Saturday, March 31, 2018

OUR BELIEFS ARE NOT EVERYONE'S BELIEFS---BUT OH! THE FAITH OF A CHILD!!!

SweetCheeks was 3-1/2 years old
when she shared her beliefs
with Papa and me.
She is ELEVEN now.

We were driving her to brunch
after church and asked her
what she had learned
about 
The Easter Story.

It was so touching to me
to see what this
little girl
UNDERSTOOD
about Easter.
And it almost makes
me cry listening to
her earnest explanation.

If you have a moment
it is worth the listen.
Just so you know~
I do think she
might have mixed
a little bit of
Gulliver's Travels
into the the
Jesus story!;>)

She almost started
crying when she
thought Jesus might
have felt pain.
Here it is-
Listen up and see what
YOU think!
If you click on the little square
on the bottom right hand side
it will go full screen.
(I'm sure most of you know that)

Amen, SweetCheeks, Amen!

From me to you-
A Blessed Easter
For those that don't have
time to listen....


For my wonderful, engaging blogging friends
that are not of the 
Christian faith-
I love you all just as dearly 
as I love everyone else.

EVERYONE MATTERS
and I hope you have a 
Wonderful Sunday!!!
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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

SPRING IN WISCONSIN-JOIN ME ON THE DINING ROOM PORCH!

I am back from my daughter's house
and just wanted to check in with you!

Look! Look!
Can you believe it is March 27, 2018 already?
It is now
OFFICIALLY SPRING IN WISCONSIN!
Isn't this pretty?
Care to join me on the side porch?
What?
What do you mean I am a liar?
Oh! Yeah!
This IS my porch but it is from 
THE END OF MAY A FEW YEARS AGO!!!!

Here is 
THE REAL PICTURE
of what a 
SPRING DAY in Wisconsin
REALLY looks like!
and this....
yes-I still have the Christmas flag 
on the playhouse-thanks for noticing.
Does this look like Spring to you?
THAT is the sad reality of  living in
WISCONSIN IN SPRING!

However, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE
for me to leave this out by the back door
until today.
Which reminds me?
Did I share a post of what the side porch 
looked like for Christmas?
NO?
Well, no time like the present!
Notice the ice on the table?
That was my PRESENT for Christmas.
and,yes, I know the difference between present and present~
By the way,
That is the same table that you saw up above.
Hurry! Hurry all you early shoppers!
There are only 273 days until Christmas!
You're welcome!

I will have an announcement
for you in a few days.
I am going back to work
full time for a two year period
as a partner with my son, hubby
and one other person.

I will be sharing pictures of our
REHABBED OFFICE
in a bit.
First I need to get the paint
out from under my fingernails...
although I did more
'supervising' than painting.
Age DOES have its privileges!
HA!
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Monday, March 19, 2018

Be Gone For A Bit!

I am behind in---
posting
&
visiting blogs.

Bear with me for a bit.
Right now I am watching three 
little grands while 
MOM & DAD 
are on their way to
ARGENTINA!!!

 I brought Lulu & her friend along
to help with the kids.
(Lulu & Co. are on Spring Break).

As luck would have it----
Lulu has been throwing up since
early this morning.
I have a feeling it si going to be
A  LONG FEW DAYS!

I might need a break from 
THE BREAK
when I get home!

Have a great week
& I promise to 
visit next week!
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Thursday, March 15, 2018

PREPARING (A CAKE) FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!

March is half over already!!
How can that be?
AND 
Saturday is 
ST. PATRICK'S DAY!


Even all you
NONE IRISH
pretend to be
 Irish  
just for a day.
Well, except for a few of you
English that wouldn't
lower yourselves to do so.
You know who you are,
but being the
loving people we are,
we forgive ya,
and God Bless ya,
all the way to the
Blarney Stone and back.

I grew up in a small
Irish Community in Pennsylvania.
I believed in leprechauns
until I was at least 12...
well...maybe older...
hmm..matter of fact I'm
pretty sure I might
STILL BELIEVE
in them.

So, today I am going to
give you a little recipe.
You have a 
COUPLE OF DAYS
get your butt to the store
for the ingredients so
you can make it for your family.
And your family will lay down
in your path and let you walk on
them after eating this.

Ready?
Now please don't be asking me
where I got this recipe because
the truth is
I don't remember.
So, if anyone has the source for it
I will be glad to give credit.
I THINK it came out of a
Taste of Home magazine but
I'm not betting my 
IRISH CHINA
on that fact.
Crème de Mint Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
2 teaspoons mint extract
12 drops green food color
2 jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract with the water. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.
Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan one-fourth turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.
Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon mint extract &  remaining 9 drops green food color. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.
Now, I will tell you that being
St. Paddy's Day
 all the calories
 have all been removed
so you can enjoy every bite.
( Removing those calories
is an Irish trick that I promised not to tell)
I'll be serving it to
The Fam here in the Heartland.
Let's hope one of the grandkids doesn't
eat all the Andes Mints beforehand
because if they are gone
YOU KNOW
they will blame it on
THIS ONE.
Have a wonderful day as you prepare yourself
for all the
IRISH DRUNKS
that will be running amuck on
Saturday.
I won't be one of them because I don't drink
GREEN BEER.
I will be the one sitting in the corner
taking pictures for 
BLACKMAIL PURPOSES-----
and that's all I'm gonna be 
saying about that!

