What a Treat!

Three of my best friends came to visit for a couple of days...
It was the best treat ever...
I didn't take many pictures like I meant to...I never even got all of us in one picture...
We stayed up all night and talked...
We ate a lot of good food...

We dug through a box of random items Mike brought back from a trade show...

He had some bras we needed to try on...

And the last day we never took off our pj's...
That was my favorite day...

Tomorrow we are leaving on a short vacation... both girls are bringing two friends... wish me luck...
I may need another vacation when I get back...

Good neighbors...

I have talked before about how much I love my neighbors...
He is cute and sweet and does the chemicals on our yard...
She is beautiful and fun and has a family that has a garden...
I couldn't have chosen better neighbors...
And now she is having a baby for me to hold!
We went out and did some pictures of her last week...

Yesterday they shared some garden goodies with me...

I made my favorite pickles with the fresh cucumbers to share with my friends that are coming on Wed...
Three of my best friends are coming for a couple of days of just girl fun...I can hardly wait! 

Refrigerator Pickles

7 Cups Sliced, Unpeeled Cucumbers

1 cup Sliced Onion
1 cup Cider or White Vinegar (2 cups if you are using several small jars)
2 cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Celery Seed
1 Tablespoon Salt

Slice cucumbers very thin, pack large jar or several small jars with sliced cucumbers and onions.  Heat vinegar in microwave about 1 min. just to warm so sugar will dissolve.  Add in sugar, celery seed and salt.  Pour over cucumbers and try to let sit at least 24 hrs

Sorry about your pants but could you bring us a t shirt?

Mike left today for a business trip...
He makes me help him pack cause he swears he doesn't know how to fold anything...I wasn't happy to help this time because I am a little mad about him going without us...
He insisted I iron a new pair of pants he bought...(he also says he doesn't know how to iron) so you know I was thrilled to drop what I was doing and iron something that didn't need ironing...
They were dress slacks instead of the usual khaki pants and as I put the iron to them I wondered if I should be doing that and what temp would be best...
as I'm thinking this I was touching them with the iron and watching them melt...
I won't tell you what I said...
Then he needed a ride to the airport at 4:30 this morning...
and the main reason I'm angry about this trip is that his meeting is at Disney World. 
Who plans a business trip at Disney when families aren't invited???
Let me assure you I'm not nearly as mad about this as Kellie...
At 4:30 this morning she comes out wearing PJ's, socks and slippers and carrying an overnight bag and told him she was ready to go with him...

To add to all the fun I've been having, tonight Katie's pom squad is spending the night here... 13 of them...
Of course I used that excuse to bake a couple of things for them...

I made the usual(cause they make a huge batch) Dish Pan Cookies and I also tried Better than Crack Brownies... a recipe I had saved and been meaning to try... They are good... Very sweet... surely teenage girls will approve...

Better than Crack Brownies  (adapted from Howsweeteats)

1 batch brownies (box mix)

1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for about 20 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove and top with chopped peanut butter cups, and bake for additional 5 minutes.

While they are baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and spread chocolate mixture over top.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving.

My mother's cookbook

I have my mother's old old  Betty Crocker cookbook...I love it. 
It is falling apart and I had put it in away for safekeeping. 

While getting things out for the china cabinet I ran across it again.  I taped the spine back together and put it on top so I can see it.
I remember using it as a kid just learning that I loved to cook...

and I didn't know you don't check of the ingredients in ink as you used them

I don't remember seeing my mom use it..she just cooked what she knew most of the time...

I had to steal it back from my step mother many years ago....she claimed she thought it was hers...

I promptly showed her my mother's hand writing in it and went and hid it in my suitcase.

Anyway, getting it out again and thumbing through it was a treat...

I found the recipe for my sister's favorite Strawberry Cake

I guess this wrapper must have a good recipe on it to save it... Wish we could still get chocolate for 32 cents...

I found a white fruit cake and a chopped date cake recipe - Mother seemed to like dried fruit...

Why doesn't anyone make Baked Alaska anymore?

I loved this picture of a party table...

Mother had added this little booklet about cuts of meat...

Found this article about Carrot Pie

It must be a really "rare treat"...

I even found this picture of my mother pushing me in the grocery basket

it made me think of time that she left me sitting in the basket on one isle and when she walked away a person in a Mr. Peanut costume walked past me...I might have screamed and cried...

I loved looking back at the pictures and the recipes and all the things my mother had written in the cookbook...

I don't think I'll try the carrot pie though...

I finished the dining room...now I wish the walls were painted a different color but I'm tired of painting...

I texted a picture to my sister...

Her reply was "are you happy with that look?"

