huh?

I just noticed........blog anniversary in 2 days! whoa.....I can't believe it's been a year.

Observations........

**Nothing can put you in a better mood than seeing your grandson smiling at you first thing in the morning Oh……did I not mention that the revolving door is working again….Nicole and Maddox are back!

**My nephew has moved out…….that revolving door again. We will really miss him!

**Life is good…….most of the time

**I cooked fresh soft shell crabs for dinner Friday night......thanks to my boss who's MIL is a seafood distributor! Soft shells for dinner....life is really good!

**Lost is probably the best show ever written in the history of TV!

**There really are a lot of very nice people out in the world.

later........

My craft room......

here's what I've been doing........trying to get this room straight. I bought some shelves to put my stuff on. Just the kind you put together and I put both of them together! That in itself is a miracle!! I'm not very good at following directions. Still have a lot of organizing to do and need to find a table for my sewing machine.
later.........

Staycation....

Johnny boy and I always go down to OBX for the holiday weekend but NOT this year....he had to work all weekend.
We took Tues and Wed off so gave me a 5 day weekend....gave Johnny boy a 2 day weekend!
and it's been nice.....I've been getting a lot done around the house, a lot of shopping done, a lot of being lazy....staycations can be fun!!
I love buying those little American flags....I try to put them all over the house...
all the kids home on Sunday for a cook out
and now it's Tuesday evening....one more day and then back to work!!
at least it's just for two days
later.....

No one told me........

about this wonderful place called "My Girlfriends Kitchen"! Can I just say WOW WOW WOW!! I just bought 10 pre-made dinners for $225...so awesome!
all good, fresh ingredients and all ready to pop in the oven.
and they have really cute names......
so here's our menu for Monday thru Thursday for the next 2 weeks.
**Apple Valley Pork Chops
**Sweet Dreams Chicken Lasagna
**Saucy Baked Salisbury Steak
**Parmesan Tilapis on my Mind
**Mi Amiga Tender Beef
**Newfangled No-fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu
**Sure to please Philly Cheese
**Satay on the Settee
**De-lightful Chicken & Lemon Pepper Pasta
**White Tablecloth Ricotta Ravioli

this is going to be great to come home from work and have the entree already to pop in the oven. They even give you serving suggestions for your sides.
I'll use these Monday thru Thurs because I actually do love to cook.......just don't have time during the week. I'll do my cooking on the weekends.
the size I bought serves 4 to 6 people so should be enough left over for Johnny boy's lunch.
what a deal!!
later........

Picture this.......

Keep in mind #31 from my 100th post………..”I do not like to ride in Johnny’s 1989 Ford pick up truck”.
Last night we went to Lowe’s to pick up the new shiny stainless steel grill……and I rode with Johnny in that truck. I rode with him because I just didn’t really have anything I felt like doing at home so I thought, what the heck….
Picture this…we are riding down Brooke Road and Johnny starts leaning down while looking in his side mirror and says…..”Well I’ll be damned, the tailgate just fell off of my truck’!!
Picture this……we have to pull over and Johnny runs across 3 lanes to pick up his tailgate. At this point, I cannot control my laughter. And this my friend……. is why we have been happily married for so long…..it’s just a bunch of laughs with that guy!
Later……

Tell me what you think....really...tell me!

On Monday my Johnny boy and I celebrated 29 years of being married.......29 years of having fun, putting up with each other, raising 3 kids, laughing an awful lot, moving 3 times and all the while, having the best time of our life!! And with each year, it only gets better. I.....am very lucky and him....well, he's very lucky too! haha

I always told Johnny that I want to go to Hawaii for our 30th wedding anniversary. Knowing full well that I will never get Johnny to go to Hawaii......but it was always fun to think about it. He does not care to fly and that would just be too long of a flight for him........we live on the east coast.

Monday night, while out to dinner @ Maggiano's, I told him that I knew he would not do that trip and he said......."you know it".

BUT.....but.........he did say that we could do a little trip down to the Caribbean! woo hoo.......so if you know me at all, you know that I'm in the planning mode now!! Except that I do not know anything about the Caribbean.......where to go, where to stay. I'm looking for suggestions. I'll ask some folks here @ work but would love to hear from some of my blogger friends on where they would suggest.........got any?? Our requirements are white sand beach, casinos and possibly all inclusive.

later........

Jacq and Bucky's house.....

a few pics of their house........which is coming along great. pic of living room, computer room which also shows Bucky's extensive collection of shoes and hats, foyer and kitchen. Jacq is still looking for fabric for the kitchen curtains so I can make them..........

More pictures......

flowers from my garden......the one thing around here that is loving all of the rain. My hydrangea's and peonies. Plus a pic of Miss Chrissy and her new haircut.......

A post of pictures.......

I really have nothing to say so a bunch of post with a bunch of pictures. Here's Jake looking concerned.....I don't really remember why. and here's a pic of his new wheels. I called them "cute"...apparently, that is not the right thing to say. Also 2 pics of the deck...........and this pattern that Johnny is creating is another reason that it is taking so long....that and the rain.

later.......

