDivxgGkQtK25cQNy-tx01o1xoM1RJAhYu61L4Ctu0y7c=s0-d)
State Museums of BerlinA 1951 East German calendar with rare Christian symbols
Meanwhile, East Germany launched a successful campaign to abandon Advent, advertising Christmas as an atheist holiday and marginalizing publishing houses that added Christian symbols to what they dubbed "pre-Christmas calendars." Instead, state-approved calendars featured Young Pioneers frolicking in the snow—though parents resisted buying galactic-themed calendars with rocket sleighs promoting the Soviet space race. "Even communist parents still wanted winter scenes," says Ms. Peschel.
And what became of edible calendars like those of Mr. Lang's childhood? They thrived in the 1930s, were cut short by war rations, but picked up speed again with the postwar proliferation of preservatives in candy.
Despite all the marketing to children, Christmas can be fun for German parents, too: Some modern breweries offer relief to parents weary from buying presents via "calendars" providing a can of beer each day of Advent.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christmas Countdown Advent Calendars
Tis the time of the year for counting down the days til Christmas with Advent Calendars. This tradition began in my family when I was just a child, and my Grandma bought all of us Grandchildren a cardboard advent Christmas Advent Count Down Calendar... each day we would open a door with the days date on it and retrieve a chocolate coin hidden inside... these calendars are still available today either in stores (The Dollar Store/Dollar Tree Store always carry them) or online for just .99 cents! Because I enjoyed those calendars (and still do) so much, I kept the tradition going with my own daughters and made sure they had an Advent Count Down Calendar every year too.
For those of you who know me... know I have an addictive personality and when I like something... I really like something! So... my obsession with Christmas Advent Count Down Calendars has continued to grow each year since the year I received that first one. I currently have 10 Count Down Calendars I enjoy each year... although this year I did loan two of them out to the two sons of our dear friends, the DeLuca's. This is the DeLuca boys first experience with Christmas Count Down Calendars, I hope they are enjoying them as much as I do. The two calendars I lent them were from Starbucks 2007 and 2006... these are cardboard shaped trees with a little drawer for each day of December... each day the boys will open a drawer and retrieve the candy treat hidden inside, then they will turn the drawer around before reinserting it back in place and reveal a piece of a puzzle... the drawers are in random order all over the tree, so they not only get a treat, but are working on a picture puzzle at the same time. Just silly fun... but isn't most fun just silly!??
I have Count Down Calendars in various sizes, and with various ways to Count Down til Christmas Eve. Some... like the Starbucks Calendar... a treat is placed inside each box or drawer... I particularly like to get a selection of chocolates to put inside the drawers so you just never know what to expect on any day... such as... I get the gold wrapped coins, Hersey kisses, minature bars, Lindor truffles, etc... but putting just a single Hersey kiss in each drawer is enough too... and even though I mix my treats up... I only put in one treat per box per day. I have all 3 versions of the Starbucks Count Down Calendars (2005-2007)... unfortunately Starbucks no longer make these.... darn it.... because they came with really good chocolates in them too!!! Some years my girls would have to share a Count Down Calendar that had chocolates in them, some years they had their own... but either way they were excited each day before Christmas to see what their treat would be, or what their sister's treat would be.
In the 1980's my Mother-in-law made my girls a wall hanging Count Down Calendar from a fabric panel (she loves to sew!) that she found in JoAnn Fabrics... it's called "A Beary Merry Christmas". It is a drawing of a house with rooms and the yard outside... it has a little stuffed bear with velcro on it's back... and each place the bear must visit on his search to find Christmas also has a piece of velcro... each day the bear goes to a new location looking for christmas (such as... looking in the mailbox, looking on the pond, looking under front porch steps, looking in the bathtub, etc.). This calendar was, and still is the very favorite of all my girls... and all 3 of them have tried to claim dibs on it to be passed on to them! Because my girls are now grown, and 2 of my 3 daughters have a child of their own... just this evening I tried to find this fabric panel online so that I could make 2 more, and then each daughter would have their own to enjoy with their children. However.... much to my astonishment.... not only is this fabric panel no longer available... but on ebay they are selling for over $100 per unfinished panel!!!! WHAT!!!!!????? Are people crazy?????? I'll keep searching... like a dog wanting to unbury a bone... and I WILL find these panels, and I WILL make them for my children's children.... but it may take me awhile! : )
I also have the Count Down Calendars in which you add an ornament to the tree each day. The ornaments are kept inside a drawer(s) or behind a door(s), and each day you decorate the tree. I have 5 of this kind... and this kind is my personal favorite. Of these 5, two are snowmen holding a fake twiggy tree and have little resin ornaments that get hung on their trees, two are wooden and have ornaments numbered 1-24 on them and you either turn the ornament around to show the painted decorated side, or you add an ornament to a nail peg each day... and last but not least... in fact one of my new all time favorites (I just got it this week after finding it on ebay) is this 3D wooden tree that sits on a wooden box and rotates. All around the wooden base are little doors with little magnetic ornaments inside and the ornaments just stick right on the tree. The two wooden ones and the 3D Count Down Calendars were recently added to my collection just this year. All 3 were such a surprise when they arrived, and I truly felt like a little kid on Christmas morning because they were nothing like I expected... they were sooooo much better than I could have imagined! I really feel like I hit the "Mother Lode"!!!!
Occasionally I like to peruse around ebay with a curious frame of mind, just to see what is available out there. On items that I like to collect... such as... old mixing bowls from the 1940's/1950's, Count Down Calendars, ornaments, vintage hand bags, etc... I can spend hours and hours just cyber window shopping. Then once in awhile I will literally hit the "Mother Lode" on any particular item and I feel like I have found secret treasures! That is exactly what happened one day last week when I was bored and went on ebay looking at Christmas Advent Calendar Count Downs. Each one I saw was cooler than the one before, and each one was "Buy It Now"... and... they were so reasonably priced... as in CHEAP... that I just couldn't help myself... and the next thing I knew I had hit the "Buy It Now" button 5 times!!!!! OOPS!!!! Then... because I am '50 something' and have 'mushy brain' at times... I totally forgot about ordering these Count Down Calendars until they started arriving this week!! I did most of my Christmas shopping online on Cyber Monday... therefore... I have lots of deliveries this week with all my purchased Christmas gifts, so when I am going through whatever boxes have been delivered, I'm not looking for the Advent Count Down Calendars, I'm just looking for my purchases... and then I open a box containing one of my new Advent Count Down Calendars and am THRILLED beyond words with it! During the month of December, I pop out of bed each morning to do my morning routine of updating all my Count Down Calendars, then I light my Yankee Candle Mistletoe candles, then turn on my Christmas music.. and thus begins another day of Christmas Cheer!
Who knows... one day I may be that crazy lady you see interviewed on one of those magazine shows because I have rooms full of my collections of Christmas Advent Calendars... but probably not! All I know is how much I truly enjoy my Count Down Calendars each year! As in all things I love, I like to share with others, so I am hoping this blog might just inspire you to begin the Christmas Count Down Calendar tradition too. It doesn't matter your age, these calendars are enjoyed by all, and start each day of the Christmas season with a smile and/or a treat! Some of these Count Down Calendars 'can' run into hundreds of dollars (if you are crazy!!!), but you can get a decent wooden one that costs around $20-$30, and while this may seem a bit pricey for a holiday decoration... these kind of calendars can be used over and over for many years, and will definitely pay for themselves... but the $1 ones bring just as much joy! And if you think it's too late to get started this year... it isn't... you can still catch up... but if you want to begin this tradition next year, it's always great to be on the look out for these Count Down Calendars after Christmas when they are even bigger bargains!
Tomorrow is Day 8 already and Christmas Day will be here soon!! I hope everyone is being good for Santa... My Elves Home ornaments are hanging on my tree... therefore... I know those sneaky elves are watching me, and I'm trying my hardest to give them good reports to send to Santa each and every night!!
For those of you who know me... know I have an addictive personality and when I like something... I really like something! So... my obsession with Christmas Advent Count Down Calendars has continued to grow each year since the year I received that first one. I currently have 10 Count Down Calendars I enjoy each year... although this year I did loan two of them out to the two sons of our dear friends, the DeLuca's. This is the DeLuca boys first experience with Christmas Count Down Calendars, I hope they are enjoying them as much as I do. The two calendars I lent them were from Starbucks 2007 and 2006... these are cardboard shaped trees with a little drawer for each day of December... each day the boys will open a drawer and retrieve the candy treat hidden inside, then they will turn the drawer around before reinserting it back in place and reveal a piece of a puzzle... the drawers are in random order all over the tree, so they not only get a treat, but are working on a picture puzzle at the same time. Just silly fun... but isn't most fun just silly!??
I have Count Down Calendars in various sizes, and with various ways to Count Down til Christmas Eve. Some... like the Starbucks Calendar... a treat is placed inside each box or drawer... I particularly like to get a selection of chocolates to put inside the drawers so you just never know what to expect on any day... such as... I get the gold wrapped coins, Hersey kisses, minature bars, Lindor truffles, etc... but putting just a single Hersey kiss in each drawer is enough too... and even though I mix my treats up... I only put in one treat per box per day. I have all 3 versions of the Starbucks Count Down Calendars (2005-2007)... unfortunately Starbucks no longer make these.... darn it.... because they came with really good chocolates in them too!!! Some years my girls would have to share a Count Down Calendar that had chocolates in them, some years they had their own... but either way they were excited each day before Christmas to see what their treat would be, or what their sister's treat would be.
In the 1980's my Mother-in-law made my girls a wall hanging Count Down Calendar from a fabric panel (she loves to sew!) that she found in JoAnn Fabrics... it's called "A Beary Merry Christmas". It is a drawing of a house with rooms and the yard outside... it has a little stuffed bear with velcro on it's back... and each place the bear must visit on his search to find Christmas also has a piece of velcro... each day the bear goes to a new location looking for christmas (such as... looking in the mailbox, looking on the pond, looking under front porch steps, looking in the bathtub, etc.). This calendar was, and still is the very favorite of all my girls... and all 3 of them have tried to claim dibs on it to be passed on to them! Because my girls are now grown, and 2 of my 3 daughters have a child of their own... just this evening I tried to find this fabric panel online so that I could make 2 more, and then each daughter would have their own to enjoy with their children. However.... much to my astonishment.... not only is this fabric panel no longer available... but on ebay they are selling for over $100 per unfinished panel!!!! WHAT!!!!!????? Are people crazy?????? I'll keep searching... like a dog wanting to unbury a bone... and I WILL find these panels, and I WILL make them for my children's children.... but it may take me awhile! : )
I also have the Count Down Calendars in which you add an ornament to the tree each day. The ornaments are kept inside a drawer(s) or behind a door(s), and each day you decorate the tree. I have 5 of this kind... and this kind is my personal favorite. Of these 5, two are snowmen holding a fake twiggy tree and have little resin ornaments that get hung on their trees, two are wooden and have ornaments numbered 1-24 on them and you either turn the ornament around to show the painted decorated side, or you add an ornament to a nail peg each day... and last but not least... in fact one of my new all time favorites (I just got it this week after finding it on ebay) is this 3D wooden tree that sits on a wooden box and rotates. All around the wooden base are little doors with little magnetic ornaments inside and the ornaments just stick right on the tree. The two wooden ones and the 3D Count Down Calendars were recently added to my collection just this year. All 3 were such a surprise when they arrived, and I truly felt like a little kid on Christmas morning because they were nothing like I expected... they were sooooo much better than I could have imagined! I really feel like I hit the "Mother Lode"!!!!
Occasionally I like to peruse around ebay with a curious frame of mind, just to see what is available out there. On items that I like to collect... such as... old mixing bowls from the 1940's/1950's, Count Down Calendars, ornaments, vintage hand bags, etc... I can spend hours and hours just cyber window shopping. Then once in awhile I will literally hit the "Mother Lode" on any particular item and I feel like I have found secret treasures! That is exactly what happened one day last week when I was bored and went on ebay looking at Christmas Advent Calendar Count Downs. Each one I saw was cooler than the one before, and each one was "Buy It Now"... and... they were so reasonably priced... as in CHEAP... that I just couldn't help myself... and the next thing I knew I had hit the "Buy It Now" button 5 times!!!!! OOPS!!!! Then... because I am '50 something' and have 'mushy brain' at times... I totally forgot about ordering these Count Down Calendars until they started arriving this week!! I did most of my Christmas shopping online on Cyber Monday... therefore... I have lots of deliveries this week with all my purchased Christmas gifts, so when I am going through whatever boxes have been delivered, I'm not looking for the Advent Count Down Calendars, I'm just looking for my purchases... and then I open a box containing one of my new Advent Count Down Calendars and am THRILLED beyond words with it! During the month of December, I pop out of bed each morning to do my morning routine of updating all my Count Down Calendars, then I light my Yankee Candle Mistletoe candles, then turn on my Christmas music.. and thus begins another day of Christmas Cheer!
Who knows... one day I may be that crazy lady you see interviewed on one of those magazine shows because I have rooms full of my collections of Christmas Advent Calendars... but probably not! All I know is how much I truly enjoy my Count Down Calendars each year! As in all things I love, I like to share with others, so I am hoping this blog might just inspire you to begin the Christmas Count Down Calendar tradition too. It doesn't matter your age, these calendars are enjoyed by all, and start each day of the Christmas season with a smile and/or a treat! Some of these Count Down Calendars 'can' run into hundreds of dollars (if you are crazy!!!), but you can get a decent wooden one that costs around $20-$30, and while this may seem a bit pricey for a holiday decoration... these kind of calendars can be used over and over for many years, and will definitely pay for themselves... but the $1 ones bring just as much joy! And if you think it's too late to get started this year... it isn't... you can still catch up... but if you want to begin this tradition next year, it's always great to be on the look out for these Count Down Calendars after Christmas when they are even bigger bargains!
Tomorrow is Day 8 already and Christmas Day will be here soon!! I hope everyone is being good for Santa... My Elves Home ornaments are hanging on my tree... therefore... I know those sneaky elves are watching me, and I'm trying my hardest to give them good reports to send to Santa each and every night!!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
My Momma
I really need to write and dedicate a blog just for, and about my Momma! She is a true treasure... and I'm sure all of you feel the same about your own Mother's too... but for today, for this one moment in time... this is for you Mom!!! I will never begin to be able to tell you how much I love you, how proud of you I am, and how I strive everyday to be like you! MUAH and HUGS!!!!
