One of the special little treats we have from time to time are blueberry muffins. I really love them and the whole family really like the change of pace from regular bread. I make a few muffins and the rest of the batter I make into a loaf pan and it makes a very nice loaf of blueberry bread. We had some last night and the left overs have made a couple of very nice snacks today I think next time I will make banana bread muffins just as a change of pace from the blueberry muffins.
Swimming lessons
My six year old grandson is taking swimming lessons at the YMCA this summer. It was distressing to me that at his age he had no clue how to even tread water! He is one week in to his lessons and is doing well. He is not afraid of the water and that helps him to be a good student for his swimming lessons, as soon as he learns to swim I plan to take him to the beach and let him see the ocean. He loves the water and this will be a good trip for him this summer.
Christmas Lists and Shopping
My daughter will be home from Florida tomorrow and I’m so excited to have her back! I told her to write her Christmas “wish list” while she was on the plane. It will maybe take her mind off the flight. Her brothers who are still living at home are still indecisive about what they would like, so I have a feeling I’ll be getting them a prepaid debit card, so they can just get what they want and I don’t have to go through the hassle of shopping for them. Except the stocking stuffers, of course. That is a biggy for me and I enjoy it!
This week I’m going to shop for my sisters, brothers and my favorite aunt that always celebrates with us. I’m pretty proud of myself that I’m not waiting until the last minute to shop, as I usually do. With my daughter coming home and all the other preparations that need to be done, maybe this year I’ll be able to relax on Christmas Eve!
I’ve been told the stores of course are already really packed, and I hate fighting crowds, but this year, I have lists! Can you all tell I’m trying to be somewhat organized? We’ll see how THIS goes!!!
Let Us Be Thankful for Our Troops
I have a lot to be thankful this year. I have an awesome family. Though we are not rich financially, we are rich we get by. We are all in fairly good health and indeed the list goes on.
I am however very thankful for the men and women who fight for our freedom in wars we never even should have been in. No debates on this day, I’m just very thankful for these brave people.
With that in mind, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and remember all we have to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving Shopping and A New Pantry
I’m a firm believer in lists. While going through my pantry, and listing what I have and what items I need to buy for Thanksgiving dinner as well as to basically stock up on, I realized that the pantry that I have is not roomy enough. I need more space. Yes indeed, I feel another project coming on. I haven’t decided yet as to why it is that I always have a mega need to do home improvements at the most inconvenient times. With the holidays coming and I’ll be in the kitchen for a good ten days, my mind is on the pantry project, I would indeed call this an inconvenient time.
Shopping today (while my mind was/is still on the pantry project) did not go as well as I thought it would. Normally I use coupons, but not to the extent a lot of my friends do. Today I forgot my coupons. Fail #1. While looking for 22 to 24 pound turkey who I just know will catch my fancy to the point I want to take him home, will show himself, was shy today. Fail #2. I did however get a good deal on giblets, necks and backs. Also some pretty good prices on spices I needed.
I’ve got a couple more days to power shop if I can get the building of a new pantry off my mind until after the Holiday season, I’ll be just fine and dandy!
Time to pull up the flowers
Today I have to go outside and pull up all the flowers and vines that I planted and then put down some winter mulch so the soil will be easy to turn next spring. I’m not looking forward to doing this, since it makes me sort of sad. We’ve had some beautiful weather this October, but I have a feeling that the winter is going to be bitter cold.
I have leaves in the yard that have blown in from other people’s yards. Makes for not only my maple’s leaves to rake, but every one else’s in the neighborhood too!
I miss the kids being small and playing in the leaves while I rake. Even the grand kids are too old to do this they think, so it’s just me and the dogs to tumble and play! At least the with the dogs out playing with me, it makes it so I don’t look like a crazy adult playing in leaves by myself!
Checking out Reality in Miami
My daughter and her boyfriend as I have blogged about is looking for a home of their own instead of living with the boyfriend’s family. they decided to check out a real estate agency’s in the Miami area. LuisInglesias Real Estate Miami is one of the agency’s that they are looking into. When my daughter called, she sounded so well informed about the places they will be looking at, and I think to myself that I am seeing a side of my daughter that I have never seen before. She has been well informed and I know she is determined to find exactly the right place for the two of them to live.
When she called, she told me that she and her boyfriend were quite informed of the Real Estate Agency, which made me feel ever so much better, and it’s showing the business side of her, that I actually have not ever heard of seen before. My daughter is bound and determined to get a place and she trusts that the agency they have picked will help with that.
I can’t wait to see the photos of places that they are checking into. Also, if one trusts the professionals it helps a great deal in finding just the right place to call home at a price they can afford.
My daughter’s move
A year ago, my youngest daughter moved to Florida and got a really great job. Now she and her boyfriend are looking for a place to either buy or rent. It’s a strange thing to put my head around, that my “little girl” will have a home other than where I am. Or even close to us. But, they are looking for property and to me…it’s bittersweet.
I’ve been slowly filling her cedar chest, (Something I gave all of my kids) with items that are for the home that she wouldn’t think of to buy. Items that she will need in her own home, from dishtowels, to a can opener and other useful things. I’ll have to drive to Fla. to give the chest to her when the time comes.
I have to say, I really miss my kid. She and I are really close and I talk to her on the telephone at least twice a day. I still miss our time together. I hope she and her boyfriend will find a nice place and after that, I’ll take a road trip to deliver her “Hope Chest” and see the place they move into. It’s still hard to realize my little girl is all grown up.
Patriot Day Call And 9/11/01 Rememberance
This morning my sister called and wished me a Happy Patriot Day. To be honest, I am not into this “holiday” and would not even know what it is except for what my sister tells me. While she is telling or trying to explain it, she started getting political on me and that is one thing besides religion that I refuse to discuss, especially with this particular sister.
But for those who do indeed celebrate this day, Happy Patriot Day! Now onto 9/11/01. I want to take a moment and we remember the people, loved ones and friends who lost their lives this day. I know some who have survived and lived to tell of the horrors. I remember where I was sitting and what I was doing with my daughter called and told me to turn on the television. I turned it on an instant before the second tower got hit, and watched in total terror, is the only word I can use.
God Bless our people who died on this terrible day. It never should be allowed to happen again, yet I’m so afraid of the state of affairs that our Country is in.
Kids went to Camp Chateaugay and brought home some awesome summer camp pictures
First of all I had no idea what to expect with a summer camp for my two boys. I have two sons age eight and ten and they have never been to a summer camp before. But if you have two boys around that age you know that sometimes summer can seem very long as your nerves wear thin and your patience runs out. It’s not their fault it’s just, well they’re crazy boys and they need to get that energy out. So I bring you summer camp!
We looked around at a few camps online, checked out pictures, read reviews, talked to neighbors and checked on what kind of activities each one offered. We decided to go with Camp Chateaugay on one of the Adirondack Lakes in upstate New York after talking to the owners Hal and the assistant director Kirsten. They were both very nice, knowledgeable and had quite a bit of experience with both kids and camps.
Talking to the owners put my husband and I at ease and we took the kids up to the camp this past summer. They absolutely loved it and did not want to leave. They shared some of the awesome summer camp pictures that they had taken and it looked like they had an absolute blast. It was well worth the money spent in my opinion. I only wish I had found Camp Chateaugay a few years ago because if so it would have kept my sons busy with fun and kept me sane with some free time to get things around here done.