Thursday, July 31, 2008

Camping again ...

We are off to the lake again for camping and spending time with friends. YAY! I am looking forward to it. We both wore ourselves out last night again getting ready - the packing; the trips in and out, etc. but it's worth it. We both enjoy camping - one of the few outdoorsy things we both like! I hate leaving the dogs, but they are just too much work to try to take them, and they love being outside, so they will be fine (this is being said to reassure myself and to absolve the guilt I am feeling!). We tried taking one of them with us once. The smallest mini schnauzer (Peyton) - mistakenly thinking that because she is the smallest and is totally a queen lap dog that she would be breeze - WRONG - she went spastic at being left in the camper and demolished one set of blinds. I guess we should have left them open so she could see out ... anyway until we get a bigger camper (one day maybe ...) we won't be taking the dogs with us.

I didn't do as much pre-cooking this time for our trip. We are going to use our crock pots on this trip. We are making barbeque stuffed baked potatoes. My friend is doing the pork (they have recently butchered a pig) and I am doing baked potatoes - I didn't know you could do baked potatoes in a crock pot, but found the directions on the web, so we will see .. it is below:


Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe By Rival Crock-Pot Cookbook
Preparation Method -- use 6-12 of them Prick pots with fork. Wrap them in foil. Fill Crock-Pot with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover. Go away. Cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 2 1/2 to 4 hours]. Come back. Don't you dare add water!

Hopefully this will work good.

I did make a couple of quiches to take for breakfast - quiche warms up so good and we have a really easy and good recipe, it is just basically sausage, egg, cheese and milk, well, here is the recipe in case any of you want to try it:

2 pie crusts (i use deep dish)
1 lb sausage
8 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
2 cups mozzarella cheese
salt/pepper to taste

Brown and crumble sausage, spread in bottom of pie crust, top with cheese, mix milk and eggs together with salt and pepper and pour over top of sausage and cheese; bake at 350 for 30 mins, (sometimes, I have to cook mine an extra 10 - 15 minutes if it is not browned enough for me).

Anyway, we really like it and and G's sons really like it too and the youngest one is a VERY picky eater.

So, I am packed and ready, and of course, it is supposed to rain tonight, rain heavy and my poor little babies will be outside - they do have dog houses and a shed to get under (which they do all the time when they are out) guilt again. I just have to keep reminding myself, they are dogs, not humans, dogs!!!! They were meant to be outside. Right?

They will be fine and will probably have a great time chasing chipmunks, squirrels and birds all weekend. Plus, my oldest stepson will be checking on them through the weekend too! There, now I do feel better! :)


Til later, V

Sunday, July 27, 2008

A visit with Mom & Dad

I love my parents! They are just the most awsome people in my life. I traveled south this morning to go to church with my parents and spend the day with them - my sister came over too. We shared a wonderful meal - I brought meat loaf, my mom made squash casserole (squash fresh from their garden) green beans (fresh from their garden) sliced tomatoes (fresh from the garden), chicken & dumplins and more stuff ... (too much for us to eat!) and she makes the most wonderful melt in your mouth homemade bisquits YUMMM! Dad strolled me through his garden and showed off his peach trees (heavy with peaches almost ready to be picked) and a watermelon field like you wouldn't believe! We had a great visit - we played Skipbo and Rook and then they sent me home with bags full of veggies. I love my parents! They are just the most awsome people in my life!

My dad is not feeling good most days and I am really worried about him. Would really appreciate any offered prayers. Thanks!

Til later, V

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Getting together with the ladies

How did this cute little 3x3 handmade "brag book" turn into ....


THIS!


Girls night out can be sooo much fun and last night was no let down. Thank you Mrs. Goofy for having us all over and teaching us how to make the adorable little photo book! I loved it and would also love the recipe for the chicken spaghetti - is it on your recipe blog? If not, please add it - it was great! The blueberry dessert was awsome too!!!
Okay, last night the mini scrapbooking exercise inspired me to make a little visit to Hobby Lobby and I wound up making a few purchases - hopefully I won't let this stuff gather dust and I will put it all to good use - we'll see!
Til later, V

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Long Day

One long day. I am so backed up at work, my co-worker calls in sick ... I am having a super bad hair day - has decided to completely turn into brillo head day. Make it through longest day ever - having bad reactions with my medicine - I am sweating or freezing MOSTLY SWEATING unfortunately (probably why my hair is acting up) I think I have a blood clot where my IV was - my vein is swollen and painful. Our ministers came to visit us tonight, so of course I had to clean the house first (at least that's done for the week now ... :) BUT, I really enjoyed their visit - that was probably best part of day - I really love my church. Had chicken marinating for 3 days so it had to be grilled today or trashed ... grill was out of gas ... thank goodness for resourceful husbands - he took a gas tank off of our camper - problem solved.

