Sunday, June 24, 2012

June 23, 2012

Lots of things represent June 23, 2012 in our family.

My Mom's birthday is June 23 - She turned 82 years old yesterday.

In 2001 my husband's Mother passed away on June 23 - She was 76 and her birthday would have been on June 25.

And now a new memory for the day - yesterday was my niece's wedding day.

The wedding was held at a place called the Stone Barn.  The wedding itself was outside by two ponds under the shades of some trees.  There were 7 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen and two flower girls.  The two little girls trotted down the walkway and then realized they forgot to spread their petals so they both went back up and came back down tossing the pedals!

The ceremony itself was short and sweet.  It wasn't a traditional ceremony but very nice.  They promised to love each other for who they are and other promises and were pronounced man and wife.  They walked up the walkway to a sea of bubbles (we were supplied with little bottles of bubbles!)

The reception immediately followed in a building past the ponds.  Inside of a sign-in book there was a large pic of a tree - you had to put your thumbprint as a leaf/branch of the tree and sign your name.  I thought this was a cool idea.  (Of course I haven't been to a wedding in about 10 years so maybe this is common!)  They also had pics of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents wedding photo's on the table.  Very nice.   They also had one of those photo booths where you put on goofy hats and take pics.  You get a pic and so do they and you sign their scrapbook.  Fun idea!

Lots of other little cool things and they did a great job of getting it all together.

So here are a few pics of the evening ( I didn't take very many - there were so many people taking pics it was hard to get any)

This was outside during the ceremony...


At dinner - the newly married happy couple...


Later in the evening... Cheryl (Mother of the bride on the far left) and the bride...



Maid of Honor - My niece Jessica...


My Mom and Dad...



My cousin Randy and my brother (father of the bride) Rusty...


My Uncle Bud and my cousin's wife Debbie...


The father and daughter dance started out very traditionally - then AC/DC blasted from the speakers and the blow up guitars came out.  If you know my brother this is perfect.  We were hysterical at this!



So all in all I'm so happy they had a great day for it - the weather couldn't have been more perfect and everything went off smoothly.  The happy couple will be leaving for their honeymoon on Monday to Punta Canta - sounds wonderful!

Friday, June 22, 2012

The Bubble Bitch

I know, I know, I know.  It's been a while since I posted - I even received several emails asking if everything is okay.

For the most part things are okay - I just haven't felt like I had anything to blog about lately!   Nothing much going on!  So I will just show you some random pics of the past few weeks.

I haven't really been hooking - a couple of weeks ago I took a huge piece of linen and drew about 12 things on it and one afternoon decided to start hooking.  Well I was setting everything up with my tub of worms next to me and putting my frame in front of me and when I finally sat down to hook - this is what I found...


Not to be outdone and realizing Jonesy had found a soft place for an afternoon nap, Quentin takes over...





He sure is giving me the eye that means DO NOT DISTURB. 

Riley of course can't believe his little brothers are in my tub (Of course he may be mad he didn't think of it first!)



Ever make sticky buns/cinnamon buns from frozen bread dough?   Last Thursday I decided to do that (and of course I picked an awfully hot day to bake!

I really don't have a recipe but you thaw the frozen bread dough and then roll it out in a long rectangle  - then I brushed the dough with melted butter, and  sprinkled a mixture of brown sugar and cocoa powder (just something I add) and cinnamon on the dough and roll it up.  I then cut it like you would a roll of cookie dough.  I place these little spirals/circles in a throwaway foil pan that I have put in the bottom of the pan melted butter, brown sugar, more cinnamon (cause I love it) , and chopped nuts (i used walnuts cause that's what I had!) and let sit and rise... this is a pic of them rising - i usually let it go for about 2-4 hours - this pic is about an hour into it...


Then you bake it for about half hour at 350 degrees...

Oh yummm...  the house smells so good.  As soon as I got them out of the oven I overturned them onto a cookie tray I put a piece of parchment paper and then slide it back into the pan


Oh they were so good - I had a "piece" from the first pan out of the oven and at that moment decided I can't have all these sitting around - so as soon as it was all down I loaded up the Subaru and off I went delivering hot buns to some family and friends!  Okay I won't like - I kept some for us too!  It's certainly easy peasy and besides the dough it's generally ingredients you have lying about the house!

Well from these pics you'd think all Quentin does is sleep - but that's not true - that boy is on the move continuously and if he does lay down, if I leave the room he's up and following me - mostly with a toy.  He  loves to play!  And can you believe that today Quentin is 9 months old! Wow! He's getting so big!

His favorite spot to watch the birds in the big tree (and notice Kathy - he's got that green toy with him - looking at me like daring me to touch it!)


