24 ounce Ball Iced Tea Glasses, they are AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

 

These are the best iced tea glasses, ever!  You know I always share the good stuff with you, well let me tell you, ladies, this one is a winner and the price is right!  Here’s mine,I was sitting in the living room earlier, enjoying a glass of lemon tea while waiting for the Royal Baby to come out of the hospital with mom and dad, which was an amazing moment in history,  I was so teary eyed.

But back to my story, last week we visited John and Deanna, and somewhere on the back roads of Tennessee in a little restaurant that served fried green tomatoes and fried bologna sandwiches, we had iced tea in this same glass, the most wonderful Ball jar for cold drinks, ever.

Drinking tea out of mason jars isn’t a new thing, restaurants have done it for years.  Usually in a narrow mouth pint jar, sometimes with a handle, but I was never a fan.  Well, I’ve obviously changed my mind, these things are wonderful and they were on sale, $12.99 for nine jars!  And it was Prime, so it was free ship, no tax.  I’m not the only fan, my entire family loved them, Deanna ordered them as well, and I’m shipping a set to Ryan and Lindsay.

So what’s great about these jars?  First of all they are sturdy, they aren’t going to tip over, they taper slightly at the bottom, and they fit nicely in your hand and the best part, they are twenty-four ounces, you won’t have to refilll.  But it’s not too large, like a quart would be, they are the best iced tea glass I’ve found in years, and I’m always on the hunt for good ones.  And a bonus, they would make great storage for soup or leftovers in the fridge.

So here’s the link, I would buy these before they sell out, they’re so worth the money.

~ jan

My little grandson is going to have his Mama’s curly hair…

Lindsay sent me pictures this morning of Ben eating a cracker.  Oh, look at those little teeth!!!   I asked her about his hair, because in some of her pictures lately it looks like she has product in it.   But apparently not, it is just curly.  Oh, how cute!!!!!!

Good Morning World…

Maxine, telling it like it is!

Green and White Glassware for the Kitchen

 

Had to post this, what's not to love?

Takes you back to the fifties, doesn't it...

Invisibelt Skinny, I'm thinking it's a good thing...

Do your pants sag in the seat?  Are you always tugging on them, yanking on them and pulling them up?  Well, I am, and I'm tired of it.  And heaven forbid I put on a belt and people see it, that is most unattractive at my age, well except for this gorgeous Peruvian hand embroidered belt that my buddy V has been eyeing up.

But back to my story.  I heard aboutt Invisibelts a few years back, bought them for my daughters-in-law for Christmas one year, but they weren't really a fan.  They were wide and rigid.  A few weeks ago I Googled them and of course they now have the new and improved Invisibelt Skinny, which is much  narrower and pliable.  So I bought it, yep, coughed up $22 for it on Amazon, and I bought the Plus size.

Oh, let's not even go there, but I didn't want it to be tight, I wanted plenty of room, cause it's adjustable, and yes, I could have probably squeezed my groaning body into the regular size, but I don't want to be miserable, I don't want any more muffin top than I already have, so I got the Plus size.  We're too hung up on size.  All of us are, we talk about that silly number like it's important.  We look a lot better when we buy things that fit instead of being a slave to a number, which is always too small in the first place!

Okay, off the soapbox, UPS delivered my new belt in two days thanks to my wonderful Amazon Prime, I took it out of the packaging, and it was a cheap thrill because I had to keep adjusting it smaller.  Isn't that a kick in the pants, it was worth $22 just to do that.  Whoo-hoo,  I know cr-azy...

And see what I mean, I just had to throw that in there that I adjusted it smaller.  Do you think if I would have had to adjust it larger that I would be talking about it on here? Of course not!   Well, maybe I would, since I don't have a filter.

But anyhow, Mikey here thinks she really likes this.  I haven't put it on and taken my capris for a spin yet, but let's hope no more saggy butt.  We shall see...

Interested, of course you are.  Here's the link. Take my advise, if you're in doubt about that size, order the Plus.  Nobody will know, nobody will care and your body will thank you.  *wicked grin*

You can go to Invisibelt's website, get the dimensions and measure your hips.  I don't really recommend you do that, it will undoubtedly make you cry and  put you in a mood for the rest of the day.  Trust me on this one, just order the Plus size!!!!