I'm guessing she's not...

But I am.

She better be nice or I won't make her the Strawberry Cake...



Banana Ice Cream

I read about one ingredient Banana Ice Cream and couldn't believe it...
Till I tried it...
I didn't have time for a picture...
There were begging children all around me...
They licked the bowl...
Read about it here: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/stepbystep-instructions-for-oneingredient-ice-cream-097170
They managed to get photos...

I did add a little to mine... It was good with no other ingredients but even better with sweetened cond. milk!
But what isn't???

Banana Ice Cream

6 Bananas, sliced and frozen
1/2 cup milk (or more if needed)
1/2 can Sweetened cond. Milk

Place bananas in the food processor and process for approx. 3-5 minutes till creamy. Add milk till desired consistency and add sweetened cond. milk, process till well mixed.  Serve to begging children...
I saved about a cup and added strawberries for one kid and it great also!

It's been a while

It has been a while... I've been busy and then my computer cord quit working and kept me from the internets for several days...  This is my 3rd computer cord by the way... not sure what we do them...

I've been working on the summer 'to do list' and being at the girls beck and call having fun!

Elvis has been having some hip issues and he can't jump up on our bed anymore...
this is not a bad thing!  He is a bed hog...

He has a bed but likes the chair better...

Mike thought he needed a new bed... he loves his new bed but still moves to the chair before we get up in the mornings...

I painted the side board in the dining room...

then I painted the table (even though I really want a new table)

\

Then I found a china cabinet on Craig's List for a bargain and they even delivered it...and of course then I had to paint it...

Katie's BFF's grandmother brougth this over with pound cake on it and told me she that she knew I had a new china cabinet and wanted to give me this china platter...

it coordinates well with some mismatched pieces that I have of my aunt's...

and I was excited to line the shelves and drawers with a beautiful, smell good paper a friend gave me...
I've wanted a china cabinet for years and years... I'm pretty excited about my little antique one!
Now I just need to get the chairs painted...

I painted the girl's bathroom

and did one little wall chalk board paint!  I'm loving it!

There is already a "call for a good time..." message posted on it...

There has been a lot hot weather...

A little picture taking...

Tons of friend time...

Some donkey visiting time...


And random other fun...

What have you been doing?



A few projects

The last week has been busy but I'm not sure what with... it feels like we always have something...You know if I'm off I have a big list of things I want to do or work on, I didn't get much checked off but it's a start...

• I did make time to work on a baby gift (copied my sweet neighbor's idea)  for a friends shower this weekend....

• I'm also smocked a sweet baby gown to go with it...

• I started sanding and painting my dining furniture...
• yesterday I had a crafty day with the work girl friends and we made our new calenders for the year...

Kim had her house all fixed up for us, it was like being at the scrapbook store... there were tables with all the fancy equipment laying out, even trash cans by our chairs... It was great!

I brought lunch but the hit was the dessert...

Peach Blueberry pie in mason jars.

Here is the finished calendar for the next school year...

and this isn't really much of an accomplishment but it sure makes me happy (copied from Pintrest)

Peach Blueberry pies in Mason Jars

1 bag frozen peaches
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Almond extract
1 pie crust dough

Tear off small pieces of dough and press into jar to cover bottom and about 3/4 up the side of the jars.
Place peaches in skillet, add brown sugar and almond extract and simmer approx. 10 min. stirring freq. till sauce thickens.  Stir in blueberries.
Spoon into jars with crust in them.  Place jars on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for approx15- 20 min. till crusts brown and filling bubbly. 
Optional - roll out dough and cut circles to fit in jar.  Bake on cookie sheet till brown.  Top pie in jar with them after removing from oven.
Serve warm topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Remembering Ronnie

In June, we lost one of the best men I've ever know, not to mention, one of my favorite family members.  He was sweet, kind, gentle, and loving.  He was very soft spoken and if he ever said something about someone, you should pay attention - he rarely said anything negative about anyone.  He loved my children and was a favorite "uncle"... He and Kellie shared a special bond...when she was little he would sit with her in his lap for hours and read books or watch t.v., take naps with her, and smoke a ham for them to share anytime we came to visit...he jumped in the pool fully clothed once when she fell in... He was a precious man and gone way to soon.
He was also the Police and Fire Chief in a East Texas town.  I had never seen a funeral like this...It was held at the college auditorium to accommodate everyone.  Emergency vehicles from every surrounding town were in the procession.  Below are pictures from the procession, the funeral and graveside.  The procession was amazing watching people come out of businesses and stop and get out of cars to pay respect.
 It was a beautiful tribute to an wonderful man.

He will be so missed by in our family.