Christmas 2010

And then......Grandpa opened his calendar for the "man shed" and Nick immediately covered his eyes! :) (She's dressed just very slim) But it embarrassed Nick.

Nick's Candy Dish

Today Nick and I tried to make a mold of his hand and then poured plaster into it.  We had tried this once before and it was a FLOP!  But today....there was success...waa-laa....we are pretty proud of the finished product.  I think it should stand up on the base but he thinks it should lay down and become..... a candy dish!  Either way, its pretty neat.

 

You're A Grand Old Flag by Nick Luke

Here's the video of Nick singing "You're A Grand Old Flag". He learned this in school and I think he does an Excellent job! He said at the end "I had to burp in the middle of the song, but thats ok". :) Hope you enjoy.

Lets get ready for halloween

Nick was up for a little bit this weekend. He painted a ceramic pumpkin - and I had some white gords so he painted one of them and then of course we had to carve another pumpkin because we had carved one a few weeks ago but it shriveled up. While painting his pumpkin - he sang me a song and I have a video of it but am having trouble getting it loaded here. I'll keep trying so stay tuned - it is REALLY GOOD! And duh! I forgot to get a picture of the final jack-o-lantern results!

Fall Harvest Fun

This weekend Nick visited us with Ryan while he and Grandpa combined beans. Bob Daily got Nick a Polaris 4-wheeler - he had a blast running all over the bean ground. It was great weather all weekend. Ryan rode the Polaris Ranger with Nick. Can't imagine how many miles were put on both.

Nick's Garden - Carrots

This year Grandpa and Nick planted our garden. Nick was insistant that we plant carrots. He would check them every time he came up to visit. And would pull on each time to see how big they were getting. Se we started off with little itty bitty carrots and ended the season with some BIG ones.

Fall Sports for Nick

Nick is in first grade this year and is actively participating in Football (flag) and Soccer. So we are off to Huxley early Saturday morning for football and back again on Tuesday evenings for Soccer. I don't remember sports starting at such a young age 30+ years ago. :)

Nick's visit

Nick came up a little bit this weekend. He is growing up. Getting tall and doesn't have that "babyness" anymore. (I know its not a word but don't know how to explain it.) He isn't into the snuggling with Grandma so much anymore... :-( unless I beg to just sit with me and tell me what he's been doing this summer. While visiting with him he asked me if he came up and stayed 3 or 4 days could I take him to Hawaii? He remembers when I went and was so interested in the pictures on a calendar I had purchased over there. Funny how they remember. After dark we decided to do a few sparklers since he won't be at Ryan's over the 4th.

ASPARAGUS BUNDLES - yummy

Got this recipe from "The View" one day. Wasn't sure how it would go over....but was well liked by both of us! Definitely making this again.

(sample pic found on internet - not my pic)

2 lbs fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
12 slices bacon
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 TBL soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the asparagus spears into 12 bundles. Carefully wrap 1 pc of bacon around each bundle starting about 1/2" from the bottom of the the tips. Lay the bundles in a low sided casserole dish. In a med saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt, pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour hot mixture over the asparagus bundles. Put in oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

SOCCER HAS BEGUN!!

Nick's soccer started this week. He did great. One of the smaller ones on the team - but also one of the fastest!! :)

HOT CORN DIP - Yum!

Saw this recipe on "The View" show today. The ladies on the show went on and on about how good this was so I had to try it for dinner tonight. It is really good....addictive....

Serves 12

2 - 11 ounce cans MexiCorn - drained

2 - 4 1/2 ounce cans chopped green chilies - drained

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounce pkg)

3/4 cup grated Parmeson Cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

Corn chips or Tortilla chips for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 - grease 9x13x2 casserole dish

In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chilies, cheeses, mayo until fully combined.

Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered 30-40 minutes or

until bubbly around the edges.

Serve the dip warm from the oven with chips.

*Can keep the dip warming in a slow cooker and snack all evening!! :)

Easter and Birthday CELEBRATIONS!

Had a good weekend. Nick came up on Saturday evening and stayed all night. We hadn't seen him for quite awhile so we had a great time. Colored eggs - hunted eggs - celebrated his upcoming 6th birthday this week. Ryan brought the ham for dinner today. It was wonderful. He got a new smoker grill for christmas - he did a good job.