I agree with Going Gooofy, I am going to bed!

Movie Recommendation

I went to see this movie last night and it was really great. I would definitely recommend it for a fun happy movie! And yes, Pierce Brosnan really does sing :) - half the theater burst out into laughter when he burst out into song ... he wasn't bad, it was just unexpected to see tough guy 007 break out in song ...

It's a movie that will make you smile and laugh ...

Til later, V

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Blessings

God just continues to take care of me.

If you read my post-surgery entry I told how my teeth were messed up in my recent surgery and UAB Risk Mgt. contacted me yesterday and advised that they have agreed to pay for my dental repairs ($1097). YAY! PTL!!!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Getting Off The Couch!

Okay, I have had my one whole week off and I have lived the majority of that week on this couch and it is finally time to get back to normal life! So farewell good couch, you have served me well! Of course, I am writing this as I have parked myself right back on it. Seriously though, I have spent some serious time here this past week, I slept here, ate here, watched alot of mindless TV here, read an equally mindless novel here, had my devotions here, surfed the web here, laid sick and hurting here and healed here.

I am ready to get back to normal life again. Ready for my job .... hmmm I hope so!

Yesterday I had grown so stir crazy that I talked my husband into taking me out on an adventure. He took me to Scottsboro - to Unclaimed Baggage (found a cute purse and pair of Danskin workout pants - Hubs got himself a new tennis racket) and for lunch at the Blue Willow Restaurant - I felt like I was having a girls outing only without the girls - G was a great substitute though. I wanted to prowl through the other antique and thrift stores while there, but one time around UB was enough to wear me out. Our meal was very disappointing, but the house the restaurant was in was very quaint and the eclectic looking yard and outdoor eating area was fun to walk through. G swears he will make me a hanging bed for our back yard too - I told him to make sure he surrounded it with a screened in back porch!

Til Later, V

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Let me introduce you ...

I know I should have taken it out of the frame and scanned it, but I was being lazy! My grandchildren, Ian, Brennan, Caden and Mollie -
My daughter, with her two, Brennan and Caden

Brennan - out to shoot some bear ...


and Mollie, trying to decide if she really wants to play in the water or not!

I didn't have another one of Ian on my computer to share ... I need to get some more or him. Mollie and Ian belong to my son and daughter-in-law.
Just wanted to have a brag moment.
Til later, V

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Surgery over!

Thanks for the flowers (mixed bouquet) from my Sunday School class - brightened my day so much; the hydrangeas are from my mom's yard. Wilted plant - that's all mine!
Home again. And I can breath sooo much better. Surgery seems to be a success - thank you for all of your prayers. I am on voice rest for a few days but feel pretty good.
They did bust a crown right off one of my molars and scratched and slightly chipped one of my front teeth that were both broken in my first airway surgery. Details though - I can breath - Yeah. I have already had an emergency visit with my dentist and a temp crown in is place and they polished up my scratched tooth - hopefully risk management at UAB will pay for it, but we will see!
My doctor tells me that I have a very small mouth - My husband would probably like to tell him when I get mad, you would never know it!
The morning of my surgery, I got up at 5:15 AM and let my sweet little babies out (two mini schnauzers and one boxer) at about 6:50 I went to the back door to call them back in (we have a fenced in back yard) and nothing. I stepped out further and saw to my horror that the back gate was open and they had more than an hour headstart on us! We looked and looked, hollered and hollered, drove up and down the roads and finally, I had to leave, my husband stayed behind to continue the hunt and I called my mom and go with to the hospital. I cried like a wild child and prayed for their protection and cried some more, all the way to Cullman just as I was pulling into my parents driveway, he called me and told me a neighbor about 4 miles away had spotted them - PTL! I was so relieved. (he came on to the hospital after that) I am an empty nester and those 3 little rotten scoundrels are my babies! What can I say! My husband swears the boxer has learned how to open the gate, hmmmmmm ......
This past Friday night, Gary and I went to see "Harvey" and the Playhouse in Huntsville. It is a play about and man with an invisible friend, who is a rabbit - it was a really cute Play and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to go to plays. Just thought I would pass this on!
Til later, and thanks again for all my praying friends.
V

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Surgery tomorrow

I am off to be operated on. Hopefully, I will be breathing easy in a couple of days. For all of my praying friends reading this, I appreciate your prayers!



Thanks and God Bless,

Til later, V

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Family Reunion

Two remaining children of my paternal grandparents (My Dad and his sis)
4th generation

3rd generation






2nd generation



And all that Food!