Strawberry Jam.......

I'm posting this recipe for Paula........the only tip I can give you is do not double the recipe. As I said, I had never made the jam before and I wanted more than the recipe called for as I would be giving this as gifts......so I doubled the recipe. Then while my jars were enjoying themselves in the "hot water bath"......I read a little tip sheet and it said, do not double recipe.......oops! The outcome would be that it may not "set" as well as it should.....but then again, it also said it could take up to 2 weeks to set.
so here it is.......it was fun and I still have mine setting out on the counter on the red and white towel.......for some reason, it makes me smile!
Strawberry Jam
4 pints strawberries (5 cups crushed)
1/2 tsp. margarine
1 package pectin (1-3/4 oz.)
7 cups sugar
Preparation - Wash the strawberries and remove the hulls. Chop and crush the berries in a food processor or by hand. In a large pot, measure 5 cups of crushed strawberries. Stir in the margarine and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir the sugar into the strawberry mixture. Bring to a full, rolling boil again. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off the foam. Ladle the jam into clean jars to 1/4" from the top. Wipe the rims. Cover the jars with the caps, then screw on the bands. Place the jars in a canner with just enough water to cover jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 4-1/2 pints

later.......

Smoke free.........

One year ago today I quit smoking.
yes.....I did cheat last Memorial weekend sitting up in the bar at the beach.
and yes, I did smoke a couple while in Texas last June
but guess what..........I'm still smoke free!!
later.........

Happy Mothers Day.....

to all the moms out there!

and here's what I did last night! I have never canned strawberry jam before.........it was pretty easy and fun! Yeah, I'm old when I find canning fun. But you know, there is just a little bit of satisfaction in canning food and I enjoy it. They all sealed but the jam hasn't "set" yet......I hope it does.

later.........

Where do these people come from......

This post could get me in trouble so I'll just apologize right up front. I don't mean to offend anyone......I in no way think I'm any better than anyone else. Everyone has a right to their opinion and here's mine........
I went somewhere last night that I always swear I will never go to again........WAL-MART! ackkk!! And I walk through there in total amazement.........as in.......WHERE IN THE WORLD DO THESE PEOPLE COME FROM!!!
I went to Wally world because I was on a mission to buy canning jars and as it turns out, Wal-Mart was the cheapest so off I went. We couldn't find them......I stopped a person who worked there, though I wasn't really sure. I said.....excuse me, do you work here? And she looked at me like I was some sort of alien. She replied......well, I don't even know what she said....it sounded Russian to me. So then I said....could you tell me where the canning supplies would be? And she said......"girls, womens, what size?"
no kidding.....that's what she said. I said......ok, thank you....and started to walk away but Johnny boy continued to ask her. I think he was really finding it amusing.
so we found the canning supplies and got in line.........and as we just looked around, I looked at Johnny and he was just shaking his head........where do these people come from?

later............

picture post.......

picture of my precious mom and me. My niece made the wedding cake...she does a wonderful job. Also, leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my photography skills......I think they are getting just a little bit better.

later......

more wedding pictures.....

here are some more......Johnny boy and I with the love of our life....Maddox. Jacquelyn and Bucky, Jake and Kayla and Nicole and Maddox.

who's complaining.......

I know, I've been a very bad blogger. And I received 2 complaints today that I have not been updating my blog AND....one complaint that my post have been short! So here we go.......what have we been doing........

• There are no deck pics to post because the deck is still not finished. I guess I could go out and take some "during" photos but it's raining again.......so I'm not doing that.
  
  
• My flowers look the best they have ever looked......roses are blooming, the peonies are getting ready to open up. I guess I could take some pics of them but it's raining.....again!



• Saturday we went to my sister's wedding that was held down on the Mattaponi River. The weather was perfect, around 80 degrees with some wind. The ceremony was held up on the hill overlooking the river and it was very windy up there. The reception held in a tent.


• Sunday I went shopping.........yippee! Found some cute shirts at the Gap.....new soap dish for the bathroom and new pics for the wall......found at Kirkland.


• Tuesday was Jake's birthday so we all went out to the Outback! And someone said it was International No Diet day so I ordered dessert. (and I think it was Cheryl)
  
• also on Tuesday, little Maddox had to have some more test done..........they had to hook up about 30 electrodes to his head and then wrap his head in gauze.......Johnny said he looked like Gunga Din. And he did not like it.......and cried...a.lot!! Johnny went with Nicole and for that I am thankful. Because had I gone........I would have either left in tears and been no help to Nicole or I would have removed the gauze and electrodes and taken the darling home.
• and here are a bunch of pics........I'll post some more. My beautiful sister and her new husband, my daddy and my mom.....we think she's the queen!! well, in my eyes she is.

later........

A special day......

May 6, 1988........our baby boy was born!
Happy Birthday Jake.....I can't believe my baby is 20 years old!