Oh and I'm still not getting any hooking done - if they aren't in my worms then someone is sleeping atop my frame...

How cute is he - he just got done posting a pic on facebook of himself...


I think this is Quentin resting while the cinnamon buns were in the oven...did I mention he also helps with everything you do!


Again in one of his favorite spots - a rare moment of rest...


A friend gave me a mouse that squeaks (and sounds real) - Riley took to it and had a ball playing with it...



So besides spending days playing with the boys (in the air conditioning) I don't know what I have been getting into yet it seems like there isn't time to get anything done.  Go figure!

I did manage to spend a few days on the beach earlier this week.  I am whiter than white and was trying to get some color on my legs since there is no way I'm putting on a pair of panty hose tomorrow (for my nieces wedding) in this heat (it's outdoors!).  Well of course I managed to keep them white and get my shoulders a dark pink!  Well never fear - I tried that rub on tan stuff - I think I got enough color to get away with it - but I do hate that stuff - can't stand the smell of it!
And this pic is for Linda!  I can't use my powder room - it's been invaded by bags of bubbles - I can't close the door and running out of room to store them!  I have more over my washer and dryer too! LOL 


 
Okay let me explain - my husband can get all the bubble wrap he wants from work (they wrap huge machines and get parts in and just toss it away) so he brings home these bags of bubbles for my "rent payment" to stay at Linda's when I go to Grant Street (Rent is 2 bags of bubbles each visit!) for her husband for his business. Now this is what happens when I haven't gotten there for a few weeks!  LOL  Oh and did I tell you that Linda and Rick call me the "Bubble Bitch"?  Next time I get there I'm wondering how I'm going to fit all this in my little Subaru along with me and my hooking! (It's always a challenge - I think the most I took at one time was 9 bags!)   Anyway...let's hope when I do go next time it's not windy or my car will lift off in flight - Hey wait - that might be a good idea - no traffic! 

My Pop ended up in the ER on Father's Day again but he's home and everything is okay for now.    Thank goodness because I know he would have been absolutely heartbroken to miss his granddaughter's wedding tomorrow. 

My toe is still a little sore but no pain at all with walking anymore.  So basically healed from the fall!   Been having some issues with my hands again but working through that also.  Always something I suppose!

I have a question about blogger if any of you know.  I tried to go in and add some blogs to my blog list but when I it "add" - the screen to do so is off the screen to the left so to speak but I can't do anything with it and enlarging the screen doesn't work?  Any ideas? 

Anyway....like I said - it's been pretty ho hum around here lately.  I haven't been on the computer too much either but do wan to to sit down one of these days and get caught up on my blog reading and group postings, etc.  Wish I had a good excuse but I don't!

Have a wonderful weekend - and if you are in parts of this heatwave - stay cool!


Friday, June 1, 2012

Is It Really June! Wowzer!

Time sure is flying by again - always I should say! 

The bad news is since again for the past few weeks I have been unable to hook - something so stupid happened one night 2 1/2 weeks ago - I slipped on a grape - yep a grape. Went down hard on a tiled covered concrete floor - I had first thought I had broken my knee - it hurt so bad I saw white.  But I was extremely lucky only got a knot on the knee and the scrape was minimal - My shin bruised a little and swelled with the knee for about a week. My "middle toe" was broken and bleeding - it's still a tad swollen but so much better - just starting to be able to bend it a little and my arm and shoulder were jarred/pulled so wasn't able to lift my arm even to hook for a while!  That is improving every day.

The good news is it could have been worse or it could have happened to someone else who could have been really hurt bad!  So maybe it was a good thing it was me and not one of the older people.

Soooooooooooo.... I decided to go to Grant Street this week anyway!  Felt good to get the hook back in my hand - I used my floor stand with my traveling frame which I think helped me hook - and guess what! I finished the rug for my niece for her wedding! Even got it whipped! (Oh yea - forgot - it's not really done - according to Kathy a rug isn't done until it's labeled! So i have to label it yet!)

So here it is....


This is an adaptation of the antique rug sometimes called "Old Hearts" or "Blue Sam".   I know it's way more colorful than the original but I suppose at one time that rug was colorful!

Once again there were lots of laughs out in Chambersburg this week - Always a fun time and I sure wished I had my camera in hand late Wednesday night when I was at Linda's house but I didn't! When I did have it out at Grant Street I forgot to take pics like usual!

Nothing much else going on here - the "boys" have still been tearing up the house and Quentin will play 24 hours a day if you allow it - he carries his toys around and gives you those eyes - here are some pics from them in a rare "down time" mode this past week...

Jonesy and Riley ...


Weird boy - I think he is totally exhausted from playing so hard - See how big Mr. Q is! Wow is all I keep saying!


Have a good weekend - stay dry and cool!