Sunday, September 16, 2012

Seeking Serenity-Taking A Break

Sundays are usually quiet
around here.
MyHero is on call a couple
of weekends a month so
we lay low on these weekends.

Last night's sunset looked
like this.

Quiet and serene.
I need a little serenity.

I started this blog as a way to
TAKE A BREAK.
Pretty obvious from my blog name, huh?
Anyway,
Right now
I need to take a break
from blogging for a while.

If you think on me at all
think of me somewhere
laughing my fool head off
at something said by
SweetCheeks.
or said by anyone of these
crazy people I call family.
Love to all of you and
I hope I have left you smiling.
your photo name

Saturday, September 15, 2012

No Flour Pumpkin Pancakes

Somewhere around Blogland
I saw a recipe for 
pumpkin pancakes.
I meant to earmark it
but didn't...so...
I decided to create my own.
I don't do flour or sugar
but sometimes I want a "treat".
This comes close to being
sinful for me!;>)
It's an easy, peasy recipe.
 I made two kinds
and will include adaptation
for 2nd ones.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs-slightly beaten
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
flavorganics organic vanilla extract
1 tsp. Stevia (I use Truvia)

(or more to taste)
Beat together.
Spoon or pour into preheated
greased non-stick pan.
Cook until air bubbles come through
then flip and continue cooking until done.
Shake pan during cooking to keep them
loose and easier to flip.
These have a souffle consistency.

If you want a denser pancake add:
1/2 cup of oatmeal to batter
These are heavier and flip easier
and have the "heft" of real pancakes.

I put a pat of butter on mine
and sprinkle a little more stevia
on them.
You could use honey or maple syrup-
which would be even better.
Enjoy
Oh yeah...
Don't flip them too soon.
Why?
Ummmmm... FAIL........
Looks like Pumpkin Scramble, huh?
your photo name

Friday, September 14, 2012

Alphabet Laughs-Z Is For Zip Lock Bags

MyHero loves Spaghetti
but he only likes it for
ONE DAY!
He does NOT like left over
Spaghetti.
He likes to WHINE and COMPLAIN...
just for something to do.

Well, SOMEONE doesn't mind leftovers.

One day I picked
SweetCheeks up from school
and we went to the grocery store.
There she spotted
Kid's Meals in the frozen section.
They come with an entree,
a vegetable and a dessert.
I bought 3 of them and saved
the little trays.
Ah...here is what I do with
the left over spaghetti.
I fill up the entree section
with spaghetti,
and the veggie section with
green beans
and the little dessert section
with two little
sugar cookie cubes.
Awww...look...it's
one of Mom's home cooked meals..
I cover them with saran wrap
and stack all 3 of them
into a gallon sized ZIPLOCK bag.
When SweetCheeks pops over
she has a
meal-in-a-minute.
I nuke them for 3 to 5 minutes
in the microwave.
Everything gets warm and
the cookies bake to a nice
little soft dessert.
And, SweetCheeks,
thinks she is a
very special girl.
And so she is!
Special AND Messy!

And these?
Do you think they are big
enough to hold a 
WHINER AND COMPLAINER?
Just askin'.....

Now...what do you think about the
Alphabet posts?
Another round or give it a rest?
HONEST opinions, please!!!
your photo name

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Alphabet Laughs- Y Is For YUM Or YUCK

If you have 
TEN SECONDS
please click on the
video  of
CharlesInCharge
below.
Turn your sound on so you
can hear the kids
and SweetCheeks belly laughing 
in the background.
Are you smiling now?
If you have another
TEN SECONDS
please phone the
MPA
Mean Parents Association
to report my daughter!
your photo name

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Alphabet Laughs- X Is For XACTLY What I Was Hoping For

So....you remember
how the
front of our house
 looked last week?

Well, it doesn't look like
THAT anymore.

Ready?
Here it was before...
Ah...yes...
NOW you remember.

Cleaned up and pretty.
Do you know those window boxes
were always there?
Covered by VEGETATION.
The windows go from
floor to ceiling in the
MyHero's office and
the laundry room.
As an idea -the new arborvitae
are just over 3' tall.

This is the recess where
the old front door used to be
before we built the porch
and added on to the house.
All that stone was
saved from the front of
the old house and reused.

I put my fountain in the niche
and I will get that up and
running this week.
We have moved that fountain
5 times over the years.
I have the words of the movers
still ringing in my ears.
That high window
above the fountain is
in the powder room.
The sedums have been moved
to the side as you can see.
Oh...and to sit in a chair now
and just breathe a minute....
 I am glad it is done!
Whew!
Now.....Aren't you glad I didn't use my

on something like this?
Cuz I think this is
much more Xciting!