Aren't family reunions great! We don't see our extended family very much throughout the year. My paternal grandparents had already passed away before I was born, even before my parents were married, but their family stayed close. There were 12 or 14 children, two died young, (forgive me for not knowing exactly ... - my mom also had a large family 10 children in her family - I had lots of Aunts, Uncles and cousins). They were each others friends and family. We got together with all of them off and on throughout the years. Plus the summer family reunion and a big Christmas gathering too.
However, as my Aunts and Uncles began to pass away, our family got together less and less, to where it now seems like we see each other more at funerals than anywhere else. So our family reunions are important. Of all of my Dads brothers and sisters (and their spouses) only my dad (& my mom) and one of his sisters remain alive.
Funny thing is though, we all gather together, bring all of this great southern comfort food, pile our plates high, and go find a seat and always wind up sitting with our own immediate families anyway! We leave not knowing much more about our extended family than just how they have changed in looks, which we do manage to memorialize with all the photographs taken! Some of us discussed this while today's reunion was winding down and next year, we are going to suggest that we all share our meal times with family NOT in our immediate families. I wonder if we will remember this 12 months from now.
Til later, V





Thursday, July 10, 2008

Family stuff

We had a birthday dinner for these two silly kids, my niece turning 20 and my nephew turning 21. Or did she turn 19 ... time is just a flying!

My nephew just got out of the Marines and he was sent to Iraq twice during his time in, we are sooooo glad he is home! Semper Fi ! Ooh Rah !! That is right isn't it!

Can you tell we are sisters?
Til later, V

More 4th of July photos

We really had a great time, camping, boating, swimming, a few fireworks, a little grilling and some apple pie and ice cream, what more could you want for a 4th of July camping weeking?

Why is it some people can take photos of themselves so well, and others, well, see for yourself!

I know, I'm just so cool!

Camping buddies Kim & Jason


More friends ... Cindy and K & J



And, Willie!





4th of July

Photos from the 4th of July, not that many ...








Me & Hubs on Smith Lake with friends ...




He knows how to ski !


Wild night at the camp ground ... Bingo!




















All those cards and none of us won a thing!


Wednesday, July 09, 2008

A lift in my day

I don't know where I came across the below, I keep it on my computer and I have other copies of it scattered in my calendar and in my desk drawer and I even put in my outlook to pop up on certain days ... sounds silly I know, but when I first read the below prayer, it came to me at a really bad time in my life and I knew I would always want to keep a copy of it, so I did what now sounds silly in print, made several copies of it and placed it in places where I knew I would come across it off and on during my days. Sometimes working in the job I have can be very oppresive and negative, not always thank goodness, but today was one of those days and when I came across this today, it helped me stop, I took the time to read this prayer, to say this prayer and really mean it and then to have a little time with the Lord outside of my normal time - it was a wonderful break in my day - I should take them more often than I do. I wanted to share it here ...


Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.
I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things that you ordain, and the wisdom to pray for those things you would change. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over, and help me to grow as you walk with me during the trials of this life.
And It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
But I thank you that I believe. I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

(copied)

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Gas for ...




Saw this on another blog today ...

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Off to the Lake ...

We are headed off to go camping tomorrow. We are camping with three other couples at Smith Lake in Arly, Alabama. I am already wore out. I worked all day. Went to the grocery store on the way home, (getting more and more depressing to do that with the way food prices are going up) came home, started the makings for a pasta salad and broccoli salad to take with us, sorted all the clothes I was going to take with me, fed the dogs, played with the dogs, packed the camper with all of our clothes, dry goods, etc. lots of trips in and out in and out ..., came back in sat down to gobble down a dinner of leftovers, finished the salads to take, cleaned up the kitchen, went outside to be the flash light holder so my husband could figure out why the fridge isn't working in the camper (thank goodness for coolers - we may be dependent on them this weekend!). I was supposed to make a dessert too, but I do believe Publix will be making dessert for us. I am pooped!



Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Violin Lessons




I started taking violin lessons about 4 or 5 months ago. My progress is so slow. I chose the violin because I don't have a very large home and I do not have room for a piano, which would have been my preferred musical instrument. I used to have a piano and was taking lessons and was soo enjoying it, but life changes and adjustments had to be made (got divorced, moved into an apartment had no room for a piano and gave it away ...). So, now 13 years later, I have the musical urge again. And the violin is so small it fits into my home perfectly.






I can now play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star about 5 different ways, Go Tell Aunt Rhody and a couple of other songs that I have never heard of. Last week, I finally begged my teacher to teach me something I liked and would make me feel like I was making more progress. I wanted a hymn and so I chose Amazing Grace. I have butchered that blessed hymn in so many ways in the last week it should be considered a sin, but have so enjoyed my practice time much much better.






As an example of how bad I butchered it, I had to play it about 10 times for my husband before he even recognized it as an actual known tune and he still could not tell it was Amazing Grace!






Last night was so beautiful and breezy with no humidity, so I took my violin out back and practiced for a whole hour. My neighbors retaliated by shooting firecrackers and bottle rockets and I am sure they were aimed my way! Obviously not music lovers .... oh wait, maybe they are!