Friday, July 30, 2010

Patriotic Memories

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Patriotic Memories!

July is nearly over and I realized I forgot to post our 4th of July memory!  For the 4th we had to travel to find a town that still had funds in the budget for fireworks.  We decided if we were going to make the LONG drive, we'd make a memory and have a special dinner treat at Sonic Drive-In!  Sonic is really fun for kids as the atmosphere is Retro dining in your car.


Sonic also has lots of choices...



...lots and lots of choices!  It took us a full 10 minutes just to decide, whew!


Here the kids are watching for our waitress to roll up on her roller skates to bring us our food!



Gut Burger...


Cherry Limeade...


Then we headed to the park and waited for the sun to go down.  



They had a local band play 70's & 80's classic rock n' roll and we did our best to keep the kids busy.

Like getting a shoulder massage...



Goofy self portraits...





Lovely self portraits...

It's nearly sunset and we get more goofy as we bought a bag of fresh hot kettle korn and toss kernels in the air and try to catch them.




Fun memories

under the fire works!  It was worth the long drive.


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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Funny stuff

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A Dad's Life

StevieWren recently posted this video at her blog and we have watched it about 10 times already just to have some much needed laughter!   It's a funny little rap for Dad's.  It was produced by Church on the Move (churchonthemove.org)

Go here to watch it - Enjoy!

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Monday, July 26, 2010

A Day At The Sea!

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A Day At The Sea!
Well not really the sea but that's what the kids call our nearest ocean so we go with it!



The Silver Fox (aka my Brother) asked if we would like to join him and my nephew for a day at the beach and since I'm always looking for an excuse to get out of housework, we HAD to go!  It was a windy day but still very warm despite the clouds that would come and go throughout the day.


Yea ~ so happy to be at the beach!

The kids counting the waves to determine the pattern of the incoming tides.


How's the water Son?
It's G-R-E-A-T!




Don't let him fool ya, the water was COLD!


Back to the beach to play some games!


Here's my boy showing me his pose for throwing a pass...


Here is his Uncle showing him how it's really done!


 
This would actually be a picture of two gray fox's if I hadn't colored my hair the day before! ha ha


It's been a fun day but now we're getting hungry for some sea-side grub, so we headed down to the pier to enjoy outdoor dining at Wipe Out!


While we waited for our table to be ready, we sat near the fire that kept us warm
and that was a good thing because when the fog rolls in, it gets chilly!


 
My brother generously treated my family to a delicious dinner and our meals were loaded with french fries ~ oh honey!  Let's see, we've got some clam chowder, fish and chips, fried calamari, mango citrus ribs, fish tacos and out of camera range was the shrimp!


This was fun!  If you want your food to go, just order it here!


Before we left, we walked the pier and stopped at the cookie shop to get fresh, warm from the oven milk chocolate chip cookies!  Here my Boy asks if he can have one of his Uncle's cookies...


He replies "Sure" but instead it began a game of "catch the cookie if you can"...


And to his Uncle's surprise, he QUICKLY caught the cookie! ha ha


Our parting shot before we left the pier!  Such a fun day making memories, thanks for asking us to join you my sweet Brother!


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Saturday, July 17, 2010

My Recession Tea Party

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My Recession Tea Party!

As I mentioned in my previous post, it was my turn to host a tea party but finances are what they are and I did something I said I would never do.  Ask people to bring food when I host a tea party.  It's just my thing.  It's just how I roll.  It's just the hostess in me.  Well, never say never!  

So I decided if I was going to have to do it, I was going to make it fun and make a memory!  I sent out invitations announcing that Chachaneen Manor was in a recession, the treasury had dried up, I'm brewing over my deficit because I'm Taxed Enough Already (hence the TEA Party theme) but it was no reason to cancel a party.  I decreed we were going to do the Pantry Challenge and come up with something from our pantry's to bring to the party!  I also encouraged them to wear their worn out clothes and aprons! 

Can I just tell you how nifty my family and friends are?  They are about as handy as a pocket on a shirt and they did not disappoint me!  I wish my friends in bloggyland could have been there too because there are some serious Betty Crocker's and Creative Martha's out here!

To stay true to my theme I REALLY wanted my party favors to be inexpensive yet creative so I did some reading about how families made it through WW II with ration coupons and lack of ingredients. Here is what I came up with!
  
***Spoiler Alert***
 For those of you who came to the party... you'll now know what is inside your mystery can! Ha Ha! 

I got cans and took the labels off.  Remember movies where a family would discover a can of "something" and everyone crowded around to see what was inside?  Could it be corn?  Could it be beans?  Or could it be PIE FILLING?  Then I made dahling labels with my scrapbook supplies and tied them around the cans with simple twine.






Then I decorated my table with things I already had... a country vase full of flowers and my little sewing kit from where I poured out all the buttons to use as decoration on my CUTE cherry patterned table cloth.  Those buttons would come in handy later too during the party.




My tea table is ready for the first cuppa!


Guests began to arrive and I squealed with delight when 
"Rosie the Riveter" 
aka Jenifer, arrived at my party! 


Here was the results of the pantry challenge!
Of course I made my cream scones with piles of cream and lemon curd!


Vienna Sausages (that's right, those little .50 cent cans) wrapped in flaky crescent dough and deli mustard as the dipping sauce!


This is what my husband's 92 yr old Grandmother brought, Dry Salad!
(Think ambrosia salad with cottage cheese, orange slices, pecans and jello)


Ann brought a pot of Beans with Ham and Cornbread Muffins!




JoAnn brought this delicious tray of Fresh Fruit!


Melody brought Strawberry Shortcake and we used my extra cream from the scones to top it off!


No one went home hungry today!


After we finished our lunch, we decided to play some cards and gathered up all the buttons on the table to use as "Ante" while we played Black-Jack!  We talked and talked about memories from the past and how far we've come today in blessings.  Seriously, my generation does not even know what "doing without" means.


I was so spoiled with creative gifties my family and friends gave me too!
Now aren't these CUTE!  They are fancy pink cupcake liners!  Oh the ideas are already swirling in my mind on how to use them!


I also got this traveling jewelry case Crowned just for me!


Jenifer was in character all day and her gift of Rosemary was straight from her garden!  Even cuter is the tea cup pot she planted it in!  So creative and I lurve it!


We laughed at how similar the idea was for my next gift and it was a Herb Growing Kit!  I can't wait to plant it this weekend!


Oh so lovely is this!  Layers and layers of French milled soap!!!



This was my favorite memory of the day!  
Jenifer indulged me in a "Rosie the Riveter" pose holding her mystery can. ha ha


We all agreed this was a great afternoon full of memories and was only better because of delicious food blessed by the hands that prepared it!   We are truly blessed!

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