Don't you?
your photo name

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

To Honor Those Who Gave Their Lives 9/11/01

May We Never Forget-A Poem From Me

The day began with sun filled skies,
And ended with the nations' cries.
The horror came and never left,
Leaving family and loved ones bereft.
The towers stood mighty, strong and tall,
A symbol of greatness that soon would fall.
The airplanes came and hit each side,
Scattering lives and debris far and wide.
Some fled on foot down stairwell halls,
Some stayed and died within those walls
While others jumped to their own death
So that fire wouldn't steal their last breath.
Let us never forget the lives we lost,
And let's not forget the heavy cost.
Heroes weeping over hero's graves,
Being greeted by tears of the ones they saved.

And in the end the flag was raised,
And every American was to be praised
For we stood strong,  united as one,
Another chapter had just begun.
We rebuilt lives and we stood the test,
Monuments were erected to honor the best,
And we proudly go and we proudly fight
For the freedom to raise two beams of light~
Today is the day to pray for us all.
Knowing this great country shall not fall.
Shall not fall to the invader's hand,
Let us stand strong to protect our land.
God Bless America!
©Diana -Nana Diana 
your photo name

Monday, September 10, 2012

Alphabet Laughs- W Is For Weekend And What And Who

Hello Ladies..
and whoever else is crazy
enough to be here.
Yes...W is for Weekend.
Guess What
I did this Weekend?
I played Nana.
According to bj over at
Sweet Nothings 
yesterday was grandparent's day.
I guess THIS was MY gift!
WHAT WAS IT?
Well, I saw 
This one...
snuggled up with
this one...
Wrapped in a Warm 
blanket.
Snuggled down...
Sleepy and Doo-doo head SweetCheeks.
Notice they all have their
Packer clothes on.
It was Packer Sunday here,
football frenzy has descended.

After lunch we went for a little
playtime.
Did they want to go to the park?
NO!
They wanted to go to their
SCHOOL PLAYGROUND!
You gotta be kidding me...
You're there all week and 
you want to go there on Sunday-
but what do I know
I am only the Nana.
So...off we went...
Lulu on the monkey bars.
And speaking of monkeys...
Yep- SweetCheeks -doing what she
does best- hanging around.
So, now you know
What happened to my
Weekend!
And the
WHO?
WELL....
WHO do you suppose
got ahold of MY camera?
Any guesses?  Anyone? anyone......
your photo name

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Alphabet Laughs- V Is For Vegetation

Yes, V is for 
Vegetation -
otherwise known as PLANTS.
However,
I needed a V word..
so..
Vegetation is what you get!
Like it or lump it

Wonder WHAT plants 
I am talking about?
If you have followed for a while
you know that I planted one of
those mail order gardens
out front.
Everyone laughed when I
got that box with all of 
those silly little plants in it.
I think I heard the word
"rip off" pass some lips.
However,
three years later those
"silly little plants"
have turned into this.
It's a jungle I tell you.
A living breathing jungle of
VEGETATION.
It does NOT look good with
the front of our house.
Kinda scary, huh?
To give you an idea,
those are floor to ceiling windows..
crazy plants have taken on
a life of their own.
Soooo...
after much deliberation,
 I decided
we needed to move this garden
to the back fence.

I told MyHero that if he would
till up along the back fence
I would dig up the plants 
out front.
We took a truckload of plants
(about half of them)
to my friend, Ellie
She just moved to a new house
that had NO plants.
Some of them went back
behind our garage.

The rest?
Well...
Here is MyHero doing what he
loves to do best
whining and complaining because
I am making him 
using the Mantis to roto-till
up the ground.
Oh- Yeah...It's a 
Hunka-Hunka Burning Love...
Oh wait-
that's just sweat!
Here she is..
all roto-tilled and waiting
for me.
It doesn't look it but it about
4 feet wide and 20 feet long.
And, here she is all planted.
The plants will not look pretty this
Fall but they will be pretty
next year.

At the far end is 
My New Dawn Rose
which I hope will survive the 
move and scramble up along the
fence behind the other plants.
And,  MyHero?
Well, he says when it comes 
to working in the garden
I am a 
"thorn in his side."

Hmmmpfff...
Wait till he sees what I have
waiting in the back of the 
truck to replant the front area
now that I have a blank slate.

If you don't hear from me in
 a couple of days please send
someone over to look for
unusual lumps in the
planting area....
Ya know what I mean?
your photo name