Where to begin actually is my first challenge... and with keeping in mind of my own age and memory challenges... I'll work my way backwards. The reason I feel the need to honor my Mom with this blog is for the simple reason, that she is always, and will always be there for me no matter what the need.
Because of the many relocations we have had to make for Joe's job, I have been the stray sheep of my family since 1978 when I married. In the beginning we were able to make the long haul home for holidays... then we had babies, then Joe's job required him to work on Thanksgiving and we were no longer able to drive home to join any family for Thanksgiving, so we only had each other to celebrate with. That is when my Mom left her own Holiday tradition of being with her Mom, Sister/Family, my Brother/family to come be with me and my family so we would at least have some family with us to celebrate with. She has been joining us for Thanksgiving ever since... which is now 16 years of celebrations together! I'm VERY Thankful and Blessed!
Mom is involved in the serving needs of her church every single day. She bakes for fund raisers; she makes meals to serve to the grieving, and/or sick; she works with her community ministering to those in need who have lost their homes to fires, floods, or loss of job; she cooks for Wednesday evening church services to provide meals to families who are too stressed, have no time to prepare a meal prior to church due to working, or who want the fellowship with their fellow church members so that everyone can have a hot meal and be able to attend Wednesday evening church services. In other words... my Mom is VERY selfless, and is a VERY 'dedicated to helping others' kind of person. She never puts herself, or her needs first, and she never has. She would literally give the shirt off her back to anyone in need.
My Mom is all about her family... immediate and extended. She took such sweet tender care of my Grandma for the past several years (all of my extended family helped take care of Grandma, we all visited, we were all always there for her too... it's just that my Mom lived the closest and was able to be there the most often). My Mom, her sister (Aunt Edie), and my Grandma were all a threesome of really good friends over and beyond being Mother and Daughters. My Mom and Aunt continue to be the dearest of friends as well as the dearest of sisters. My Mom spent sooo much time with my Grandma over her whole life, but especially the past 5 years, and she really misses her most during the holidays.
My Mom has had to overcome many tragic events in her life... yet she did so each time with all the strength she possessed. These events have definitely left their scars, but she is still standing strong, and she is happier now than she has ever been, thanks to the wonderful love and kindness of her husband Caywood. My mom birthed 3 children... yet only 2 of us are still alive. My Mom married at the young age of 17... at the young age of 18, and 2 weeks before her first anniversary, she gave birth to my brother (Mike). At the young age of 20, and on her 3rd anniversary, she gave birth to me, and at the young age of 21, she gave birth to my sister (Paula). Mom had female problems during all 3 deliveries and about lost her life with all 3 of us due to hemorrhaging. Then horribly, when Mom was just 22 years old, my sister choked to death in my Father's arms, in our home from a kernel of popcorn, just 7 days before Christmas... Paula was only 22 months old. That definitely has been the hardest tragic event she has had to deal with, and to this day, the Christmas Season brings her as much heartache as it does joy. My Mom also had to deal with not one, but two divorces... but eventually, she did indeed find her Prince Charming. And she has lost both her parents whom she was very close with as well. But Mom is pretty resilient and keeps picking herself back up, finding more love and compassion for others along the way because of her own experiences. My Mom has a very real sense of what is truly important, and how precious life can be.
Even tho I have lived far from home since the day I married, my Mom has been there by my side for every major event/crisis in my life, whether it be joyous weddings and births, through many a scary health crisis, or to attend my daughters sporting events, award ceremonies, graduations, etc. She has come to stay with me, take care of me, and take care of my family when I was recouperating from surgeries and unable to do so for myself. She has come to spend Holidays with me when we were all alone and far from home... and just this very week she again, came to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with Joe and I, knowing we were not able to be with our girls or our grandbabies.
That's my Mom.... there may be a million of women out there who are just like my Mom... I sure hope so... and I hope I am one of those million of women too! Our Mom's are dear to us for all our lives... I'm blessed beyond words to have one of those FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL Moms! To me she is the Best of the Best! I LOVE YOU BUNCHES MOM!!!! Thank you again for being with us for another Thanksgiving Holiday! HUGS and MUAH!
Where to begin actually is my first challenge... and with keeping in mind of my own age and memory challenges... I'll work my way backwards. The reason I feel the need to honor my Mom with this blog is for the simple reason, that she is always, and will always be there for me no matter what the need.
Because of the many relocations we have had to make for Joe's job, I have been the stray sheep of my family since 1978 when I married. In the beginning we were able to make the long haul home for holidays... then we had babies, then Joe's job required him to work on Thanksgiving and we were no longer able to drive home to join any family for Thanksgiving, so we only had each other to celebrate with. That is when my Mom left her own Holiday tradition of being with her Mom, Sister/Family, my Brother/family to come be with me and my family so we would at least have some family with us to celebrate with. She has been joining us for Thanksgiving ever since... which is now 16 years of celebrations together! I'm VERY Thankful and Blessed!
Mom is involved in the serving needs of her church every single day. She bakes for fund raisers; she makes meals to serve to the grieving, and/or sick; she works with her community ministering to those in need who have lost their homes to fires, floods, or loss of job; she cooks for Wednesday evening church services to provide meals to families who are too stressed, have no time to prepare a meal prior to church due to working, or who want the fellowship with their fellow church members so that everyone can have a hot meal and be able to attend Wednesday evening church services. In other words... my Mom is VERY selfless, and is a VERY 'dedicated to helping others' kind of person. She never puts herself, or her needs first, and she never has. She would literally give the shirt off her back to anyone in need.
My Mom is all about her family... immediate and extended. She took such sweet tender care of my Grandma for the past several years (all of my extended family helped take care of Grandma, we all visited, we were all always there for her too... it's just that my Mom lived the closest and was able to be there the most often). My Mom, her sister (Aunt Edie), and my Grandma were all a threesome of really good friends over and beyond being Mother and Daughters. My Mom and Aunt continue to be the dearest of friends as well as the dearest of sisters. My Mom spent sooo much time with my Grandma over her whole life, but especially the past 5 years, and she really misses her most during the holidays.
My Mom has had to overcome many tragic events in her life... yet she did so each time with all the strength she possessed. These events have definitely left their scars, but she is still standing strong, and she is happier now than she has ever been, thanks to the wonderful love and kindness of her husband Caywood. My mom birthed 3 children... yet only 2 of us are still alive. My Mom married at the young age of 17... at the young age of 18, and 2 weeks before her first anniversary, she gave birth to my brother (Mike). At the young age of 20, and on her 3rd anniversary, she gave birth to me, and at the young age of 21, she gave birth to my sister (Paula). Mom had female problems during all 3 deliveries and about lost her life with all 3 of us due to hemorrhaging. Then horribly, when Mom was just 22 years old, my sister choked to death in my Father's arms, in our home from a kernel of popcorn, just 7 days before Christmas... Paula was only 22 months old. That definitely has been the hardest tragic event she has had to deal with, and to this day, the Christmas Season brings her as much heartache as it does joy. My Mom also had to deal with not one, but two divorces... but eventually, she did indeed find her Prince Charming. And she has lost both her parents whom she was very close with as well. But Mom is pretty resilient and keeps picking herself back up, finding more love and compassion for others along the way because of her own experiences. My Mom has a very real sense of what is truly important, and how precious life can be.
Even tho I have lived far from home since the day I married, my Mom has been there by my side for every major event/crisis in my life, whether it be joyous weddings and births, through many a scary health crisis, or to attend my daughters sporting events, award ceremonies, graduations, etc. She has come to stay with me, take care of me, and take care of my family when I was recouperating from surgeries and unable to do so for myself. She has come to spend Holidays with me when we were all alone and far from home... and just this very week she again, came to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with Joe and I, knowing we were not able to be with our girls or our grandbabies.
That's my Mom.... there may be a million of women out there who are just like my Mom... I sure hope so... and I hope I am one of those million of women too! Our Mom's are dear to us for all our lives... I'm blessed beyond words to have one of those FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL Moms! To me she is the Best of the Best! I LOVE YOU BUNCHES MOM!!!! Thank you again for being with us for another Thanksgiving Holiday! HUGS and MUAH!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thanksgiving 2011
Tom Turkey has been cooked, admired, photographed, gobbled up, and stored in the fridge for another Thanksgiving Day Holiday! UMMM UMMMM UMMMMMM he sure was good!
Last Thanksgiving Joe and I had just recently moved to our new home in Kansas, and really hadn't quite unpacked and settled in completely yet before the holidays were upon us. My Mom and her husband Caywood (God Bless them both who have come to feast in my home, at my table for the past 16 years) drove the 14 hours from Kentucky to Kansas to continue the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with me, and we had a family of very dear friends (The DeLuca Family) who also came to celebrate at our table... and I must add here that the Mom of this family, Theresa DeLuca, was in the midst of chemo treatments for ovarian cancer... it was very important to Theresa that she come celebrate with us... even tho... she could barely walk from the car to the table, much less sit through a meal because she was so weak from the treatments... but... she did come, and she made it through the dinner and we were THRILLED the DeLuca family could join us. It was a frigid cold day, but we had a wonderful meal, we all had a great time, and my Mom's visit made this new house feel finally like home.
This year we had the same group of folks celebrating with us, also, joining us at our table, were a couple of newbies. My sweet, sweet friend Katie Girl joined us, and a co-worker (Christy), who just moved here from Tennessee last year and wasn't able to be with her family also joined us. Again... we had a wonderful meal, we had a wonderful time in fellowship, and it was a beautiful sunny day reaching a high of 68 degrees!!! But the biggest change this year was Theresa and her health... she completed her chemo treatments in February and has continued to heal and recover every day since. This year Theresa was beaming and radiating with good health and much Thanksgiving. Theresa continues to inspire me with her grace and beauty, and with her uber positive attitude... even in the very worst of times! Theresa... you are AWESOME!!!!
Our menu this year is pretty much the same as it is every year... but I did add a new dish (baked cranberry relish) that was tastier than I expected it to be and will share the recipe for it in this blog. I roasted my stuffed Tom Turkey, and Joe deep fried his cajun seasoned Tom Turkey... he LOVES the juicy spiciness of his fried turkey, and I like the traditional moistness of my roasted turkey, but especially the stuffing inside. We also had creamy mashed potatoes (run through a food mill... and definitely not figure friendly with all the real butter and heavy cream used) sweet potato casserole (made with coconut milk), dressing and stuffing, home canned green beans, corn, home made sweet rolls, gravy (my speciality), baked cranberry relish... then for desserts..... Derby pie, Pumpkin pie, Queen of Sheba cake.... nummy, nummy, nummy.... in my tummy for sure!!!! Proudly every single dish came out on time and completely perfect!!!! Let's just say that.... those who had to go home, literally waddled out the door with leftovers in hand!!!
Here are a few of the recipes from my menu... I hope you give them a try and enjoy as much as we did.
Baked Cranberry Relish
4 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Toss cranberries with sugar, place in a lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 1 hour, stir in walnuts, marmalade, and lemon juice and refrigerate.
Derby Pie
1 stick butter (melted)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup corn syrup (light)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 frozen pie shells (regular... NOT deep dish)
Stir melted butter , eggs, corn syrup, and sugar together. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup pecans evenly in each pie shell, distribute butter mixture evenly in both pie shells over the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes... should be golden brown all over. Finished pie will have the same consistency as a pecan pie.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Milk
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk (can usually be found in the Mexican Foods in your local grocery)
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425, place sweet potatoes in over and bake for 20 minutes, then pierce skins to avoid bursting, and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool, peel and mash (just like mashed potatoes).
Place coconut milk, cinnamon stick and brown sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the potatoes and coconut mixture together until creamy. Marshmallows can be placed on top and browned in oven, or casserole can be served immediately or placed in fridge and warmed later.
Hope all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving Day as my family enjoyed... and I again highly encourage you to try these recipes!
Last Thanksgiving Joe and I had just recently moved to our new home in Kansas, and really hadn't quite unpacked and settled in completely yet before the holidays were upon us. My Mom and her husband Caywood (God Bless them both who have come to feast in my home, at my table for the past 16 years) drove the 14 hours from Kentucky to Kansas to continue the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with me, and we had a family of very dear friends (The DeLuca Family) who also came to celebrate at our table... and I must add here that the Mom of this family, Theresa DeLuca, was in the midst of chemo treatments for ovarian cancer... it was very important to Theresa that she come celebrate with us... even tho... she could barely walk from the car to the table, much less sit through a meal because she was so weak from the treatments... but... she did come, and she made it through the dinner and we were THRILLED the DeLuca family could join us. It was a frigid cold day, but we had a wonderful meal, we all had a great time, and my Mom's visit made this new house feel finally like home.
This year we had the same group of folks celebrating with us, also, joining us at our table, were a couple of newbies. My sweet, sweet friend Katie Girl joined us, and a co-worker (Christy), who just moved here from Tennessee last year and wasn't able to be with her family also joined us. Again... we had a wonderful meal, we had a wonderful time in fellowship, and it was a beautiful sunny day reaching a high of 68 degrees!!! But the biggest change this year was Theresa and her health... she completed her chemo treatments in February and has continued to heal and recover every day since. This year Theresa was beaming and radiating with good health and much Thanksgiving. Theresa continues to inspire me with her grace and beauty, and with her uber positive attitude... even in the very worst of times! Theresa... you are AWESOME!!!!
Our menu this year is pretty much the same as it is every year... but I did add a new dish (baked cranberry relish) that was tastier than I expected it to be and will share the recipe for it in this blog. I roasted my stuffed Tom Turkey, and Joe deep fried his cajun seasoned Tom Turkey... he LOVES the juicy spiciness of his fried turkey, and I like the traditional moistness of my roasted turkey, but especially the stuffing inside. We also had creamy mashed potatoes (run through a food mill... and definitely not figure friendly with all the real butter and heavy cream used) sweet potato casserole (made with coconut milk), dressing and stuffing, home canned green beans, corn, home made sweet rolls, gravy (my speciality), baked cranberry relish... then for desserts..... Derby pie, Pumpkin pie, Queen of Sheba cake.... nummy, nummy, nummy.... in my tummy for sure!!!! Proudly every single dish came out on time and completely perfect!!!! Let's just say that.... those who had to go home, literally waddled out the door with leftovers in hand!!!
