Wordless Wednesday

Sunglasses

"My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades."
Today is National Sunglasses Day so it seems fitting to give sunglasses some thought. My daughter & I love to wear our sunglasses, even on cloudy days. We both have very sensitive eyes and need to keep them protected. Another reason we like to wear them is, we think it makes you look so much better in photographs. I dislike being in photos, but can tolerate the ones where I am wearing my shades.
This photo is circa 1989 and was our Christmas card photo that year with the caption, "Have A Cool Yule!" We thought we were so cool! HA!

OC Wine Trolley

On Friday night, we gathered "The Fab 15" as we deemed ourselves, and went for a fun two-hour ride aboard the OC Wine Trolley. It is hosted by local realtor, Al Ricci, and, frankly, I think it is a brilliant marketing move on his part. He obviously wants to sell houses and in these rough economic times, he thought of a way to keep his name out there and put a fun spin on it.
As we ride around Old Town Orange, Al gives his 26 passengers a little history lesson on Orange. He just keeps talking while the group chats and laughs and pays little attention. No, wait, maybe that was just our group! There are several stops at local restaurants where they come on board bearing tasty bites from their menu for us to sample. Everything was just yummy. Only suggestion I might have is to get the sturdier acrylic plates that have a place on the side to hang your wine glass. Oh, yes....the wine!! They were pouring what I expected to be tastes of several wines from Cupcake. Their pours were very generous and full glasses that seemed boundless. This may have added to the volume of The Fab 15 as the night continued!

Memories were made that night...and a few hangovers!!

Thin Pancakes

"No matter how thin you make pancakes, there are always two sides."
Many of you probably saw this photo and thought this blog post was about food! Actually, isn't at all. It's another way of saying that there's two sides to every story. It's about the fact that we all carry opinions about situations and things and sometimes, we cling to these opinions, even in the face of facts that prove us wrong. I am guilt of this many times. I am a person with strong opinions. I can be very judgmental, both silently and vocally. This is my strong suit and my downfall. I make huge allowances for some people and I don't give others an inch to make a mistake. These are not pretty things to admit, but they are honest.
We all have opinions (our side of the pancake) and they feel valid and true for us. We cling to them sometimes even when they no longer serve us well. If this is true, then we must also acknowledge that the other person is clinging to an opinion (their side of the same pancake). It feels no less true and valid for them. Finding a happy medium between the two sides, even if it means respecting each other while we agree to disagree, is a sign of maturity and growth as a human being.
Please pass the syrup!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Summer

Friend Power

I was reminded once again today that friends are what make life worth living. Many studies have been done to test this theory. One study followed 1,500 older people for 10 years and found those with a larger network of friends outlived those with fewer friends by 22%. Why you may ask? Companionship provided by friends may ward off depression, boost self-esteem and provide support. The study also found that as people age, they are more selective in their choice of friends, so they spend more time with people they like. We tend to gravitate to people with similar interests. Just as a harried mom of preschoolers needs the company of other women in the same boat, older woman tend to enjoy girlfriends with like interests and needs. Spending time with our girlfriends is not a frivolous notion, it is a lifesaver. It is not something that we should try to fit into our busy schedule, it should be a priority that keeps us as healthy as regular visits to the doctor. And when I'm with my girlfriend, I don't have to get on the scale or take my clothes off ~ much better than the doctor!

Book It!

Books are a big part of my life. There are stacks and stacks of them all over the house. I have still not moved to one of the many book readers on the market today. Not sure why, but it may be the same reason I choose to read my newspaper, in old school print form, at my kitchen table rather than online. I probably read three to four books a month, and, even with passing a few on to other book loving friends, they still add up. I ran across this wonderful idea that combines two of my favorite things ~ books and parties!
Gather a group of your fellow reader friends and have each bring a "bag of books" to trade ~ paperback, hardcover, anything that needs a home. Starting with the owner, each person writes their name on a sticky note inside the cover once they've read the book. After a book has made the rounds, it goes to a good cause such as a library or shelter. Serve a few snacks and drinks and you've got a party with a purpose. What could be better??