RECOVERY

I had a spot on my face for about a month. Decided to go to the doctor and they did a biopsy which came back as skin cancer. So yesterday I had Mohs Surgery done to remove it. It took about 4 1/2 stressful hours of cutting, waiting, cutting, waiting, etc. But the surgeon said she got it all. Now for the pain and swelling....and healing. So glad I decided to go to doctor - at first I was just waiting for it to heal, which of course it was not doing.
can't get my contacts in and the glasses don't sit so well on the bandages.

Can't wait to wash my hair!!!!

FRUIT DIP RECIPE

I went to a candle party this weekend and the hostess made a REALLY GOOD fruit dip.

1 (12 oz) cool whip
1 individual serving size Vanilla yogurt
1 sm box instant White Chocolate pudding - (use the dry mix - don't make pudding)

Whip the 3 together - let it set a little bit so the pudding mix can blend.
Cut up your fruit and "wa-la"

For a lighter side.....use lite cool whip, lite yogurt and sugar free pudding.

HO-HO CAKE

2 prepared 9" Round Chocolate Cakes

FILLING:
2 T flour
1 C milk
2/3 C sugar
2/3 C shortening
1/3 C butter, softened
3/4 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

In small saucepan, combine flour & milk until smooth - stir in 1/4 C sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook & stir 2 minutes or until thick. Pour in large bowl & cool. Beat in shortening, butter, vanilla, salt and remaining sugar until smooth. Spread between cake layers.

GLAZE:
1/4 C butter, cubed
1/4 C baking cocoa
3/4 C powdered sugar
2-4 T milk

Melt butter & cocoa in small saucepan. Whisk in powdered sugar & enough milk to make drizzling consistency.

HICKORY GROVE LAKE

I had my camera with me today so I drove out to Hickory Grove Lake at noon to see what I might spot to take a picture of. The deer were unreal. I had 3 of them run right in front of me but they move so fast, I didn't have time to get my camera up and ready. Spotted them in the timber so zoomed. Then I ran across the squirrel who could care less that I was in the area.

SCRAMBLED EGG MUFFINS! Yum

My boss has been bringing egg muffins to work with him and warming them up in microwave for his breakfast. Said it was a new recipe his wife had found and he really liked them so I thought I would give it a try and see how it would go over in my house. You know, I live with 'Mr. Picky'. This morning I gave it a shot and it PASSED as a these aren't so bad. I made half of them with sausage and the other half with bacon. You can refrigerate or freeze for a quick breakfast fix when running late. Just warm them up in the microwave. We just put one on a plate and cut up so you had a 'scrambled egg omelet'.

SCRAMBLED EGG MUFFINS
1/2 lb bulk pork sausage (I used half of that for 6 and put bacon in other 6)
12 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped gr pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I used Kraft Four Cheese)

In a skillet, cook the sausage (or bacon) over medium heat until done. In a bowl, beat the eggs, add onion, gr pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in meat and cheese.
Spoon 1/3 cupful into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (I baked mine for 20 min and they were done)

Hope you enjoy!

ANOTHER IOWA STORM - ICE

Woke up to freezing rain. Decided to work from home today. Will Winter ever end??

View out our East bedroom window - There is no view, its ICE covered!

Just a little ICE on the mailbox....and highway

A WEEKEND OF SLEDDING WITH GRANDPA

Nick came up and stayed this weekend and brought his sled. So of course he and Grandpa Bob had to try it out since we've had so much snow. Me?....someone had to take the pictures and be ready to pick up the pieces if there were any 'accidents'. :p

Taking turns sledding down the hill

Sledding can really wear a person out.

How about some video??

Here Grandpa Bob and Nick try sledding together.

ANOTHER IOWA BLIZZARD

Another storm hit this week leaving LOTS of snow and many closed roads. But no matter how high the drift......he got into his 'man shed'! :-)

A little snow is nice but this is ridiculous!

This is what the highway looked like east of our driveway this morning.
Yes, there really is a highway under that snow

This is what the highway looked like west of our driveway. Very large drift

Large drift in our yard by the highway.