Here are a few of the recipes from my menu... I hope you give them a try and enjoy as much as we did.
Baked Cranberry Relish
4 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Toss cranberries with sugar, place in a lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 1 hour, stir in walnuts, marmalade, and lemon juice and refrigerate.
Derby Pie
1 stick butter (melted)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup corn syrup (light)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 frozen pie shells (regular... NOT deep dish)
Stir melted butter , eggs, corn syrup, and sugar together. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup pecans evenly in each pie shell, distribute butter mixture evenly in both pie shells over the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes... should be golden brown all over. Finished pie will have the same consistency as a pecan pie.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Milk
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk (can usually be found in the Mexican Foods in your local grocery)
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425, place sweet potatoes in over and bake for 20 minutes, then pierce skins to avoid bursting, and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool, peel and mash (just like mashed potatoes).
Place coconut milk, cinnamon stick and brown sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the potatoes and coconut mixture together until creamy. Marshmallows can be placed on top and browned in oven, or casserole can be served immediately or placed in fridge and warmed later.
Hope all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving Day as my family enjoyed... and I again highly encourage you to try these recipes!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tis Time To Decorate!
Yes folks... it tis that time of year again to yank out all those holiday decorations, put outside twinkle lights up and such to celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, as well as Christmas. I am already seeing Christmas lights up on many houses in our area (including our own) and it is just so beautiful to see when driving around town... especially since the days are so short now and darkness comes so early, the Christmas twinkle lights make the long hours of darkness sooo much better!
Joe works from Nov. 1st thru Dec. 23rd everyday... traveling most days... he leaves when it's dark outside, and when he gets home it's dark outside, then he is working every weekend til Christmas too... so because of his heavy work schedule during this season, we have our outdoor lights put up by our lawn fella. This little hometown lawn company keeps busy in the winter time by putting up and taking down all the lights, so it helps them too. Plus... honestly... I am 4' 11"... even on the tallest of ladders I can not reach the heights necessary to put the lights up on the house or on the outside trees... AND... I'm quite clumsy to begin with... so... I'm totally ok with avoiding ladder danger! This company orders your choice of lights, you decide what you want strung with lights and they do the rest. The first year is the most expensive because of the costs of the lights needed to purchase... the years following, these folks come out and put the lights up and you don't even know they have done so until you come home and see the lights on the house. After the holidays are over, they store each customers lights in a bucket with the customers name on it and it takes them less than an hour to string all the lights up in the years after the initial year. Sooooo cool!!! We chose the LED blue-ish looking lights and I just LOVE them!!!! We are the only house on our street, so when we pull onto our street and see our house all aglow at the end of the street... it is such a happy greeting to come home to!
Last year was our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house... we moved here in Oct. and we were not completely unpacked and settled by the time the Holidays came around... so... I stressed and fretted where to put my Holiday decorations from houses past and finally, pretty much just put stuff wherever there was an open spot just to 'git-r-done'. We weren't home for the actual Christmas holidays anyway, so it didn't matter that much.
This year we are entertaining a nice group for Thanksgiving, and the following weekend we are hosting a cocktail hour for some business folks, and I really needed my house to be decorated prior to Thanksgiving for both reasons. The only problem is.... I don't have the eye for decorating... I'm teachable, and I can do it once I see it done... but I just lack the vision to see it in the first place. However... I have a very dear, sweet, adorable friend who is very talented in this area... so with the promise of making her all her favorite dishes for lunch (which wasn't necessary... she would have done it for me anyway)... Katie Girl came over and worked for two days with me decorating my house. My house has NEVER looked this fabulous decorated before!!! I'm soooo happy with the Holiday Cheer that is now all over my house, that I am more excited for this Christmas than I ever have been before... and that's saying quite a bit since I'm always gaga for Christmas! But then.... perhaps these two new Grandbabies might have something to do with my Christmas spirit too??!! : )
I worked for two days bringing out all the Holiday decorations, unboxing them, and then arranging them in organized piles, so that when Katie got here she could literally 'shop' from all the decorations I have accumulated over the past 30+ years. I didn't have to go out and buy a single thing for her to transform my house into the festive jewel she is now! I have so many Holiday decorations, I had plenty of stuff left over that just needs to be packed away again and saved for when/if we move to a new home again.
Katie took all my 'Christmas stuff' and arranged it in with a lot of my 'everyday decorations' and blended them in together, so you get a feel of what the house normally looks like as well as how festive it looks with Holiday decorations. In the past 30+ years I have always completely disassembled my house, taking ALL the normal decorations down and putting up just Holiday decorations... I'm just completely amazed that having the decorations blended together makes such a difference... much more homier feeling! I'm in deep deep gratitude for Katie Girl's time, and talent she shared with me. I LOVE's ya bunches girl!!!
This is the first time I've ever had help with all the Holiday decorating... wish I had had it years before! My Grandma used to decorate anything and everything in sight that would hold an ornament, tinsel, bell hanger, or ribbon! EVERYTHING!!! Every inch of her house would be totally gussed up for the Holidays! All us Grandkids would go over and help her decorate as we were growing up, but she would do most of it. As we all got older, and she too got older and could no longer decorate her house the way she wanted it, my cousins would go in and decorate for her... just like she used to do. She makes lunch, they decorate, and I've heard it was always a special time for them all. My cousins still live in the same town my Grandma did, and I always lived at least one or more states away, so I was just never able to be there to lend a hand... sure wish I could have tho! My cousin Sherry was the main decorator, and my cousin Debbie was the main un-decorator. Debbie's job was to visit Grandma after the Holidays and take down all the decorations and pack them away for her until next year. It was a great system and the running joke between the two sisters was... Sherry would always say... "Ha Ha Debbie... I'm putting out every single thing, in every single box... so you have to put every single thing back away, in every single box"! They always enjoyed their roles in helping Grandma with her decorations.
This is our 2nd Christmas to celebrate without Grandma and we dearly dearly miss her! After Grandma passed away and her possessions had to be sorted out and dealt with... all us cousins gathered in her condo to pick and choose special possessions we wanted to keep of hers. I ended up with several of her Christmas decorations that I remembered ALWAYS seeing her put out each year. I also have several Christmas decorations from Grandma that she hand made for all of us over the years. When Katie was decorating, my only request was that those special decorations be used somewhere in my house. So Grandma... you are literally all over my house and I think of you each time I see anything you made for me, or that I inherited after you passed.... these things are still cherished, and loved, and always will be!!!
I have greenery swags that used to hang on our black wrought iron fence from our previous house... Katie took these swags and wire clippers and turned them into these amazing centerpieces and tucked bits of this greenery here, there, and everywhere and just those tiny little touches have made some of the biggest differences. There is NOTHING in my house this year that is in the same spot it was last year... yet... I feel all the pieces are exactly where they should be now. After all the Holiday hub-a-bubba is over... I have asked Katie if she would come help me re-decorate my house with just my everyday decorations. I know if she is in town, and IF she is able, she will once again come to my aid and lend her amazing talent and time. I will once again fix her all her favorite nibbles, and we will once again chat and giggle our way through the task. Again.... I'm soooo grateful for not only Katie's talent... but her awesome friendship too!
I still have to repack the unused items away, but because I had to do outside of the house running errands today, that task is on the agenda for tomorrow... but other than that, my house is all decorated and ready to host and entertain. HALLEUJAH!!!! To Katie!
Wishing you all a Merry Season of Twinkle Lights, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Mistletoe, and/or whatever it is that brings you Holiday Joy! To those of other religions than Christian... may you have a Merry Season celebrating your faiths with your loved ones!
Joe works from Nov. 1st thru Dec. 23rd everyday... traveling most days... he leaves when it's dark outside, and when he gets home it's dark outside, then he is working every weekend til Christmas too... so because of his heavy work schedule during this season, we have our outdoor lights put up by our lawn fella. This little hometown lawn company keeps busy in the winter time by putting up and taking down all the lights, so it helps them too. Plus... honestly... I am 4' 11"... even on the tallest of ladders I can not reach the heights necessary to put the lights up on the house or on the outside trees... AND... I'm quite clumsy to begin with... so... I'm totally ok with avoiding ladder danger! This company orders your choice of lights, you decide what you want strung with lights and they do the rest. The first year is the most expensive because of the costs of the lights needed to purchase... the years following, these folks come out and put the lights up and you don't even know they have done so until you come home and see the lights on the house. After the holidays are over, they store each customers lights in a bucket with the customers name on it and it takes them less than an hour to string all the lights up in the years after the initial year. Sooooo cool!!! We chose the LED blue-ish looking lights and I just LOVE them!!!! We are the only house on our street, so when we pull onto our street and see our house all aglow at the end of the street... it is such a happy greeting to come home to!
Last year was our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house... we moved here in Oct. and we were not completely unpacked and settled by the time the Holidays came around... so... I stressed and fretted where to put my Holiday decorations from houses past and finally, pretty much just put stuff wherever there was an open spot just to 'git-r-done'. We weren't home for the actual Christmas holidays anyway, so it didn't matter that much.
This year we are entertaining a nice group for Thanksgiving, and the following weekend we are hosting a cocktail hour for some business folks, and I really needed my house to be decorated prior to Thanksgiving for both reasons. The only problem is.... I don't have the eye for decorating... I'm teachable, and I can do it once I see it done... but I just lack the vision to see it in the first place. However... I have a very dear, sweet, adorable friend who is very talented in this area... so with the promise of making her all her favorite dishes for lunch (which wasn't necessary... she would have done it for me anyway)... Katie Girl came over and worked for two days with me decorating my house. My house has NEVER looked this fabulous decorated before!!! I'm soooo happy with the Holiday Cheer that is now all over my house, that I am more excited for this Christmas than I ever have been before... and that's saying quite a bit since I'm always gaga for Christmas! But then.... perhaps these two new Grandbabies might have something to do with my Christmas spirit too??!! : )
I worked for two days bringing out all the Holiday decorations, unboxing them, and then arranging them in organized piles, so that when Katie got here she could literally 'shop' from all the decorations I have accumulated over the past 30+ years. I didn't have to go out and buy a single thing for her to transform my house into the festive jewel she is now! I have so many Holiday decorations, I had plenty of stuff left over that just needs to be packed away again and saved for when/if we move to a new home again.
Katie took all my 'Christmas stuff' and arranged it in with a lot of my 'everyday decorations' and blended them in together, so you get a feel of what the house normally looks like as well as how festive it looks with Holiday decorations. In the past 30+ years I have always completely disassembled my house, taking ALL the normal decorations down and putting up just Holiday decorations... I'm just completely amazed that having the decorations blended together makes such a difference... much more homier feeling! I'm in deep deep gratitude for Katie Girl's time, and talent she shared with me. I LOVE's ya bunches girl!!!
This is the first time I've ever had help with all the Holiday decorating... wish I had had it years before! My Grandma used to decorate anything and everything in sight that would hold an ornament, tinsel, bell hanger, or ribbon! EVERYTHING!!! Every inch of her house would be totally gussed up for the Holidays! All us Grandkids would go over and help her decorate as we were growing up, but she would do most of it. As we all got older, and she too got older and could no longer decorate her house the way she wanted it, my cousins would go in and decorate for her... just like she used to do. She makes lunch, they decorate, and I've heard it was always a special time for them all. My cousins still live in the same town my Grandma did, and I always lived at least one or more states away, so I was just never able to be there to lend a hand... sure wish I could have tho! My cousin Sherry was the main decorator, and my cousin Debbie was the main un-decorator. Debbie's job was to visit Grandma after the Holidays and take down all the decorations and pack them away for her until next year. It was a great system and the running joke between the two sisters was... Sherry would always say... "Ha Ha Debbie... I'm putting out every single thing, in every single box... so you have to put every single thing back away, in every single box"! They always enjoyed their roles in helping Grandma with her decorations.
This is our 2nd Christmas to celebrate without Grandma and we dearly dearly miss her! After Grandma passed away and her possessions had to be sorted out and dealt with... all us cousins gathered in her condo to pick and choose special possessions we wanted to keep of hers. I ended up with several of her Christmas decorations that I remembered ALWAYS seeing her put out each year. I also have several Christmas decorations from Grandma that she hand made for all of us over the years. When Katie was decorating, my only request was that those special decorations be used somewhere in my house. So Grandma... you are literally all over my house and I think of you each time I see anything you made for me, or that I inherited after you passed.... these things are still cherished, and loved, and always will be!!!
I have greenery swags that used to hang on our black wrought iron fence from our previous house... Katie took these swags and wire clippers and turned them into these amazing centerpieces and tucked bits of this greenery here, there, and everywhere and just those tiny little touches have made some of the biggest differences. There is NOTHING in my house this year that is in the same spot it was last year... yet... I feel all the pieces are exactly where they should be now. After all the Holiday hub-a-bubba is over... I have asked Katie if she would come help me re-decorate my house with just my everyday decorations. I know if she is in town, and IF she is able, she will once again come to my aid and lend her amazing talent and time. I will once again fix her all her favorite nibbles, and we will once again chat and giggle our way through the task. Again.... I'm soooo grateful for not only Katie's talent... but her awesome friendship too!
I still have to repack the unused items away, but because I had to do outside of the house running errands today, that task is on the agenda for tomorrow... but other than that, my house is all decorated and ready to host and entertain. HALLEUJAH!!!! To Katie!
Wishing you all a Merry Season of Twinkle Lights, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Mistletoe, and/or whatever it is that brings you Holiday Joy! To those of other religions than Christian... may you have a Merry Season celebrating your faiths with your loved ones!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Pee Wee Punch - The Come Back
Up until I was a teenager my family owned a Volkswagen Beetle car, and therefore the Pee Wee Punch game was a big part of my childhood. There are a few other known names for this game, such as, Punch Buggy, Slug Bug, Beetle Bug Punch, etc., the actual name of this game depends on where you come from... but... no matter what you call it... the game is the same. Basically it is a game of observing your surroundings while traveling in a car... but in particular to spotting Volkswagen Beetle cars.
I would bet that most who are reading this blog (in the United States) know exactly what this game is and how to play it... but... as in many other traditional games, the rules may slightly vary from region to region and family to family... so..... at the beginning of playing this game, it is optimal for all players to agree on the same set of rules before engaging in the game.