Ironing

I hate to iron, but I love the look of ironed clothes. So, that means I force myself to iron. I know this is something of an old school thing. My daughter does not iron. She "dryer irons". You know, toss the item you want to wear in the dryer for a few minutes to get out the wrinkles and then put it on. Her children have never seen her iron. I will never forget watching a TV program with Maddy and the woman was ironing and she asked, "Grammie, what's that lady doing??"
Women of my generation have spent countless hours ironing for their family; hours we will never get back. Did it make our kids look better? Did anyone notice? Was it worth it? Have many of us have given it up or do we continue to do it out of habit? I am going to give this some deep thought as I iron my jeans to wear tonight!

Ummm...Donuts!

The kids (with the help of mommy's wallet), bought me a Babycakes Donut maker for my birthday this week. I have already written about the Babycakes mini cupcake maker. It has been used more times than I can count! "Mini" anything is the trend these days. You see it at parties, weddings, etc. Bites or tastings are all the rage. It actually makes sense because it is fun and easy to try several things that only take a bite or two to eat. It's finger food at it's best.

How cute are these donuts? The machine makes six every five minutes. I found that after the first batch, I set the timer for four minutes instead. Like my cookies, I like to under cook them a little to keep them on the soft side.
For the first batch, we made simple white cake donuts and covered them in cinnamon and sugar. Here is my official "shaker upper" with the bag of donuts, cinnamon & sugar.
The kit even provides a small cooling rack. Check out how tasty they look once they are coated.
Maddy's official review was, "Grammie, these are SO GOOD! Can I have another?" The batch made 22 mini donuts and they were all eaten within three hours! Pa only got one!
Next up, I am going to made homemade glaze for glazed donuts and I am going to frost them in colors to match the theme of a party and serve them on a three-tiered tray.
Funny thing is, I love to make them and am not even tempted to eat them. Now, if it were salty and savory, that's another story!!

Wordless Wednesday

Birthday Girl

Kind of hard to believe I had self esteem issues growing up, huh? What with the foxy blue winged glasses, incredibly fashion forward shorts set, my Pebbles doll & a band aid on my knee, who wouldn't feel great about themselves?!?!?!
Another year older and hopefully wiser. If not wiser, than just a little more forgiving to myself and all my shortcomings. I am thankful for my life, band aids, bumps and all!

Monday Munchies

Summer is the season for longer days, vacations (even stay-cations) and easy, fun food. Lately, we have been replacing our traditional hamburgers with sliders. They are just a smaller version of the burger. We use turkey, seasoned well for flavor, and those addicting Hawaiian sweet rolls for the buns. The beauty of the small size is that you can limit yourself to just one (yeah, right!!) or have two or three. You can easily mix it up by adding an ingredient or two: feta cheese & fresh dill, mozzarella & pasta sauce, pepper jack & an avocado slice (see below). The possibilities are endless.
Fruit is a mainstay of summer and we love it all. Yes, you can cut it up (or pay a little extra and buy it pre-cut) and throw it in a bowl, but we think the little extra effort of putting it on skewers adds so much. These fruit skewers are pressed into the top of a watermelon. The watermelon was cut in half and hollowed out. Turn it over and place it on a plate or platter and place the skewers however you would like. Now you have a nice display of fruit. These can be used for all different occasions. Parties, showers, graduations or just to eat for fun!
A word or two about avocados. It's always upsetting to watch a luscious (and expensive) Haas avocado turn from vibrant green to icky brown after you cut into it. I often slice avocados just before serving, adding yet another time-sensitive step to getting dinner on the table. Leaving it to last, I often forgot to serve it all together. Then, I read about this tip: Rinsing or submerging the cut avocado in cold water prevents the sliced and exposed fruit from browning for hours. So simple ~ who knew? Try it. It works.

Indoor Camping

“Children will not remember you for the material things you provided
but for the feeling that you cherished them.”

Many things are said about loving children, but this quote touched me because it uses the verb cherish instead of love. Cherish holds such a higher value than even love. I mean, I love Starbucks coffee, but I certainly don't cherish it. I love a clean, organized house, but I don't cherish it. Now, these three little noisy, messy creatures in this pictures, these I cherish. We had a sleepover x 3 and it was not without it's bumps and tears, but, all in all, it was so much fun to cuddle down beside them and watch the movie together while rubbing their sweet little heads. Sleepy kisses flowed freely along with, "I love you, Grammie." In the not too distant future, their sleepovers will not include me, but their friends. Their wings sprout faster than we can ever imagine and that is why I cherish these moments and the memories they give me.

