The Weekend

We had a beautiful weekend here. Gordon and Marilyn arrived from their winter travels. They will be heading home next Monday after the reunion weekend. (Psssttt.....this young man turned 70 yesterday!) A couple of brothers.
Basketball Jones here. It is really impressive the amount of time this kid spends shooting baskets. In fact, when we head out to the bus stop at 6:30 in the morning, he has to pick up the ball and shoot until he makes a basket. Sometimes it's one shot, sometimes 3-4.

The "Three Little Kids" Grow Up

Pasties anyone? I am making pasties today. If any one local would like to order any, I have some extra today. (they are $3.50 each) Just give me a call.Dad, Jean and Linda were always "the three little kids". I guess to their older siblings, they always will be. This is one of Sharyn's fine pictures.

Hanging Out on a Sunday Night

Dad was busy cutting down trees Saturday with his new chainsaw while I was on my sisters trip. This choke cherry tree had died and several of the white pines down the property line. He left the trunk with my clothesline pole attached. Now I can finally hang clothes again (once I get some new clothesline) as the birds use to roost in that tree eating the berries and would get "droppings" on my clothes. I actually ruined a couple things as I couldn't get that stain out.The kids (big) had a cookout going when I arrived home from Wisconsin. I guess Dad had quite a fire going Saturday night with all the brush. Now we have a nice pile of firewood for summer evening bonfires.
I'm not sure what everyone was checking out here at the pond.

Molly kept tapping Danny with her foot and he was freaking out that he was going to fall. I think he felt like he was up too high.

Monday Night Baseball

Danny loves Monday Night Baseball. He usually picks up some dirt and rubs it in his hand before he picks up the bat. Not sure where he's seen that. Then he always (!) slides into first. (Bottom left picture) Or I should say, tries to slide. It doesn't matter if there is no play at first, he slides anyway. He comes home quite dusty.

Sisters Weekend

We had a wonderful fun weekend! This is where we stayed. On the top floor! It's a nice place to stay since it has "forced" exercise! No elevator. Although if we go back, we'll stay somewhere else as we sometimes forget our mother is 75! Althought she did manage the stairs just fine! It was in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. A cute little tourist town.We went once again to Sal's for dinner Saturday night. I had delicious prime rib. The owner took this picture of us.

We celebrated Grandma's 75th birthday Friday night. She opened 75 presents. It was very fun and she got some neat stuff. She was shocked!
We also had a baby shower for Sarah Saturday night. She also got some neat stuff. Actually we collected for a gift card but brought some joke baby gifts. Karen made the diaper cake. We took LOTS of pictures of our skinniest sister, Tricia. (In fact, she brought a box of her old clothes that no longer fit her and us slightly bigger sisters fought over them!)

Kites=Spring? Lets Hope So!

Gretchen was trying her hand at kite flying yesterday. I almost believe Spring is here for real!
I'll be meeting my sisters and Mom in Wisconsin this weekend. Am so excited!!! We have lots of fun stuff planned. Have reservations for dinner Friday and Saturday. (The most important thing!) I'm looking forward to a great weekend of R & R and lots of laughs. (I do have some witty sisters!) Will post pictures when I get back. Have a great weekend!

My Pie Deep Dish Pizza

My sisters talk of a pizza place that they loved in my childhood stomping grounds. Minneapolis area. I believe it was called My Pie Pizza. It is no longer there. I'm thinking it came after I left because I only remember going there once or twice after I was married. I think it was my sister Kristin, that came up with this recipe that is similar to My Pie's. We love it at our house. Well, most of us.....maybe Fred, me and a few of the older kids.

My Pie Deep Dish Pizza

Crust:

2 packages yeast
½ cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add warm milk, butter, sugar, salt and 2 ½ cups flour. Stir until smooth. Add remaining flour and stir. Batter will be sticky. Rise to double (appx. 20 minutes) Use a little less than half for pizza. Roll out crust and put in 10" deep dish pie plate. Par-bake at 375° for 10 minutes. (Twist remainder dough into bread sticks and brush with beaten egg whites and 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle with garlic or onion salt.)

Pizza:

6 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
½ pound pork or Italian sausage cooked
6 ounces sliced mushrooms, saute’d
1 15 ½ ounce can of stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons flour

Layer on pre-baked crust, mozzarella cheese, browned sausage and sauted mushrooms. In bowl, mix flour into stewed tomatoes. Pour on pizza. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Beans Gets a Haircut

Jeanie kept bugging me until I finally gave in and gave her a haircut. I would have rather taken her somewhere to get it cut as this kind of cut is so hard to get even. A cool but sunny day here today. The week is suppose to warm up and I can hardly wait. Before
After

Crazy Weather

I'm glad we have this weather and not...........
This!!!! Sorry Manda! It's 78 on our thermometer and sunny! Grandpa sent the picture below from today up your way! I had the radio on today and was listening to the blizzard warnings in your area. I had to run out and I called Grandma to let her know that my car thermometor said 76 and I had the air on!!! Oh well........It could all be gone by next week. Right?

Sister Brides

It was fun to see Heidi and Amanda together in their dresses. The wedding month is over but life is still busy. I have orders for 82 pasties today. Next weekend is my sisters get away weekend. In a couple more weeks is our family reunion. Life is never boring! Thank goodness!!

Celebrating Molly's Birthday

We celebrated Molly's birthday last night. Monday, her actual birthday, Danny had baseball with the church boys and Tuesday night he had swimming. She picked for her birthday meal, grilled hamburgers and French Silk Pie for her dessert. As I was gone all day, I picked up a frozen French Silk Pie from Vg's. It was actually very good.

Swimming Again

Danny started swimming with Special Olympics again. They pretty much just practice and then some of them go to Summer Games in Mt. Pleasant the end of May. He absolutely LOVES it. He tells me about five times on the way home, "That was fun!"

Molly Jane is 14!!!!!

Happy Birthday Molly! Kind of scary to think "little" Molly is 14! Have a good one, Molly Jane!

Honeymooners Are Home

Jeff and Heidi got home yesterday. We went to their apartment to watch them open gifts. They have a cute place. Still seems crazy that they are a married couple!

My Amazing Baby Sister

About a year ago.Sisters Picture-March 2008 Lisa Tricia Maria Me Karen

I have to tell you about my amazing baby sister Tricia. The top picture was taken approximately a year ago. The bottom picture was taken at Heidi and Jeff's wedding. She is the second from the left. To know Tricia is to love Tricia. She is one of those people who are always just FUN to be around. Every time I would get the opportunity to spend time with her I would be smiling for days of memories of some of our good laughs. But I also worried about her health due to her weight. A year ago January, Tricia quietly and determinedly decided to make her health one of her #1 priorities. She basically made life changes. First with her eating habits with the support of Weight Watchers and then after some months joined a gym for healthy workouts. She is over 100 pounds (I think it's closer to 130 pounds) healthier in the bottom picture than the top. IN JUST OVER 1 YEAR! Talk about an inspiration!! To hear her talk is so motivating. Don't get me wrong, it's been hard, hard work on her part but she has said, "I don't even feel like I'm dieting". She doesn't deprive herself of all good foods but has learned to make good choices and learned when to put her fork down when she is satisfied. She makes you realize it's not about "dieting" or getting "skinny" but about eating healthy and exercising. What a concept!! Just look at Tricia! That is what happens when you focus on being healthy! I can't begin to tell you how proud of her I am or how happy I feel for her. Truthfully, I think she should start a "health" blog. Share some of her tips, recipes and ways to keep focused! I think I'll go down on the treadmill......

A few more

The newly weds
Having a "time out" for chasing the girls.

Some wedding guests.