The Rules (How to Play)
As stated above... there are many variations of rules to this game, and/or you can adapt your own rules as well... as long as everyone else playing agrees to them. Here are my own family adaption rules.
1. After spotting a Volkswagen Beetle car, you must be the first to shout out it's location and the color of the vehicle. For instance... if a red Volkswagen Beetle car has been spotted by a player(s), the first person to shout out "RED ONE" (while pointing in the direction of the vehicle so that it may be confirmed by other players).... or "PEE WEE PUNCH RED"... or "SLUG BUG RED", etc.
2. As the first player shouts out the spotting of a Volkswagen Beetle and the color, the spotting player then taps or lightly hits any other player in the game.
3. The player who first successfully, and correctly spots, shouts out, and taps another player is then awarded a point for that particular Volkswagen Beetle.
4. Hard slapping and fist hitting are not allowed in our version... and most times we play with just being the first to shout out the car color without any physical interaction. The object of the game is to be more observant and earn the most "PEE WEE PUNCH" points... not to out hit or hurt any other player.
5. A Volkswagen Beetle must actually be spotted before shouting out to count. If there is a particular spot in your town/neighborhood where you KNOW a Volkswagen Beetle is usually parked... the vehicle must be actually seen before it can be counted... this is one gray area where players try to cheat! LOL Of course I love it when it happens that a player pre-shouts before having sight on the vehicle and the vehicle ISN'T in it's usual spot!!!
This is a game to involve all passengers of any age, in any car to make a car trip a bit more fun, especially when driving long distances. My husband and I play this game every time we are in the car together, and it's such a silly thing, but we have lots of fun with it. All it takes is one person in the car to begin the game... don't be disappointed if others in your car proclaim they don't want to play... usually when I begin playing this game while traveling with anyone other than my husband, sometimes the other passengers don't know how to play or say they don't want to play... but... after I spot and shout out a couple of Volkswagen Beetles, the other passengers can't help themselves and become competitive and then it's "GAME ON"!!!! : )
Being a passenger in a car isn't the only time you can play this game... you can actually play it anytime where there happens to traffic or parking lots... you can just be walking outside to play. There have been many car traveling games Joe and I have played with our daughters through the years when they were little to keep them entertained and distracted while traveling. PEE WEE PUNCH is my all time favorite travel game because I am one of those who tend to get a bit queazy when trying to focus too hard while looking out the car window, but Volkswagen Beetles are large enough to spot easily without having to focus too hard. When our daughters were small we have played the license plate game, 20 questions, car bingo, counting the semi's, etc... but Pee Wee Punch is still my favorite.
For whatever reason Wichita Kansas has a lot of Volkswagen Beetles driving around, and each time Joe and I are in the Wichita area our Pee Wee Punch count easily reaches into the double digits... the only other time our count reaches that high is on a long distance cross country trip. We even played Pee Wee Punch when we traveled to Vancouver Canada and Amsterdam this summer. We didn't see many while on these trips... but it was still GAME ON all the same! And why is it that I see several Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around town alone and no one to play with??? I am even known to shout out Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around while talking on my cell phone (hands free of course... earbuds in ears) to whomever I happen to be talking to... now that is definitely competitive!!! Even when I spot Pee Wee Punches while I'm all alone... it still makes me smile knowing that if I was with anyone else it would be a race to score that Pee Wee Punch point.
So next time you are driving or are a passenger in a car, have some fun and just start playing the game... others in the car won't be able to help themselves... and it will then be GAME ON!!! PEE WEE PUNCH BLUE!!!!
I would bet that most who are reading this blog (in the United States) know exactly what this game is and how to play it... but... as in many other traditional games, the rules may slightly vary from region to region and family to family... so..... at the beginning of playing this game, it is optimal for all players to agree on the same set of rules before engaging in the game.
The Rules (How to Play)
As stated above... there are many variations of rules to this game, and/or you can adapt your own rules as well... as long as everyone else playing agrees to them. Here are my own family adaption rules.
1. After spotting a Volkswagen Beetle car, you must be the first to shout out it's location and the color of the vehicle. For instance... if a red Volkswagen Beetle car has been spotted by a player(s), the first person to shout out "RED ONE" (while pointing in the direction of the vehicle so that it may be confirmed by other players).... or "PEE WEE PUNCH RED"... or "SLUG BUG RED", etc.
2. As the first player shouts out the spotting of a Volkswagen Beetle and the color, the spotting player then taps or lightly hits any other player in the game.
3. The player who first successfully, and correctly spots, shouts out, and taps another player is then awarded a point for that particular Volkswagen Beetle.
4. Hard slapping and fist hitting are not allowed in our version... and most times we play with just being the first to shout out the car color without any physical interaction. The object of the game is to be more observant and earn the most "PEE WEE PUNCH" points... not to out hit or hurt any other player.
5. A Volkswagen Beetle must actually be spotted before shouting out to count. If there is a particular spot in your town/neighborhood where you KNOW a Volkswagen Beetle is usually parked... the vehicle must be actually seen before it can be counted... this is one gray area where players try to cheat! LOL Of course I love it when it happens that a player pre-shouts before having sight on the vehicle and the vehicle ISN'T in it's usual spot!!!
This is a game to involve all passengers of any age, in any car to make a car trip a bit more fun, especially when driving long distances. My husband and I play this game every time we are in the car together, and it's such a silly thing, but we have lots of fun with it. All it takes is one person in the car to begin the game... don't be disappointed if others in your car proclaim they don't want to play... usually when I begin playing this game while traveling with anyone other than my husband, sometimes the other passengers don't know how to play or say they don't want to play... but... after I spot and shout out a couple of Volkswagen Beetles, the other passengers can't help themselves and become competitive and then it's "GAME ON"!!!! : )
Being a passenger in a car isn't the only time you can play this game... you can actually play it anytime where there happens to traffic or parking lots... you can just be walking outside to play. There have been many car traveling games Joe and I have played with our daughters through the years when they were little to keep them entertained and distracted while traveling. PEE WEE PUNCH is my all time favorite travel game because I am one of those who tend to get a bit queazy when trying to focus too hard while looking out the car window, but Volkswagen Beetles are large enough to spot easily without having to focus too hard. When our daughters were small we have played the license plate game, 20 questions, car bingo, counting the semi's, etc... but Pee Wee Punch is still my favorite.
For whatever reason Wichita Kansas has a lot of Volkswagen Beetles driving around, and each time Joe and I are in the Wichita area our Pee Wee Punch count easily reaches into the double digits... the only other time our count reaches that high is on a long distance cross country trip. We even played Pee Wee Punch when we traveled to Vancouver Canada and Amsterdam this summer. We didn't see many while on these trips... but it was still GAME ON all the same! And why is it that I see several Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around town alone and no one to play with??? I am even known to shout out Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around while talking on my cell phone (hands free of course... earbuds in ears) to whomever I happen to be talking to... now that is definitely competitive!!! Even when I spot Pee Wee Punches while I'm all alone... it still makes me smile knowing that if I was with anyone else it would be a race to score that Pee Wee Punch point.
So next time you are driving or are a passenger in a car, have some fun and just start playing the game... others in the car won't be able to help themselves... and it will then be GAME ON!!! PEE WEE PUNCH BLUE!!!!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tick Tock - Fall Back
Tis that time of year again when we reset our clocks back an hour... everyone loves that one night of getting an extra hour of sleep... but no one likes how dark it is in the morning before work/school, and how early it gets dark in the evening. The days are getting shorter everyday anyway, which doesn't help when the time changes... but on December 22nd the days start to get longer everyday up until June 21st when the days once again begin to get shorter... tis the cycle of life.
My husband leaves for work every morning no later than 6:30 am... rarely does he make it home from work before 6:30 pm... and on many nights he doesn't get home until 7:00 pm or after. These months of short days and early darkness make it hard for him to actually witness daylight during the week. My personal body clock begins to slow down in October... making me feel tired in the afternoon between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and then I get my 2nd wind and am fine until bedtime. After all the holidays have passed, my body clock seems to readjust itself and I no longer feel the need for a nap in the afternoon. With the days being shorter and the days dark so early, Joe and I struggle to stay up until 9:00 pm. Most of our family members know Joe and I pretty much go to bed with the chickens as it is... but come Fall... we find ourselves ready for bed soon as it gets dark.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states who do not change their clocks for the seasons, and up until 2006 (when Indiana finally changed to Daylight Savings time State wide) only parts of Indiana changed. So depending on the county lines... you and your neighbor could have an hour difference for 6 months of the year... 6 months you are on the same time and 6 months you are an hour difference. How weird is that????
During our 33 year long marriage, my husband and I have had many oopsies over the time changes... arriving to church as the service is over because we forgot to change our clocks... arriving an hour early and wondering where everyone else was... changing all the clocks in the house but forgetting to change the clock in the car and having panic attacks thinking you are an hour late and where the heck did you lose the hour! To make things easier for us and to prevent these oopsies of the past from reoccurring... I purchased all new clocks for every bedroom in the house that change automatically. These clocks worked beautifully for several years.... until.... they changed the dates for the time changes... now our clocks change two weeks early and have to now be reset again... twice... once to correct the current time and again when the time actually does change. AYE YA YA!!!! Can't win for loosing on that one!
Benjamin Franklin is credited for being the inventor of the time change... the original idea (and still current argument as to why we observe Daylight Savings Time) is to maximize the use of daylight when Spring offers more daylight earlier in the day and later in the day during Fall... the idea is to save energy used for lighting. We all love it in the Fall when we set our clocks back... and we all grumble in the Spring when we reset our clocks forward and we lose an hour.
Tick Tock set your clocks back... and should you forget... tis always... Spring Forward, Fall Back!
My husband leaves for work every morning no later than 6:30 am... rarely does he make it home from work before 6:30 pm... and on many nights he doesn't get home until 7:00 pm or after. These months of short days and early darkness make it hard for him to actually witness daylight during the week. My personal body clock begins to slow down in October... making me feel tired in the afternoon between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and then I get my 2nd wind and am fine until bedtime. After all the holidays have passed, my body clock seems to readjust itself and I no longer feel the need for a nap in the afternoon. With the days being shorter and the days dark so early, Joe and I struggle to stay up until 9:00 pm. Most of our family members know Joe and I pretty much go to bed with the chickens as it is... but come Fall... we find ourselves ready for bed soon as it gets dark.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states who do not change their clocks for the seasons, and up until 2006 (when Indiana finally changed to Daylight Savings time State wide) only parts of Indiana changed. So depending on the county lines... you and your neighbor could have an hour difference for 6 months of the year... 6 months you are on the same time and 6 months you are an hour difference. How weird is that????
During our 33 year long marriage, my husband and I have had many oopsies over the time changes... arriving to church as the service is over because we forgot to change our clocks... arriving an hour early and wondering where everyone else was... changing all the clocks in the house but forgetting to change the clock in the car and having panic attacks thinking you are an hour late and where the heck did you lose the hour! To make things easier for us and to prevent these oopsies of the past from reoccurring... I purchased all new clocks for every bedroom in the house that change automatically. These clocks worked beautifully for several years.... until.... they changed the dates for the time changes... now our clocks change two weeks early and have to now be reset again... twice... once to correct the current time and again when the time actually does change. AYE YA YA!!!! Can't win for loosing on that one!
Benjamin Franklin is credited for being the inventor of the time change... the original idea (and still current argument as to why we observe Daylight Savings Time) is to maximize the use of daylight when Spring offers more daylight earlier in the day and later in the day during Fall... the idea is to save energy used for lighting. We all love it in the Fall when we set our clocks back... and we all grumble in the Spring when we reset our clocks forward and we lose an hour.
Tick Tock set your clocks back... and should you forget... tis always... Spring Forward, Fall Back!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
High School Reunion
I just attended my 35th High School Reunion... as in... it's been 35 years since I Graduated... not the 35th time I have attended a High School Reunion. : ) I moved away from my home town right after I graduated, and other than visiting our parents and other family members, I haven't spent any time in that town since then... so it has been 35 years since I have seen any of my classmates. I just can't believe 35 years have flown by this quickly... and I'm sure the next 25 will fly by even quicker. Here are some observations from my experience of the 35th High School Reunion.
Jeffersontown High School Class of 1976 - Jeffersontown Kentucky
Thanks to Facebook, several of my high school classmates reconnected with me several months prior to the reunion date. I was so excited for the weekend of my reunion to arrive and when I would meet up again with my classmates. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.... I figured it would go one of two ways... A) We would have such a great time we wouldn't get to bed until the wee hours of the morning because we just couldn't stop the conversation or break away from the party... or B) I would have the expectations of A) and would get a room full of the dullest people I ever would want to meet and not a single person I know or remember from high school... as in... the typical movie drama nightmare. Fortunately I did indeed get the A) experience.
Our plane didn't arrive in time for us to take the school tour, but Joe and I caught up with the "Class of 7 6" at the tent set up for us at the end of the football field. We never made it to the bleachers to watch any of the game... but I do know when I glanced up to see the score it was 32-0 in our favor. GO CHARGERS!!! After the game, the classmates and spouses/significant others met up at a pizza place and resumed our on field conversations. My husband Joe also attended this high school, but graduated in the class before us in 75'... so he new most of my classmates and/or their brothers or sisters... it was a small town and most families had several children. After the 'post game pizza party' we were invited to the 'after-after party' that was hosted in a classmates hotel room... it was a Ramada Inn Convention Center/Hotel and the pizza place was inside the Ramada Inn. So... off Joe and I go to the much much smaller... and rowdier 'after-after party'. I think that was when Joe and I had the most fun of the reunion weekend, was right there in that hotel room at the 'after-after party'. It was a much more intimate setting... everyone was relaxed and on the tipsy side... everyone was in full swing of catching up with everyone else... where do you live, what do you do, how many kids do you have, how old are they, are they married, do you have any grandchildren... etc.