Happy Thursday!
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Sunday, March 11, 2018

HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY LITTLE ANNA IRELAND

It is hard to believe that our little
BRIGHT EYES
(Anna Ireland)
is
FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY!
She is such a good girl.
A bright spot in all of our lives.
She is funny and bright
AND
just a  TAD naughty 
most of the time sometimes.
Tattoos By Anna!
She was a pretty baby
from the time she was born--
placid and an "easy care" child.
She was a doll baby on her 
FIRST BIRTHDAY...
At 18 months she was part of a 
AWEDDING PARTY.
and
LITTLE MISS CHRISTMAS 
for Indianapolis when when she was 2.

She loves dressing up---
And being a child of the 2000's 
she already knows more about 
computers than I do!
God bless this sweet child
as she grows up.
We love you to the moon and back,
Anna Ireland!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRHTDAY
to our little girl that 
LOVES DISNEY!


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Friday, March 9, 2018

ALMOST SPRING IN WISCONSIN---YEP---TRUE

I know some of you
have green that is bursting
through the soil
right now
and it feels like an early Spring.

Spring comes a bit later
here in Wisconsin.
In Wisconsin you might
awake to
THIS scene on
the little deck off the dining room.
The play house is covered with
nature's frosting, too.
Mrs. Cardinal makes her
morning appearance.
Mr. Cardinal is a lot more
colorful and a bit cocky 
cuz he thinks he's purty!
Fat and Sassy is here, too.
(NO not ME- I mean this guy)
I know some people hate them
but I get a kick of 
SASSY SQUIRRELS!
Now- I'm not saying
that I have a
STARBUCKS
addiction or anything...
although SOME people in
my own family have
accused me of just that very thing-
Imagine THAT
but this is what the
roads looked like
when I headed out for
my
morning fix.
Were the roads slippery?
Did some idiot partially
cross over into my lane?
Was it worth the drive?
Did I white-knuckle it all
the way home?
Did I live to tell the story?
Would I do it again?

The answer to all the questions
above is a resounding
YES!
Anyone get them all right?
Anyone?
anyone....

Hey...did I EVER say
I WASN'T crazy?;>)

I have a houseful of grandgirls
this week while their new home
is getting set up.
I am back to cooking big meals,
lots of laundry,
squabble settling,
and-best of all-
lots of 
LOVE & LAUGHTER!

Wishing YOU 
Love & Laughter
this weekend, too!!!
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Tuesday, March 6, 2018

PREPARING FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY!-GET GOING!!!!

It's said that
EVERYONE IS IRISH
on St. Patrick's Day.

However,
I am Irish every day of the year.
It's in my blood-literally.
So,
I have bits and pieces of 
IRELAND
around  me all year long.

My sweet girls bought me this set
a few years ago.
I love it to the moon and back.
However, as we are preparing to move
I gifted this back to my
IRISH DAUGHTER, Mimi.
There are about 45 pieces in the set.
We spent quite a bit of time 
researching this on the internet
and couldn't really track it at all
to find the pattern.
If you know anything about it 
I would love to know!
I also LOVE this sweet compote dish
that stays in my china cabinet year round.
Also - now gone from my home.
Yeah- I know- 
crummy picture...
Here's a bit of the lid-
It's a pretty piece, isn't it?
The manufacture's mark looks like this.
Those French sure do a nice job on
IRISH CHINA!

I thought I needed a new shamrock plant
Someone  who shall remain nameless 
killed my plants while I was gone.
So~ I went to Stein's Garden & Gift.
As I was walking in I noticed a lady walking out.
She was walking out with a 
CART FULL OF SHAMROCK PLANTS.
Whoodedoo- I am excited now!
I can't wait to get a plant...
or two...or three...or....

I rushed to find some for myself.
I couldn't find any!
I asked the clerk where the 
shamrock plants were.
She didn't know.
She called someone who called someone
who called someone---you know how THAT goes.
FINALLY.......
Sales clerk who was standing there 
chewing her gum said...
Oh-Ya lookin' for those green cloverleaf plants?
Me:      Ummm....YEAH.........
Gum Chewer: Oh- some woman just came in and 
bought both flats that we had.
What? WHAT?
I don't know if I wanted to kill the 
gum-chewing cashier or the woman that
took every last plant!
The plant gal has gone home....
Guess who is left?!?!

They SAID they have more
coming in tomorrow.
I'll believe it when I see it,
if you know what I mean.

Looks like a big snow storm 
going on here today.
AND- I have 3 grandgirls 
& their mom (my daughter)
staying here until they can move
 into their new home
next week.
Oughta be a fun week....
or a crazy one---take your pick!

Have a great Tuesday--
and shake out your 
SHAMROCK SHIRT
and get your Irish on!
Y'all have a great day now,
you hear?!


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