Bad Dog!

You can tell the kids again and again, don't leave your toys outside where the dog can get them! This has been going on for generations and each side knows their role ~ parents yell and kids don't listen. Dogs continue to chew up everything they can get their paws on. It is in the handbook. Only when you find the baby, dirty from being drug through the mud, his stomach half chewed for an afternoon snack, piercing blue eyes staring back at you as you drop him in the kitchen trash, do you realize that you are laughing even in your anger! Then, in this modern world we live in, you take a picture and share it with everyone on Facebook. Maybe it will make their day. Maybe they will be glad they don't have a dog. Maybe you should just go have a cocktail and call it a day!

Today's List

Here are the good things that happened to me today:

1. I woke up. (not dead)
2. A stranger complimented my hair. (thanks, Nancy)
3. My Starbucks receipt had a survey on it that gave me a coffee. (FREE!)
4. Heard my all-time favorite song on the radio. (Tiny Dancer - Elton John)
5. Sold a small job for my husband. (it all adds up)
6. Scheduled to see a movie with a friend. (friendship makes life better)
7. Harvested 5 heads of lettuce from the garden. (a few seeds + a little water= big return)
8. Cooked dinner for the family. (it's been a while & I miss it)

The truth is, none of these things are important or big. It could probably be considered an ordinary day. The point of it is, these little things that are good can easily be overlooked waiting for something really good or BIG to happen. Pausing to take inventory of the good things in my day forces me to focus on just that, the good. And, surely, that can't be bad!

Wordless Wednesday

Priceless

priceless:–adjective

having a value beyond all price; invaluable: a priceless artwork.
We all know the MasterCard commercials where they show a scenario and put a price to most of it and then part of it, the most important part, is deemed priceless.
What is priceless to you? Oh, we all know what we are supposed to say, love, family, friends, etc, but, have you ever REALLY thought about what is priceless to you?? I am sure it differs for all people. It also may change given situations. If I am camping with the family, the shower on day two is priceless. If I hear a friend is going in for medical tests and they turn out fine, the news is priceless. One is much more important than the other, however, both feel priceless in their given situations.
Priceless moments, like "golden moments" that occur in our life are not to be ignored. They make all the rest matter.
Did you have a priceless moment lately? Did you recognize it?

Summer Staple

Proof that summer is just around the corner is finding the first cucumber of the season in our garden. A constant fixture in our refrigerator all summer is the marinated cuke, tomato & onion (optional) salad. I keep a batch whipped up at all times and just keep adding to it as it gets eaten. I like it on the tart side and use red wine vinegar. To sweeten it a little, I add a packet or two of Equal instead of sugar and a little water. All it needs is seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic powder and you're good to go. YUM!

Jack E. Boy

The following story is true! The names have NOT been changed to protect the innocent!
Two days ago, my phone rings. When I answer it, this is what I hear: "Hi, Grammie. It's Jack. I know your number now and I called you all by myself. Mom's not here. Dad's not here. I am in charge of the kids. Did you know I can drive the car now??" Then he laughs and laughs. I asked him where his mom really was and he said in the bedroom. When he finally gave her the phone, I relayed the entire conversation. She said she hadn't heard the phone ring and I said it was because I did not call there. Jack called me! It was not her cell phone, but the house phone. He is almost five years old and has an imagination that rivals fiction writers! Lately, he has spinning these yarns that are complete fabrication...and yet, they could be so true. My brain is working overtime to figure out what is real and what is made up. Once again, my grandkids, wear me out, amaze me, and fill me with joy!

Courage

"People are made up of flesh and blood and a miracle fiber called courage."
We all need to be courageous in our lives. Some are small instances like jumping off a diving board. Some are big events like changing where we live, where we work or where we take a stand on an issue. Courage often requires seeing things as they might be rather than how they are. The tingly feeling we get sometimes that we think is fear, is actually courage running through our veins coaxing us to give it a shot ~ jump!

Wordless Wednesday - Slurpees!