At least 60% of the classmates still live in or near our home town. One classmate came all the way from Germany to attend the reunion, two came from California, we came from Kansas, and a few others came from several states away. The "Popular Jocks, Cheerleaders, Student Government/Council... The It Group" still clustered together at the reunion, yet it's funny how life and years will even the playing field between the geeks, freaks and the "It's". Most of the top 10% of successfulness came from the geek and freak group... most of the "It's" were just everyday normal folks... as in... married, grandparents or still raising teenagers, working hard, making a decent living, living a comfortable life. And by the way... in high school I was a 'geeky mainstreamer'... I was in ROTC... which screams GEEK!!!!... but... I was also a Chargette (the dance squad that wore cheerleader uniforms)... which screams COOL!!!... so that made me a tweener.
Saturday everyone primped, gussed, and dressed up for the Reunion Dinner/Dance. God Bless to whoever on the reunion committee who thought to put our high school photo's on our name tags! That was AWESOME!!!! AND.... the name tags hung from strings around our necks, not stuck or pinned onto our dresses/shirts. We had a good turnout for the reunion and it was lots of fun to catch up with people who I had not seen in 35 years. Some looked exactly the same... well... actually just a few... most looked somewhat close to their high school photo, but most had gone bald or gray, and most had put on several pounds. Joe and I were again invited to attend the 'after-after party' at the same hotel room, but declined because we had an early flight out the next morning. If we only knew then what we know now... we would have definitely stayed for the 'after-after party'. We did leave early the next morning on a flight to Atlanta, where we would make a connection for Wichita. The flight to Wichita got cancelled and we were unable to get another flight out on any plane to anywhere until the next morning... so we spent the rest of the afternoon and night in Atlanta... if we had attended the 'after-after party' and stayed up all night... we could have caught up on our rest in Atlanta. Ahhh well... the vision of hind sight! : )
I stressed for months over getting in shape and figuring out just what to wear to look perfect for this reunion. In the end I did not reach my goal weight and had to settle for something that was just hanging in my closet... but... I feel like I held my own at the reunion. I wasn't the heaviest, I wasn't the thinnest, I was just like in high school... I was a main stream tweener... which I think is the most comfortable spot on the social chart. I think everyone I talked to told me they also stressed out over getting in shape before the reunion! There were several classmates I was sooo looking forward to seeing who did not attend, but it was wonderful to see all those who did attend and catch up with the past 35 years of their lives. We all had such a fun time that another reunion is in the talks for 2016... I can't wait!!!!
"Still crazy after all these years" The Class of 76' 35th Reunion!!!
Jeffersontown High School Class of 1976 - Jeffersontown Kentucky
Thanks to Facebook, several of my high school classmates reconnected with me several months prior to the reunion date. I was so excited for the weekend of my reunion to arrive and when I would meet up again with my classmates. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.... I figured it would go one of two ways... A) We would have such a great time we wouldn't get to bed until the wee hours of the morning because we just couldn't stop the conversation or break away from the party... or B) I would have the expectations of A) and would get a room full of the dullest people I ever would want to meet and not a single person I know or remember from high school... as in... the typical movie drama nightmare. Fortunately I did indeed get the A) experience.
Our plane didn't arrive in time for us to take the school tour, but Joe and I caught up with the "Class of 7 6" at the tent set up for us at the end of the football field. We never made it to the bleachers to watch any of the game... but I do know when I glanced up to see the score it was 32-0 in our favor. GO CHARGERS!!! After the game, the classmates and spouses/significant others met up at a pizza place and resumed our on field conversations. My husband Joe also attended this high school, but graduated in the class before us in 75'... so he new most of my classmates and/or their brothers or sisters... it was a small town and most families had several children. After the 'post game pizza party' we were invited to the 'after-after party' that was hosted in a classmates hotel room... it was a Ramada Inn Convention Center/Hotel and the pizza place was inside the Ramada Inn. So... off Joe and I go to the much much smaller... and rowdier 'after-after party'. I think that was when Joe and I had the most fun of the reunion weekend, was right there in that hotel room at the 'after-after party'. It was a much more intimate setting... everyone was relaxed and on the tipsy side... everyone was in full swing of catching up with everyone else... where do you live, what do you do, how many kids do you have, how old are they, are they married, do you have any grandchildren... etc.
At least 60% of the classmates still live in or near our home town. One classmate came all the way from Germany to attend the reunion, two came from California, we came from Kansas, and a few others came from several states away. The "Popular Jocks, Cheerleaders, Student Government/Council... The It Group" still clustered together at the reunion, yet it's funny how life and years will even the playing field between the geeks, freaks and the "It's". Most of the top 10% of successfulness came from the geek and freak group... most of the "It's" were just everyday normal folks... as in... married, grandparents or still raising teenagers, working hard, making a decent living, living a comfortable life. And by the way... in high school I was a 'geeky mainstreamer'... I was in ROTC... which screams GEEK!!!!... but... I was also a Chargette (the dance squad that wore cheerleader uniforms)... which screams COOL!!!... so that made me a tweener.
Saturday everyone primped, gussed, and dressed up for the Reunion Dinner/Dance. God Bless to whoever on the reunion committee who thought to put our high school photo's on our name tags! That was AWESOME!!!! AND.... the name tags hung from strings around our necks, not stuck or pinned onto our dresses/shirts. We had a good turnout for the reunion and it was lots of fun to catch up with people who I had not seen in 35 years. Some looked exactly the same... well... actually just a few... most looked somewhat close to their high school photo, but most had gone bald or gray, and most had put on several pounds. Joe and I were again invited to attend the 'after-after party' at the same hotel room, but declined because we had an early flight out the next morning. If we only knew then what we know now... we would have definitely stayed for the 'after-after party'. We did leave early the next morning on a flight to Atlanta, where we would make a connection for Wichita. The flight to Wichita got cancelled and we were unable to get another flight out on any plane to anywhere until the next morning... so we spent the rest of the afternoon and night in Atlanta... if we had attended the 'after-after party' and stayed up all night... we could have caught up on our rest in Atlanta. Ahhh well... the vision of hind sight! : )
I stressed for months over getting in shape and figuring out just what to wear to look perfect for this reunion. In the end I did not reach my goal weight and had to settle for something that was just hanging in my closet... but... I feel like I held my own at the reunion. I wasn't the heaviest, I wasn't the thinnest, I was just like in high school... I was a main stream tweener... which I think is the most comfortable spot on the social chart. I think everyone I talked to told me they also stressed out over getting in shape before the reunion! There were several classmates I was sooo looking forward to seeing who did not attend, but it was wonderful to see all those who did attend and catch up with the past 35 years of their lives. We all had such a fun time that another reunion is in the talks for 2016... I can't wait!!!!
"Still crazy after all these years" The Class of 76' 35th Reunion!!!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Ahhhh Amsterdam!!!
My husband and I took a quickie long weekend trip to Amsterdam with our dear friends (Kay and Steve) this past weekend. This was our 2nd trip to Amsterdam, but it's been 5 years since our last visit. On our first visit all four of us just fell in love with how quaint Amsterdam is, and how easy it is to travel there because English is fluently spoken and understood... so you get all the charm of "Old Europe", and the bonus of easy communication. The four of us, once again had such a wonderful time on this recent trip to Amsterdam, and there will be a return visit in the future.
Last visit we were only in Amsterdam for 2 days... but we did walking tours all over the city, we visited the Anne Frank house (my personal favorite), we accidently... but... literally... participated in a "Race For The Cure" walkathon, we enjoyed "ploughman lunches" with fresh fruit, cheeses, bread, and a bottle of wine all bought from the Farmers Market in the town square, and... as always... we sat in outdoor cafes drinking beverages and people watching. By the way... there are no obese people living in Europe... Europeans walk everywhere, and they eat fresh foods in small portions.
This visit we were in Amsterdam for 4 days, but really... that's all you need to enjoy a taste of Europe in a relaxing atmosphere, especially when you have limited time. This trip we did a walking tour in Amsterdam, visited the Heineken Factory, took the train into Delft and spent the day on a walking tour of Delft, shopped, ate "ploughman lunches", and of course... we sat in many cafes on the street drinking beverages and people watching.
The fashion you see walking by as you sit and chat is mind boggling... everyone from the old to the young... and from the rich to the poor are dressed in style. Heels are worn by most women, scarfs are worn by all, short skirts with leggings/tights are worn on both girls and women... older women wear longer skirts and blouses, but... my point is... you don't see any fellas wearing their pants belted around their knees, you see a population of confident people of all ages going about their daily lives dressed in complete style. Young girls are dressed as young girls, and young adults are dressed as young adults... you don't see young girls trying to dress as young adult women, nor do you see young adult women trying to dress like young girls.
When in Amsterdam you must be VERY aware of the bicycles at all times!!! SERIOUSLY!!! You can get run over by a bicycle in the blink of an eye! And again I must say in complete admiration that... more often than not, the women (of all ages) on bicycles were wearing mini skirts, leggings/tights, and high heels! We even saw several women with baby seats on the front of the bicycle and a child seat on the back fender... or a child seat on the back fender and a baby tied to the front of the Mother in a moby wrap! The bicyclists are always at the ready to ring their bells if you should stray in their path... basically... in Amsterdam bicycles rule!!!
So glad we were able to squeeze in this long weekend trip to Amsterdam with our buddies before the holiday hecticness begins... which... I hate to remind anyone who might be reading this... but... Thanksgiving is ONLY 7 weeks away!!!! EEGADS!!!!
If anyone ever gets the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam, I can guarantee you will enjoy your visit. The people (The Dutch) are very welcoming, the food was wonderful, the history is overwhelming, there are several things to do in Amsterdam, and the atmosphere is so relaxing!
Last visit we were only in Amsterdam for 2 days... but we did walking tours all over the city, we visited the Anne Frank house (my personal favorite), we accidently... but... literally... participated in a "Race For The Cure" walkathon, we enjoyed "ploughman lunches" with fresh fruit, cheeses, bread, and a bottle of wine all bought from the Farmers Market in the town square, and... as always... we sat in outdoor cafes drinking beverages and people watching. By the way... there are no obese people living in Europe... Europeans walk everywhere, and they eat fresh foods in small portions.
This visit we were in Amsterdam for 4 days, but really... that's all you need to enjoy a taste of Europe in a relaxing atmosphere, especially when you have limited time. This trip we did a walking tour in Amsterdam, visited the Heineken Factory, took the train into Delft and spent the day on a walking tour of Delft, shopped, ate "ploughman lunches", and of course... we sat in many cafes on the street drinking beverages and people watching.
The fashion you see walking by as you sit and chat is mind boggling... everyone from the old to the young... and from the rich to the poor are dressed in style. Heels are worn by most women, scarfs are worn by all, short skirts with leggings/tights are worn on both girls and women... older women wear longer skirts and blouses, but... my point is... you don't see any fellas wearing their pants belted around their knees, you see a population of confident people of all ages going about their daily lives dressed in complete style. Young girls are dressed as young girls, and young adults are dressed as young adults... you don't see young girls trying to dress as young adult women, nor do you see young adult women trying to dress like young girls.
When in Amsterdam you must be VERY aware of the bicycles at all times!!! SERIOUSLY!!! You can get run over by a bicycle in the blink of an eye! And again I must say in complete admiration that... more often than not, the women (of all ages) on bicycles were wearing mini skirts, leggings/tights, and high heels! We even saw several women with baby seats on the front of the bicycle and a child seat on the back fender... or a child seat on the back fender and a baby tied to the front of the Mother in a moby wrap! The bicyclists are always at the ready to ring their bells if you should stray in their path... basically... in Amsterdam bicycles rule!!!
So glad we were able to squeeze in this long weekend trip to Amsterdam with our buddies before the holiday hecticness begins... which... I hate to remind anyone who might be reading this... but... Thanksgiving is ONLY 7 weeks away!!!! EEGADS!!!!
If anyone ever gets the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam, I can guarantee you will enjoy your visit. The people (The Dutch) are very welcoming, the food was wonderful, the history is overwhelming, there are several things to do in Amsterdam, and the atmosphere is so relaxing!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Love... By Way of the Male Tummy
As the saying goes... "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach".... and I have to say... I totally believe this is absolutely true for most of the men I personally know. When you please their palate and their tummy, love will definitely bloom!
You may ask why I believe this to be true... and I would say... it is because I know I can reduce my own husband, who is typically a "Manly Man's Man", to a mushy gushy mess simply with a really delish meal. Let me elaborate on this. My husband Joe and I love to watch 'The Food Network' channel as well as 'The Travel' channel... and one of his particular favorite shows just happens to be Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations".
Several nights ago he was watching an episode that was filmed in Naples Italy, where ragu was the main dish in the spotlight. For over a week after that episode aired and was viewed by him, he would not stop talking about how badly he wanted me to make him some ragu like he saw dished up in that show. I personally did not see this episode, so I could only go by how Joe described how it was made and the ingredients he told me was in it... and really... making spaghetti sauce is more of a 'method' than a 'recipe' of basic and standard ingredients. Anyone will tell you that they all have a treasured "Family Recipe" that has been handed down through the generations, and all will proclaim that their particular recipe is far better than anyone else's... kind of like how people are about their specific chili recipes! I mean... hello!!!... there have been cook-off's in every state and country each year for the Blue Ribbon winners of chili and/or spaghetti recipes! But I digress!... back to ragu night at our house.
Going only by Joe's description, I set out to make him a batch of ragu just to get some peace and quiet in this house! Mind you that he insisted the ragu HAD to cook slowly (or as he said... "it has to burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly over a two day period of time")... and it HAD to be served over penne pasta, and with crusty bread for sopping. I indeed cooked, or actually... 'let the sauce burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly for two days', and on the night I presented my beloved with this much anticipated, and much drooled over ragu... I hit a home run!!!!! He ate, he sopped, he ummed... and then he ate, sopped and ummmed again.... and yes by gum... he ate, he sopped and ummmed again for the third time. His belly was sooo bloated from all that pasta and ragu, but the grin on his face was priceless!
For the rest of that night you would have thought us a newly dating couple instead of an old married couple of 33 years!!! He cooed at me, he rubbed my back, he nuzzled my neck... and while I truly enjoyed all the romantic attention... I just couldn't believe that one pot of ragu could reduce him into such a mushy gushy mess like that! I would have to say he truly not only enjoyed every single bite, but he enjoyed all the time and love I put into making that pot of ragu for him.
