Getting ready...

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Getting ready for my Recession TEA Party!

Taxed Enough Already!

Chachaneen Manor is in a recession!

The treasury has dried up!

But that shouldn't get in the way of spending the afternoon together with friends, right?  So my girlfriends and I are taking the pantry challenge to see what we can make to bring to the party. 

Could it be fresh fruit and vegetables from their garden?

Spam Tea Sandwiches?

Deviled Eggs?

Dry Salad?

I'm making my famous cream scones with lemon curd.

I can't wait to see how creative they will be and I'll share the photo's in my next post!

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Thankful

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Thankful for tea...

and banana's that needed to be made into something wonderful!

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Leave the light on

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Mom, could you leave the light on?

My boy is taking after his Mama...

He wants to read at night before falling asleep.

So we bought him a simple,

inexpensive timer switch

to plug his light into. 

When the light goes off,

reading time is over.

I lurve it!

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Oh no you don't!

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Oh no you don't little fellow...

your going D-O-W-N!!!

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Father's Day

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Happy Father's Day!

Remember these famous television Dad's?

Which makes me ponder...

I can't think of any CURRENT television shows that promote a Father leading the home.

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We interrupt this routine...

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Routine Interrupted...

The weekend started off with a call from my sister... "What' cha doing today?"  

"Nothin'... and you?"  

"Nothin'... want to drive up to Mom & Dad's and visit them for the day?

"Sounds great, let's go!"

And a lovely visit it was, right up until it was almost.... time.... to..... go!

After dinner, my daughter asked me if we could play volleyball in the backyard, so off we went.  Not 3 minutes into our game, my girl goes down on the grass to hit the ball and lands on her knee.  The instant look on her face told me it was painful and it was going to be a L-O-N-G night. 

So off to the emergency room we went...

 to be THANKFULLY told she had no broken bones but would need to stabilize the leg into a splint for several days... thus no unnecessary walking until the swelling goes down.

So our routine has been interrupted as we try to finish out our last week of school.  My girl has had finals this week, so I took a crash course in Homeschooling and taken her to school a few times to take her final in a conference room since she can't get up the stairs to her classroom.  Her teacher has been amazing in her assistance and communication to help me here at home!  I give credit where it's due to all you Mother's out there who homeschool your children.  And guess what, I even liked it!! 

Well today was the funniest part of our week in that I HAD to go to the store... hadn't been in several days and we needed a few things but how to do it with my girl on crutches?  Hmmm, perhaps she can drive the electric cart around the store?  Surely she would LURVE it?  YES!!!  Okay, let me just say that I wish I had the store surveillance video to show you all how hilarious that was!  

Well we're off to the doctor again to hopefully get the splint taken off for good today!  Wish us luck!

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Derby days

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Recently my Boy participated in a friendly Derby Race Car extravaganza!  Well not really an extravaganza, but it sounds better when you have to get up really E-A-R-L-Y on a Saturday and sit inside a VERY COLD gymnasium.  My boy had worked on his car for weeks learning everything there is to know about Derby Car.  I had no idea what to expect so when we walked in and I saw the ramp and computers all set up, I realized Derby was REALLY for the big boys!  (i.e.  Daddy's who still like their toys)

Obviously this is all very high tech stuff! ha ha

I was amused to see there was also a "Pit" area in case your Derby car needed some work.

The time has finally arrived... 

the time you anticipate, agonize, stress over... 

My Boy's face says it all... the "weigh in"

The results... SUCCESS!!!!

Go B-1!  Go B-1!!  Go B-!!

The competition...

Oh look!  Refreshments!  Coffee, yes I'll have coffee please!

Sorry Ma'am, coffee is all gone.  Would you be interested in hot cocoa?

Why YES, yes I would be interested!

At last, the big moment arrived!  

Round after round of racing, the winners moved up and up the ladder!

Look at the young boy in the orange hoodie... he's got fingers crossed on both hands!  Adorable!

Uh - Oh, doesn't look like we'll be going home a trophy winner today...

Oh well, next year we'll try again!  We still had lots of fun and it was a great project for my Boy to have through the winter months.

Did or does your family participate in the Derby Races?

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Winter in June?

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I lurve to watch Christmas movies throughout the year and the month of June is no exception!  Last year I rented and saw for the first time "Christmas in Connecticut" starring a young Barbara Stanwyck and fell in lurve with the story AND the house... lodge... whatever you call!  I rented it again and this time my attention was more at the details of the set, rather than the story.  

All that beautiful stone / brick on the house and the yard wall just sets the look!

Of course the inside isn't too shabby either with the vaulted ceilings and shelves everywhere!

I lurve the piano next to the slanted window!

Seriously this kitchen has my name written all over it!  All the windows and so spacious!

I am coveting all that storage space of drawers and cabinets!

I think this is called a dutch door?  

What ever it is, makes me want to put a pie on the ledge to cool!

And I lurve a happy ending!

Do you watch Christmas movies throughout the year?

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I'm Puzzled!

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I was looking for a new picture to decorate my church notes journal and found this picture of a country afternoon tea!  And guess what ~ it's a 500 piece puzzle!  I lurve puzzles!

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I'm dreaming...

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I'm dreaming of Lemon Cookies!

It's o'dark-thirty and I'm up baking!  Creamy, melt in your mouth lemon cookies... frosting and all!  I haven't figured out the calorie count yet to see how many I can have today but it better be more than one!  ha ha  But probably not because after I have a delicious lunch made my beautiful friend Jenifer, I'll probably have already exceeded my allotment for the day.  But I WON'T complain because this calorie counting thing is working!  I've lost 6 pounds in 10 days!  Yahoo!


Update: Click here to get the recipe... and by the way, they are 145 calories EACH!  Whoa mama!

Then it's off to Grandma's house for cards and board games! 

And a LARGE salad for dinner!  ha ha

Hope your first day of the holiday vacation is lurvely!

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Cars and Music

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Last week we had some fun in the sun and spent the day listening to great live christian music along with a car show that raised money for the US Armed Forces!

We don't have one of those fancy tents so we camped out under a HUGE tree

Actually this simple Ford truck was the one I liked the most.  Not all fancy, just clean with a nice paint job.  Everyone should have a truck ya know.  

Here was our snack!  Lurve chips and salsa!

We drank LOTS of water!

We shared a YUMMY strawberry funnel cake!

We even met a new little furry friend... Lizzie!

Kids and animals... they just go together!

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The Joy of...

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The Joy of having a Pet!  

Our kitten recently had a birthday and we celebrated with a song and a present ~ a TINY carton of special cat milk!  

You're curious...

You like to travel...

You like to play Hide~n~go~Seek...

You like to get cozy in the blanket...

You like to sleep in MY place on the couch... ahem...

Sometimes you'll even take a nap with the kids...

Your happy to help... ahem... while we wrap a gift or two...

You lurve to distract the kids while they do homework...

You've learned so much that you even leave us messages on the refrigerator...

You surprise us with the ease of where you find places to sleep...

You enjoy getting in the Word before taking a nap...

And your just darn adorable when you find my cozy robe all laid out on the bed and so instead of waking you up to get it, I leave you be and grab a blanket instead.

Happy Birthday Samson!

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