He insisted that I freeze the left over ragu into two separate batches so that he could enjoy more ragu on nights when we were pressed for time and need a quickie dinner. But... only one batch remains frozen for a future meal... because tonight he is enjoying round two of ragu... here I must mention that it was only last night that we enjoyed the ragu for the first time, and even tho his belly was full to the rim of bursting with all the ragu he ate last night, he went to bed talking about how he would really like to have it again tonight. Now that is some pretty powerful ragu!!!! I made this batch of ragu more by method and guessing, than by having a recipe, so below I will include a basic recipe/method for anyone who would like to make a batch of their own ragu... note that all ingredients are guesstimations (I think I just made that word up and spell check doesn't like it!) and you are free to add and/or delete ingredients at your own preference and whim.
This is a very rustic, hearty, and earthy kind of spaghetti sauce, so ingredients should be sliced/diced to a thickness so that the vegetables will hold up during the long slow cooking process... that is... unless you want them to dissolve into the sauce for a less chunky sauce.
2-3 stalks of celery, thickly sliced
2-3 carrots, thickly sliced
1 - med-lg onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 cups of red wine (beef stock may be substituted for the wine)
3-4 lg cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
2-3 whole dried bay leaves
salt/pepper to taste
a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1TBSP of sugar
Vegetable oil
*1-2 veal shanks
*4 beef short ribs
*1-2 pork shanks (NOT smoked)
*any kind of bone-in meat may be used... you are looking for bone in meats for richer flavoring of the sauce... the meat will literally fall off the bones and then you can either toss the bones out, or put them in a side dish for those who enjoy it can eat the melted marrow inside the bones.... as my husband likes to do. I bought family size pkgs of these meats and separated them into several single serving sizes and then froze them for use whenever needed.
** for an even heartier/earthier sauce you may want to add fresh mushrooms to the vegetable mixture and sweat them when you sweat the other vegetables.
Add 2 TBSP of oil to heavy stock pan and heat over medium heat... add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic... sweat the vegetables/garlic to release their flavors for about 3-5 minutes. Remove vegetables/garlic from the pan and set aside. Salt and pepper all sides of all the meats. Add another 2 TBSP of oil to pan and turn heat up to medium-high, and brown all meats on all sides. Brown meats in batchs... DO NOT over crowd the pan... remove all meats from pan and set aside.
Drain oil from pan, on high heat deglaze pan with the red wine/beef stock, or combination of both, then reduce heat to medium-high, and reduce liquid to 1 cup. Add the vegetables, meats, tomatoes, tomato paste and all seasonings in to reduced liquid... add more liquid to pan if needed... liquid should almost, but not quite cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a slight simmer, cover pot and let simmer for several hours. Turn heat off and let pan stand until cooled. Place pan in refrigerator over night. Next morning, bring pan out of refrigerator, skim fat off the top and discard... then let pot come to room temperature... then place on med-high heat and bring to a slight boil... reduce heat to a slow simmer and again let simmer for several hours.... the sauce should just slightly bubble... such as making a blurp, blurp, blurp sound and not a constant simmer. When ready to serve, cook the penne pasta and heat the bread... remove the meats from the sauce and place in a bowl and set aside, remove and discard all bones (unless the bone marrow is to be enjoyed), drain pasta and place in a deep bowl, add sauce to cover pasta and toss (amount of sauce to pasta is personal preference). In Naples the sauced pasta and sopping bread are eaten first, the meat served after by itself... however... the meats may be added directly to the pasta and sauce and eaten as a one meal dish... either way you serve it... just get ready to enjoy and sop until hearts content!
Even tho this dish should take two days to cook slowly (so that the richness of all the ingredients can meld into each other), it's actually quite easy... in fact it's as easy as the preparations for making a roast beef. After the veggies have been chopped and sweated, the meats have been browned, the pan deglazed and all the ingredients returned to the pot... the work is all done... just a peek at, and a stirring of the sauce every couple of hours is all the labor it takes there after.
Hopefully your beloveds tummy will be as happy as my husband Joe's tummy, and you will be well wooed for all your labor of love!
Bon Appetit!... or as we say down South... YUM YUM YUM... and DIG IN!!!
You may ask why I believe this to be true... and I would say... it is because I know I can reduce my own husband, who is typically a "Manly Man's Man", to a mushy gushy mess simply with a really delish meal. Let me elaborate on this. My husband Joe and I love to watch 'The Food Network' channel as well as 'The Travel' channel... and one of his particular favorite shows just happens to be Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations".
Several nights ago he was watching an episode that was filmed in Naples Italy, where ragu was the main dish in the spotlight. For over a week after that episode aired and was viewed by him, he would not stop talking about how badly he wanted me to make him some ragu like he saw dished up in that show. I personally did not see this episode, so I could only go by how Joe described how it was made and the ingredients he told me was in it... and really... making spaghetti sauce is more of a 'method' than a 'recipe' of basic and standard ingredients. Anyone will tell you that they all have a treasured "Family Recipe" that has been handed down through the generations, and all will proclaim that their particular recipe is far better than anyone else's... kind of like how people are about their specific chili recipes! I mean... hello!!!... there have been cook-off's in every state and country each year for the Blue Ribbon winners of chili and/or spaghetti recipes! But I digress!... back to ragu night at our house.
Going only by Joe's description, I set out to make him a batch of ragu just to get some peace and quiet in this house! Mind you that he insisted the ragu HAD to cook slowly (or as he said... "it has to burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly over a two day period of time")... and it HAD to be served over penne pasta, and with crusty bread for sopping. I indeed cooked, or actually... 'let the sauce burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly for two days', and on the night I presented my beloved with this much anticipated, and much drooled over ragu... I hit a home run!!!!! He ate, he sopped, he ummed... and then he ate, sopped and ummmed again.... and yes by gum... he ate, he sopped and ummmed again for the third time. His belly was sooo bloated from all that pasta and ragu, but the grin on his face was priceless!
For the rest of that night you would have thought us a newly dating couple instead of an old married couple of 33 years!!! He cooed at me, he rubbed my back, he nuzzled my neck... and while I truly enjoyed all the romantic attention... I just couldn't believe that one pot of ragu could reduce him into such a mushy gushy mess like that! I would have to say he truly not only enjoyed every single bite, but he enjoyed all the time and love I put into making that pot of ragu for him.
He insisted that I freeze the left over ragu into two separate batches so that he could enjoy more ragu on nights when we were pressed for time and need a quickie dinner. But... only one batch remains frozen for a future meal... because tonight he is enjoying round two of ragu... here I must mention that it was only last night that we enjoyed the ragu for the first time, and even tho his belly was full to the rim of bursting with all the ragu he ate last night, he went to bed talking about how he would really like to have it again tonight. Now that is some pretty powerful ragu!!!! I made this batch of ragu more by method and guessing, than by having a recipe, so below I will include a basic recipe/method for anyone who would like to make a batch of their own ragu... note that all ingredients are guesstimations (I think I just made that word up and spell check doesn't like it!) and you are free to add and/or delete ingredients at your own preference and whim.
This is a very rustic, hearty, and earthy kind of spaghetti sauce, so ingredients should be sliced/diced to a thickness so that the vegetables will hold up during the long slow cooking process... that is... unless you want them to dissolve into the sauce for a less chunky sauce.
2-3 stalks of celery, thickly sliced
2-3 carrots, thickly sliced
1 - med-lg onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 cups of red wine (beef stock may be substituted for the wine)
3-4 lg cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
2-3 whole dried bay leaves
salt/pepper to taste
a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1TBSP of sugar
Vegetable oil
*1-2 veal shanks
*4 beef short ribs
*1-2 pork shanks (NOT smoked)
*any kind of bone-in meat may be used... you are looking for bone in meats for richer flavoring of the sauce... the meat will literally fall off the bones and then you can either toss the bones out, or put them in a side dish for those who enjoy it can eat the melted marrow inside the bones.... as my husband likes to do. I bought family size pkgs of these meats and separated them into several single serving sizes and then froze them for use whenever needed.
** for an even heartier/earthier sauce you may want to add fresh mushrooms to the vegetable mixture and sweat them when you sweat the other vegetables.
Add 2 TBSP of oil to heavy stock pan and heat over medium heat... add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic... sweat the vegetables/garlic to release their flavors for about 3-5 minutes. Remove vegetables/garlic from the pan and set aside. Salt and pepper all sides of all the meats. Add another 2 TBSP of oil to pan and turn heat up to medium-high, and brown all meats on all sides. Brown meats in batchs... DO NOT over crowd the pan... remove all meats from pan and set aside.
Drain oil from pan, on high heat deglaze pan with the red wine/beef stock, or combination of both, then reduce heat to medium-high, and reduce liquid to 1 cup. Add the vegetables, meats, tomatoes, tomato paste and all seasonings in to reduced liquid... add more liquid to pan if needed... liquid should almost, but not quite cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a slight simmer, cover pot and let simmer for several hours. Turn heat off and let pan stand until cooled. Place pan in refrigerator over night. Next morning, bring pan out of refrigerator, skim fat off the top and discard... then let pot come to room temperature... then place on med-high heat and bring to a slight boil... reduce heat to a slow simmer and again let simmer for several hours.... the sauce should just slightly bubble... such as making a blurp, blurp, blurp sound and not a constant simmer. When ready to serve, cook the penne pasta and heat the bread... remove the meats from the sauce and place in a bowl and set aside, remove and discard all bones (unless the bone marrow is to be enjoyed), drain pasta and place in a deep bowl, add sauce to cover pasta and toss (amount of sauce to pasta is personal preference). In Naples the sauced pasta and sopping bread are eaten first, the meat served after by itself... however... the meats may be added directly to the pasta and sauce and eaten as a one meal dish... either way you serve it... just get ready to enjoy and sop until hearts content!
Even tho this dish should take two days to cook slowly (so that the richness of all the ingredients can meld into each other), it's actually quite easy... in fact it's as easy as the preparations for making a roast beef. After the veggies have been chopped and sweated, the meats have been browned, the pan deglazed and all the ingredients returned to the pot... the work is all done... just a peek at, and a stirring of the sauce every couple of hours is all the labor it takes there after.
Hopefully your beloveds tummy will be as happy as my husband Joe's tummy, and you will be well wooed for all your labor of love!
Bon Appetit!... or as we say down South... YUM YUM YUM... and DIG IN!!!
Monday, September 12, 2011
The State Fair... Then and Now
I have been going to the State Fair (the Kentucky State Fair for my first 30 years) for as far back as I can remember. Since then, I have been fortunate to visit many State Fairs in several States. There have been many times when I went to the same State Fair several times in the same year... as in... I went with my Grandparents and Cousins, then went again with my Mom, Dad and Brother, then again with my Boyfriend (who is now my husband!), then went again with Girlfriends from school, then went again with my Boyfriends Family. You would think that once was enough... but that just isn't true... because... you experience different things with each person or group you go with... and after all... the State Fair comes but once a year, and is only in town for a couple of weeks.
When I went with my Grandparents and Cousins... Grandpa would walk around and 'work the Fair', checking on his many employees... Grandpa was the owner and operator of a Security Police company, and the State Fair was just one of many sites that hired his company... so while Grandpa did his work thing, Grandma would take us youngsters straight to the Mid-way where she would begin a night full of spoiling us rotten... buying us anything and everything we wanted to eat from all the food venders, and packets of tickets for us to ride any ride we wanted... as many times as we wanted to ride it. Grandma herself did not partake in any of the rides... she would sit or stand near the ride holding all our stuff, smiling and waving and taking pure pleasure in our pleasure. However, Grandma did partake and enjoy in the eating ritual of greasy Fair food... such as corn dogs (her personal must have favorite), corn on the cob, funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, cotton candy, caramel apples, italian sausages w/peppers and onions, elephant ears, soft serve ice cream, milk shakes... you name it, we ate it. Grandma would also give us all the quarters we needed or wanted to play the various 'Games of Chance'... and again... she would carry and hold all our big winnings while we played our games and continued to ride the rides. When I was a child, I never understood how Grandma said she had as much fun as us kids did, when she never even rode a single ride and insisted on being the pack mule... but now that I have had my own children, whom I have taken to the State Fair and/or to Amusement Parks, and have been the wallet and pack mule... I totally get it! Seeing the pure joy of your Children and Grandchildren is a totally priceless pleasure that just can not be described! Grandma... I'm trying to 'pay it forward' and pass on the joys of childhood you gave to all us kids! After my Grandpa was finished doing his rounds, and Grandma and us kids were finished doing our Mid-way thing... we would gather all together once again and do the rounds of the animal barns, and then go see the Rodeo Show and/or the Horse Show... another particular favorite of both my Grandparents.
When I went to the Fair with my Boyfriend (between the ages of 14 - 19)... we too went straight to the Mid-way... holding on to our wallets/purse tight that held our own hard earned cash or allowance. We were much pickier in rides and our food vending choices (usually sharing our food selections)... and usually we spent every single cent in our wallets/purse... but the experience was totally different from being with Grandma. We would choose the wildest, craziest, FASTEST rides, and the hidden tunnel rides in which we could grab a quick kiss session. We would hold hands and let everyone know... we were a real couple! HA to all you lasses who dared look at my Boyfriend.... he was mine!!!... and to all the fellas who may have looked my way in my short shorts... sorry... I'm with HIM!! Young love... sooo possessive... but just soo cute too!
When I went to the Fair with my Girlfriends (between the ages of 13 - 18)... now that was a different story all together! We would definitely dress for as much attention as we could get... usually short shorts, tank tops and sandals... we would bat our eyes, toss our hair, wiggle our hinnies, and outrageously flirt and giggle with any and every male we could get attention from. Why we thought this was fun... who knows... but I still see the same behavior now at the State Fairs from young lasses, as us young lasses did back then. Now that I am Ohhh so much older and wiser... and have raised three daughters of my own... who I know very well behaved the same way (much to my chagrin!) I see how completely 'see thru' we were, and that no one... well other than the young lads our own age... never took us seriously and were actually laughing at us after we passed by. Once.... a Girlfriend and I decided we would be 'interesting foreign girls', and thus made up our own language to speak to each other... one of us of course would be the 'interpreter' to everyone else.... again.... why we thought we were actually convincing... I have no clue... but we really thought we pulled it off and had a great time all the same! We rode only the rides with the cute workers, and rode nothing that would muss our hair out of place!
When I went to the Fair with my Mom, Dad and Brother... my parents would drag my Brother and I through all the exhibits, we would have to go peruse all the aisles of new fangled farm equipment, and through the mucky stinky animal barns before they would FINALLY take us to the Mid-way for just a 'couple' of rides and a corn dog. We both really actually enjoyed it all... with the exception of the gazing at the boring farm equipment, but... we were kids and the Fair was all about, and only about the Mid-way and the rides! And of course... you had to walk several steps behind or to the side of your parents... so that any friends you may see wouldn't think you were lame and with your parents. Of course all the way home my Brother and I would jabber on and on about how much fun we had all had together.
As an adult taking my own girls to the State Fair... I too tried to instill in them all the values the State Fair has to offer other than just the Mid-way and greasy foods. We would always go view the various art and photo exhibits, the quilts (seems to be everyone's favorite!), peruse through the animal barns, and of course you just have to go see all the HUGE home grown produce Blue Ribbon contestants to "WOW... and OMGOSH... I can't believe that such is such is soooo big"! I now completely understand why my parents made us see all the Fair had to offer before heading to the Mid-way... because A) they really wanted to enjoy the Fair too and see all the oddities that can be seen at any Fair, and B) because their funds were limited and you had to do the Mid-way last, because you didn't want to spend every cent you had in the first 15 minutes of being at the Fair. When we were raising our girls, Joe and I too had a limited income and had to stretch our 'extra State Fair money' between the three daughters and the expense of the greasy Fair food and the tickets needed for each ride as far as we could stretch it, and still give the girls a great time at the Fair.
So that brings me to this year's Fair experience at the Kansas State Fair with just Joe and I. We saw all the bright lights of the Mid-way... and that was all the Mid-way experience we were even remotely interested in.... ahhhh... how times do change!!! Joe and I were more interested in the greasy food venders and the people watching.... cheapest, funniest entertainment available anywhere! My favorite Fair food fare is now the corn on the cob..... OMGOSH.... AMAZING!!! Especially when you make sure they completely douse your cob in all that delish butter!!... we also gave our cob a generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning.... yum yum yum!!!! I would pay the $8 entrance fee to the Fair again... just to get my mouth on another corn on the cob! We ate italian sausage w/onions and peppers, a corn dog, a german sausage, a gyro, a lemon shake-up (Joe enjoyed corona's at the beer tent... which was the main place to people watch), chocolate peanut butter decadence ice cream, and a funnel cake. We heard there was sauerkraut pizza and red velvet funnel cakes... but we weren't able to locate either.... hummm maybe that's even another reason why we should return to the Fair!
Joe and I meandered through food alley, went into the main building to gaze upon the butter sculpture, went to the pig races... which... how hilarious was that!!!??? TOO freaking hilarious!!!... and sat in the beer tent to enjoy our favorite past time of people watching. We saw body piercings in the strangest of places, tatoos (large and small, black and in color), mullets, mohawks, rainbow colored hair, short shorts on those who should not be wearing short shorts, adorable babies and children, the most outrageous outfits imaginable... just to name a few interesting sites that walked past us. As Joe likes to say.... we were watching a slice of America right there at the Kansas State Fair. We enjoyed every minute and I do hope we are able to return for another visit before the Fair packs up and goes away for another year.... I know there is another ear of corn waiting for me to consume!
When I went with my Grandparents and Cousins... Grandpa would walk around and 'work the Fair', checking on his many employees... Grandpa was the owner and operator of a Security Police company, and the State Fair was just one of many sites that hired his company... so while Grandpa did his work thing, Grandma would take us youngsters straight to the Mid-way where she would begin a night full of spoiling us rotten... buying us anything and everything we wanted to eat from all the food venders, and packets of tickets for us to ride any ride we wanted... as many times as we wanted to ride it. Grandma herself did not partake in any of the rides... she would sit or stand near the ride holding all our stuff, smiling and waving and taking pure pleasure in our pleasure. However, Grandma did partake and enjoy in the eating ritual of greasy Fair food... such as corn dogs (her personal must have favorite), corn on the cob, funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, cotton candy, caramel apples, italian sausages w/peppers and onions, elephant ears, soft serve ice cream, milk shakes... you name it, we ate it. Grandma would also give us all the quarters we needed or wanted to play the various 'Games of Chance'... and again... she would carry and hold all our big winnings while we played our games and continued to ride the rides. When I was a child, I never understood how Grandma said she had as much fun as us kids did, when she never even rode a single ride and insisted on being the pack mule... but now that I have had my own children, whom I have taken to the State Fair and/or to Amusement Parks, and have been the wallet and pack mule... I totally get it! Seeing the pure joy of your Children and Grandchildren is a totally priceless pleasure that just can not be described! Grandma... I'm trying to 'pay it forward' and pass on the joys of childhood you gave to all us kids! After my Grandpa was finished doing his rounds, and Grandma and us kids were finished doing our Mid-way thing... we would gather all together once again and do the rounds of the animal barns, and then go see the Rodeo Show and/or the Horse Show... another particular favorite of both my Grandparents.
When I went to the Fair with my Boyfriend (between the ages of 14 - 19)... we too went straight to the Mid-way... holding on to our wallets/purse tight that held our own hard earned cash or allowance. We were much pickier in rides and our food vending choices (usually sharing our food selections)... and usually we spent every single cent in our wallets/purse... but the experience was totally different from being with Grandma. We would choose the wildest, craziest, FASTEST rides, and the hidden tunnel rides in which we could grab a quick kiss session. We would hold hands and let everyone know... we were a real couple! HA to all you lasses who dared look at my Boyfriend.... he was mine!!!... and to all the fellas who may have looked my way in my short shorts... sorry... I'm with HIM!! Young love... sooo possessive... but just soo cute too!
When I went to the Fair with my Girlfriends (between the ages of 13 - 18)... now that was a different story all together! We would definitely dress for as much attention as we could get... usually short shorts, tank tops and sandals... we would bat our eyes, toss our hair, wiggle our hinnies, and outrageously flirt and giggle with any and every male we could get attention from. Why we thought this was fun... who knows... but I still see the same behavior now at the State Fairs from young lasses, as us young lasses did back then. Now that I am Ohhh so much older and wiser... and have raised three daughters of my own... who I know very well behaved the same way (much to my chagrin!) I see how completely 'see thru' we were, and that no one... well other than the young lads our own age... never took us seriously and were actually laughing at us after we passed by. Once.... a Girlfriend and I decided we would be 'interesting foreign girls', and thus made up our own language to speak to each other... one of us of course would be the 'interpreter' to everyone else.... again.... why we thought we were actually convincing... I have no clue... but we really thought we pulled it off and had a great time all the same! We rode only the rides with the cute workers, and rode nothing that would muss our hair out of place!
When I went to the Fair with my Mom, Dad and Brother... my parents would drag my Brother and I through all the exhibits, we would have to go peruse all the aisles of new fangled farm equipment, and through the mucky stinky animal barns before they would FINALLY take us to the Mid-way for just a 'couple' of rides and a corn dog. We both really actually enjoyed it all... with the exception of the gazing at the boring farm equipment, but... we were kids and the Fair was all about, and only about the Mid-way and the rides! And of course... you had to walk several steps behind or to the side of your parents... so that any friends you may see wouldn't think you were lame and with your parents. Of course all the way home my Brother and I would jabber on and on about how much fun we had all had together.
As an adult taking my own girls to the State Fair... I too tried to instill in them all the values the State Fair has to offer other than just the Mid-way and greasy foods. We would always go view the various art and photo exhibits, the quilts (seems to be everyone's favorite!), peruse through the animal barns, and of course you just have to go see all the HUGE home grown produce Blue Ribbon contestants to "WOW... and OMGOSH... I can't believe that such is such is soooo big"! I now completely understand why my parents made us see all the Fair had to offer before heading to the Mid-way... because A) they really wanted to enjoy the Fair too and see all the oddities that can be seen at any Fair, and B) because their funds were limited and you had to do the Mid-way last, because you didn't want to spend every cent you had in the first 15 minutes of being at the Fair. When we were raising our girls, Joe and I too had a limited income and had to stretch our 'extra State Fair money' between the three daughters and the expense of the greasy Fair food and the tickets needed for each ride as far as we could stretch it, and still give the girls a great time at the Fair.
So that brings me to this year's Fair experience at the Kansas State Fair with just Joe and I. We saw all the bright lights of the Mid-way... and that was all the Mid-way experience we were even remotely interested in.... ahhhh... how times do change!!! Joe and I were more interested in the greasy food venders and the people watching.... cheapest, funniest entertainment available anywhere! My favorite Fair food fare is now the corn on the cob..... OMGOSH.... AMAZING!!! Especially when you make sure they completely douse your cob in all that delish butter!!... we also gave our cob a generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning.... yum yum yum!!!! I would pay the $8 entrance fee to the Fair again... just to get my mouth on another corn on the cob! We ate italian sausage w/onions and peppers, a corn dog, a german sausage, a gyro, a lemon shake-up (Joe enjoyed corona's at the beer tent... which was the main place to people watch), chocolate peanut butter decadence ice cream, and a funnel cake. We heard there was sauerkraut pizza and red velvet funnel cakes... but we weren't able to locate either.... hummm maybe that's even another reason why we should return to the Fair!
Joe and I meandered through food alley, went into the main building to gaze upon the butter sculpture, went to the pig races... which... how hilarious was that!!!??? TOO freaking hilarious!!!... and sat in the beer tent to enjoy our favorite past time of people watching. We saw body piercings in the strangest of places, tatoos (large and small, black and in color), mullets, mohawks, rainbow colored hair, short shorts on those who should not be wearing short shorts, adorable babies and children, the most outrageous outfits imaginable... just to name a few interesting sites that walked past us. As Joe likes to say.... we were watching a slice of America right there at the Kansas State Fair. We enjoyed every minute and I do hope we are able to return for another visit before the Fair packs up and goes away for another year.... I know there is another ear of corn waiting for me to consume!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Labor Day 2011
I drug my feet.... I screamed at the top of my lungs... NO! NO! NO!!.... but.... the last HOO RAH of Summer... aka... Labor Day... came and went all the same! You just can't stop time from continuing to march onward! However... those of us who live in Kansas enjoyed a spectacular clear sunny day with temps in the 80's.
My husband Joe and I joined some family friends at the pool at noon... where we enjoyed hamburgers, ice cream, popcorn, beverages, lots of sunshine, got in our last laps and splish splashing pool time, and bade 'goodbye til next Summer' to all our other friends. We were blessed and lucky to have such a gorgeous day together... especially since I hear our family and friends back east in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio did not fare as well and had cool/cold temps with dreary rain all weekend.
Our sun-fried crispy little group left the pool at 6:00 p.m. to go home, shower and change, and later meet back up together at "Ken's Pizza" for dinner... which is just the BESTEST pizza EVER!!! We ate pizza, pasta, and salad, we laughed and giggled, and talked about all the fun times we had had together this past Summer... then we all trudged and shuffled to our separate cars, our heads hung low, and our lips drooping, to go home and actually bring an end to the last HOO RAH of Summer to get ready for work and school the next day. The last 4 day Holiday weekend of Summer had come to it's end!
Here in Kansas our temperatures remain in the 80's and 90's this week and next... the nights and mornings are Fall-ishly cool, but the days are still sunny, warm and beautiful... but no matter... it still feels like Fall. Whether I go into a grocery store, a department store, or a craft store.... all I see is pumpkins, Halloween costumes and decorations... and YES!!!!!... even Christmas decorations!!! Which makes me say.... WHAT!!!!!!!... there is just something sooooo wrong in seeing decorated Christmas trees in stores in Sept!!!!!
The Kansas State Fair arrives here in Hutchinson Kansas tomorrow.... WOO HOO!!!!.... I'm really looking forward to that. Then next weekend Joe and I are going to our first Fall Arts and Crafts show of the season... and so thus stealthily and quietly Fall approaches with it's pumpkins, gourds, scare crows, caramel apples, apple cider and hot chocolate! I'm still not ready to bid adieu to Summer... but... Fall is coming right on schedule, just like it does every year.
Once Fall has arrived... I do enjoy the season... begrudgingly!... but I do enjoy it's specialness... and then my pouty pants whine begins again... when Winter begins to show up! No offense to Winter... but the older I get, the more I just DO NOT LIKE WINTER... even though I LOVE the Holidays... I just HATE the cold, and all the clothing layers needed, and heavy coats! ICK ICK ICK!!! I'm like a bear and try my best to hibernate through as much of Winter as possible, waiting for the first signs of Spring... when along with my Winter clothes, I put away my pouty pants whine and bring out my smile of blissfulness that the warm sunny days have returned once again!
Hello Fall, and to Fall Festivals, Football season, Pumpkin Patches, Fire pits and roasted marshmallows, Trick or Treating, Chili season, and to all the rest of what the Fall season brings with it!
My husband Joe and I joined some family friends at the pool at noon... where we enjoyed hamburgers, ice cream, popcorn, beverages, lots of sunshine, got in our last laps and splish splashing pool time, and bade 'goodbye til next Summer' to all our other friends. We were blessed and lucky to have such a gorgeous day together... especially since I hear our family and friends back east in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio did not fare as well and had cool/cold temps with dreary rain all weekend.
Our sun-fried crispy little group left the pool at 6:00 p.m. to go home, shower and change, and later meet back up together at "Ken's Pizza" for dinner... which is just the BESTEST pizza EVER!!! We ate pizza, pasta, and salad, we laughed and giggled, and talked about all the fun times we had had together this past Summer... then we all trudged and shuffled to our separate cars, our heads hung low, and our lips drooping, to go home and actually bring an end to the last HOO RAH of Summer to get ready for work and school the next day. The last 4 day Holiday weekend of Summer had come to it's end!
Here in Kansas our temperatures remain in the 80's and 90's this week and next... the nights and mornings are Fall-ishly cool, but the days are still sunny, warm and beautiful... but no matter... it still feels like Fall. Whether I go into a grocery store, a department store, or a craft store.... all I see is pumpkins, Halloween costumes and decorations... and YES!!!!!... even Christmas decorations!!! Which makes me say.... WHAT!!!!!!!... there is just something sooooo wrong in seeing decorated Christmas trees in stores in Sept!!!!!
The Kansas State Fair arrives here in Hutchinson Kansas tomorrow.... WOO HOO!!!!.... I'm really looking forward to that. Then next weekend Joe and I are going to our first Fall Arts and Crafts show of the season... and so thus stealthily and quietly Fall approaches with it's pumpkins, gourds, scare crows, caramel apples, apple cider and hot chocolate! I'm still not ready to bid adieu to Summer... but... Fall is coming right on schedule, just like it does every year.
Once Fall has arrived... I do enjoy the season... begrudgingly!... but I do enjoy it's specialness... and then my pouty pants whine begins again... when Winter begins to show up! No offense to Winter... but the older I get, the more I just DO NOT LIKE WINTER... even though I LOVE the Holidays... I just HATE the cold, and all the clothing layers needed, and heavy coats! ICK ICK ICK!!! I'm like a bear and try my best to hibernate through as much of Winter as possible, waiting for the first signs of Spring... when along with my Winter clothes, I put away my pouty pants whine and bring out my smile of blissfulness that the warm sunny days have returned once again!
Hello Fall, and to Fall Festivals, Football season, Pumpkin Patches, Fire pits and roasted marshmallows, Trick or Treating, Chili season, and to all the rest of what the Fall season brings with it!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Celebrating Another Birthday!
Today is my 53rd Birthday (GEESH.... can't believe I just shared that... but... it is what it is... and another year older is ALWAYS a good thing, and the direction I want to keep heading in!)... and I must say... a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made my day special with all your Happy Birthday wishes via email, FB, texts, and phone calls!! It was indeed a VERY special day! (Dad.... I got your email.... Sorry I wasn't able to get your call.... but I KNOW you ALWAYS think of me on my special day... HUGS Victoria!!!!)
This Birthday is just a tweener year Birthday... that's the years in between the BIG celebrations... such as, 1st Birthdays (the first of anything is always special!)... 13th Birthdays (entrance into the teen years)... 18th Birthdays (usually graduation year and legally allowed to vote)... 21st Birthdays (one of the really BIG Birthdays as you enter into official and legal adulthood)... 25th Birthdays (celebrating 1st quarter of a century)... 30th Birthdays (the beginning of celebrating entrance into new decades)... 40th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 50th Birthdays (BIGGER than 21... marking a half century... the entrance into 'middle age'... usually involves a "Surprise Birthday Party")... 60th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 70th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 75th Birthdays (celebrating 3/4 of a century)... 80th Birthdays (another decade passes... fewer Birthdays are expected to come your way at this point)... 90th Birthdays (another decade passes... unbelievably!!!)... and then... if you are really lucky and blessed 100th Birthdays (celebrating the rare century of Birthday's... not that you will remember the party or celebration of this Birthday... but it's the BIGGEST one of all!!) So... this year was just another tweener year... it was a long distance Birthday and yet I am sooo moved and touched by all those who went out of their way to remember me today, and reached out to tell me so! I kinda like the quieter tweener years because, there is less expectation and pressure of everyone knowing it is a year that needs to be celebrated, and I love the unexpected joy and surprise of those who make it special all the same!
I am indeed quite Blessed to have lots of family and very close friends who are in my life, and who let me know I am loved! I received LOTS of Happy Mail this week, as well as, was taken out to lunch and a movie by a dear friend, received balloons, a cookbook from my Dad, a necklace and candle from a friend, sweet treats, a new dress from my eldest Daughter/Fiance, and a new watch from my sweet Husband, who also took me out to our favorite Bistro for dinner... pretty good loot if you ask me... and especially for just a 'tweener' year! I blew out candles, made wishes, laughed, shared in lots of memories of the past with loved ones, and just had a really good day!
I don't mind getting older, and have never minded sharing what my true age is. I mentally feel much younger than I actually am... yet my body tends to argue with me on that! : ) I hope to be one of those special few who get the BIG century celebration as I turn 100! I want my old wrinkly, toothless, sweet face to be on the Smucker's jelly jar on the Today Show! But.... DON'T make me wear a silly hat!!!! I have younger family members who have promised to have my back on that one and prevent anyone from placing a silly hat on my head! I don't mind having my walker or wheelchair (if I am in the need of either) decorated with balloons and/or streamers... but NO HAT ON MY HEAD! I just don't like that little piece of elastic under my chin... have never liked it, even when I was a child.
As I read through the latest FB status messages... I noticed that a favorite cousin gave birth to her daughter this afternoon... I feel honored to share my birth date with Miss Avery!!! Congratulations to Sandy, Nicole and Jeff and the safe arrival of their sweet bundle of joy!
Thanks again to all of you!!! Wishing you all a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!
This Birthday is just a tweener year Birthday... that's the years in between the BIG celebrations... such as, 1st Birthdays (the first of anything is always special!)... 13th Birthdays (entrance into the teen years)... 18th Birthdays (usually graduation year and legally allowed to vote)... 21st Birthdays (one of the really BIG Birthdays as you enter into official and legal adulthood)... 25th Birthdays (celebrating 1st quarter of a century)... 30th Birthdays (the beginning of celebrating entrance into new decades)... 40th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 50th Birthdays (BIGGER than 21... marking a half century... the entrance into 'middle age'... usually involves a "Surprise Birthday Party")... 60th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 70th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 75th Birthdays (celebrating 3/4 of a century)... 80th Birthdays (another decade passes... fewer Birthdays are expected to come your way at this point)... 90th Birthdays (another decade passes... unbelievably!!!)... and then... if you are really lucky and blessed 100th Birthdays (celebrating the rare century of Birthday's... not that you will remember the party or celebration of this Birthday... but it's the BIGGEST one of all!!) So... this year was just another tweener year... it was a long distance Birthday and yet I am sooo moved and touched by all those who went out of their way to remember me today, and reached out to tell me so! I kinda like the quieter tweener years because, there is less expectation and pressure of everyone knowing it is a year that needs to be celebrated, and I love the unexpected joy and surprise of those who make it special all the same!
I am indeed quite Blessed to have lots of family and very close friends who are in my life, and who let me know I am loved! I received LOTS of Happy Mail this week, as well as, was taken out to lunch and a movie by a dear friend, received balloons, a cookbook from my Dad, a necklace and candle from a friend, sweet treats, a new dress from my eldest Daughter/Fiance, and a new watch from my sweet Husband, who also took me out to our favorite Bistro for dinner... pretty good loot if you ask me... and especially for just a 'tweener' year! I blew out candles, made wishes, laughed, shared in lots of memories of the past with loved ones, and just had a really good day!
I don't mind getting older, and have never minded sharing what my true age is. I mentally feel much younger than I actually am... yet my body tends to argue with me on that! : ) I hope to be one of those special few who get the BIG century celebration as I turn 100! I want my old wrinkly, toothless, sweet face to be on the Smucker's jelly jar on the Today Show! But.... DON'T make me wear a silly hat!!!! I have younger family members who have promised to have my back on that one and prevent anyone from placing a silly hat on my head! I don't mind having my walker or wheelchair (if I am in the need of either) decorated with balloons and/or streamers... but NO HAT ON MY HEAD! I just don't like that little piece of elastic under my chin... have never liked it, even when I was a child.
As I read through the latest FB status messages... I noticed that a favorite cousin gave birth to her daughter this afternoon... I feel honored to share my birth date with Miss Avery!!! Congratulations to Sandy, Nicole and Jeff and the safe arrival of their sweet bundle of joy!
Thanks again to all of you!!! Wishing you all a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Before I even begin explaining and blogging about "Pinterest".... I must do my "Lost In Space" imitation of the robot... including with my arms waving and flailing in earnest as I shout... (Yes... I'm aware this shows my age!)..... WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!... the website I'm about to blog about can be VERY ADDICTIVE!!!! So you now have the choice to stop reading and decide that you don't want to become an addicted Pinterest person.... or.... you can curiously keep reading and see what the heck I'm talking about.
Pinterest.... This is a website "pinterest.com" that basically is a common HUGE, never ending bulletin board, where internet users all over the world find 'interesting' things from other websites all over the internet, and 'pin' these interests/findings on to this common main bulletin board.... THUS.... "Pinterest" literally means.... "pinning interests".
What?.... you may ask are the interesting things people pin on this common board? Well..... for instance... you will find recipes for all sorts of dishes, pastries, desserts, etc., decorating ideas, fashion, photo's of amazing nature scenes, quotes, recommendations for books to read, craft ideas and instructions, DYI ideas and instructions, clever new products available, clever tips for cleaning and organizing.... you name it, you can find it on pinterest.com. The website changes literally by the minute because people all over the world are constantly pinning on this board.
You have two options of perusing this website... you can A) just go to the web address and peruse the main board as long as you like... or B) you can select the button on the top of the page "request invite". Anyone, at any time, can go to the web address and enjoy... but if you request an invite (your invite can take any where from a few minutes to a week or two.... don't take it personally if it takes a couple weeks... this web site is VERY busy). Once you have your invitation to join, you can then set up your own personal account.... IT'S FREE!!!!!.... no personal info is required.... you just basically need an email address and a password.... that's it!!!! After setting up your own account/page... you can then 'repin' interesting things you find on Pinterest and make your own bulletin boards for your own personal use, and for others to follow as well.
Why would you want your own bulletin board when you can just go to the website any time and peruse without the bother of having to set up your own page? The answer to that question is... because the main board changes literally by the minute... what you saw/found on a visit to the website on an earlier visit, may no longer be easy to find on your next visit... but if you have your own board, and you have repined your interest to your board, you can easily access the info any time you want. If you haven't set up your own page, you can't 'save' any pins you saw and liked on earlier visits.
This has been a wonderful diversion this summer when there has been NOTHING to watch on tv other than reruns. At night when I have nothing else to do, I sit at my computer and go to the Pinterest website and enjoy finding wonderful items of interest at my finger tips... I can get lost in this website for hours! I find myself seeing something on this website and thinking... "WOW!!! That's really cool".... or.... "Hmmmmm I should try that!!".... or.... "I need to share this with so and so"..... etc.
This website allows you to share the interesting things you find with friends on Facebook, by simply clicking on the interest, highlighting the web address, clicking on your 'Edit' button, clicking on 'Copy', then clicking on your "File" button, clicking on 'New Window', and clicking on Facebook.... then I click on the friend I want to share it with, then just go to my 'Edit' button and clicking on 'Paste'. This may sound complicated.... but really it is just a few computer keyboard clicks. You can also look for friends/family who have accounts on this website and see what they find interesting, you can follow their boards, and/or they can follow yours. It's just a BIG HUGE board of sharing fun and interesting things with others!
I challenge you to give this website a look-see.... you might find yourself amazed at the things others have posted to this website. If nothing else, you can at least have the knowledge of what others are talking about when they speak about 'Pinterest'. I personally find it quite fascinating... and yes... addicting! It's a very lazy way of perusing the internet/web by viewing what other internet/web users have searched and discovered the hard way!
P.S. I have 37 boards I have created on my personal page... thus proving my warning of addiction! : )
Pinterest.... This is a website "pinterest.com" that basically is a common HUGE, never ending bulletin board, where internet users all over the world find 'interesting' things from other websites all over the internet, and 'pin' these interests/findings on to this common main bulletin board.... THUS.... "Pinterest" literally means.... "pinning interests".
What?.... you may ask are the interesting things people pin on this common board? Well..... for instance... you will find recipes for all sorts of dishes, pastries, desserts, etc., decorating ideas, fashion, photo's of amazing nature scenes, quotes, recommendations for books to read, craft ideas and instructions, DYI ideas and instructions, clever new products available, clever tips for cleaning and organizing.... you name it, you can find it on pinterest.com. The website changes literally by the minute because people all over the world are constantly pinning on this board.
You have two options of perusing this website... you can A) just go to the web address and peruse the main board as long as you like... or B) you can select the button on the top of the page "request invite". Anyone, at any time, can go to the web address and enjoy... but if you request an invite (your invite can take any where from a few minutes to a week or two.... don't take it personally if it takes a couple weeks... this web site is VERY busy). Once you have your invitation to join, you can then set up your own personal account.... IT'S FREE!!!!!.... no personal info is required.... you just basically need an email address and a password.... that's it!!!! After setting up your own account/page... you can then 'repin' interesting things you find on Pinterest and make your own bulletin boards for your own personal use, and for others to follow as well.
Why would you want your own bulletin board when you can just go to the website any time and peruse without the bother of having to set up your own page? The answer to that question is... because the main board changes literally by the minute... what you saw/found on a visit to the website on an earlier visit, may no longer be easy to find on your next visit... but if you have your own board, and you have repined your interest to your board, you can easily access the info any time you want. If you haven't set up your own page, you can't 'save' any pins you saw and liked on earlier visits.
This has been a wonderful diversion this summer when there has been NOTHING to watch on tv other than reruns. At night when I have nothing else to do, I sit at my computer and go to the Pinterest website and enjoy finding wonderful items of interest at my finger tips... I can get lost in this website for hours! I find myself seeing something on this website and thinking... "WOW!!! That's really cool".... or.... "Hmmmmm I should try that!!".... or.... "I need to share this with so and so"..... etc.
This website allows you to share the interesting things you find with friends on Facebook, by simply clicking on the interest, highlighting the web address, clicking on your 'Edit' button, clicking on 'Copy', then clicking on your "File" button, clicking on 'New Window', and clicking on Facebook.... then I click on the friend I want to share it with, then just go to my 'Edit' button and clicking on 'Paste'. This may sound complicated.... but really it is just a few computer keyboard clicks. You can also look for friends/family who have accounts on this website and see what they find interesting, you can follow their boards, and/or they can follow yours. It's just a BIG HUGE board of sharing fun and interesting things with others!
I challenge you to give this website a look-see.... you might find yourself amazed at the things others have posted to this website. If nothing else, you can at least have the knowledge of what others are talking about when they speak about 'Pinterest'. I personally find it quite fascinating... and yes... addicting! It's a very lazy way of perusing the internet/web by viewing what other internet/web users have searched and discovered the hard way!
P.S. I have 37 boards I have created on my personal page... thus proving my warning of addiction! : )
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About Me
- Vickie G
- I am a short little lady with a passion for cooking and pilates. I have been married for 31 years to my high school sweetheart (my soulmate and love of my life!!!) and we have 3 amazing daughters. I am 50 years old and love living life with as much zest as possible.