Uppiesbeads59 Bronze Smokey Tutorial

 

Tammy has uploaded yet another great video.  I was looking forward to this one, as she had used Laura Mercier Bronze Blush in Ritual in an earlier video and was going to showcase yet more MAC eyeshadows that I don't have, but definitely need, in this one.  After I watched her  with that lovely blush on her pretty face, I hotfooted it down to Sephora, plunked down $36 and bought the blush.  Money well spent.  It's the best bronzer blush, ever.  It has a hint of shimmer, not enough to be noticeable, but enough to give your face a healthy glow, and the color - perfect!  So, if you're looking for a healthy glow on your face this summer, this is awesome.  They're selling it for $68 on Amazon, because it's a limited edition, so $36 at Sephora is a great price.

Tammy's the best, so many of you have emailed to tell me how much you're learning from her.  Support her, ladies, subscribe to her anti-aging channel here...

 

My friends and family are fans of Tammy as well.  My daughter-in-law, Deanna, duplicated her messy side bun that I posted on the blog last week for an date night with hubby.  She's kneeling in her fleurs, love that lambs-ear...

Ball jars and candles, what a wonderful idea...

I first saw this picture below of the citronella filled Ball Jars, easily made into candles just using a wick on Facebook.  There was no link, just the picture below.  Then I started researching and found the original site.  I snagged a few of the pictures, and I'm giving you the direct link so you can go to the site and see what wonderful things she has done with jars and candles.  This is a goodie, trust me, it is...

Visit the site here...

 

 

 

 

Rooster Painted Barn

 

 

Maybe it's Facebook that's making me so nostalgic.  I find the most wonderful pictures….

Why am I so nostalgic about all things country this summer?

I really don't understand what's going on with me, I'm totally enthralled with everything and anything that has to do with country this summer.  I see a porch swing and I want one, even though I don't have a porch!   I'm having a love affair with Ball Fruit Jars, of all things. even the sight of a cow in a pasture makes me smile.

Hubby takes me for drives in the country, I'm mesmerized by the cornfields, and the bales of hay in the fields leave me breathless.  Crocks and jugs, things I've had for years have taken on new meaning.   I look longingly at the striped iced tea glasses from the 50's, and I certainly don't need more glasses.  What is this all about?????

I went through the country decorating phase in the 80's, and I had a boatload of it, but then I burnt out and got rid of most of it.  Do I want any of  it back, no not really, so why am I so captivated?

Maybe it's a reminder of my younger days, when my sweet little boys were at home, or maybe I'm going all the way back to my childhood, or maybe I'm just a sentimental old fool.  Who knows, but no use fighting it.  I'm just going with the flow...

Cedar Cover - Hallmark Premiere July 20th

 

Mark your calendars for this new series, ladies.  I'm a huge fan of Debbie Macomber, and have read her entire series of Cedar Cove novels.  Now they're bringing it to television, starring Andie MacDowell.  It has to be good, I'm so looking forward to this.

2 hour Premiere - July 20th, 7/c.  It's on my iCal...

Why can't chocolate be no calories no carbs, life is SO unfair...

Jeanne Robertson Don't Send a Man to the Grocery store

After I posted the Jeanne Robertson video earlier today, Deanna emailed me and asked if I had seen one of her favorites, "Don't Send a Man to the Grocery Store."  I just got a chance to watch it,  the house is quiet and I'm sitting here watching this laughing uncontrollably.  Here we go again, ladies another great one.  And I'm posting the recipe link, which my friend Mary has made and likes!   Watch the video and left brain's recipe makes perfect sense.  Enjoy!!!

 

 

 

 Here's the recipe for her cake...

Summer, glorious, wonderful summer...

Jeanne Robertson "Left Brain vs. Intruder" - it's SO funny!!!!!

I'm convinced that this woman is a National Treasure!  She's wholesome, funny, and she's stunningly beautiful at sixty-three years old.

It's a lovely morning in Heavensville, Maggie and I were on the patio, hubby is at a tag sale, I was having my coffee, life was calm, serene, I snapped this picture of Maggie eating her breakfast. Notice the bowl matches the fern.  Oh, of course I didn't really color coordinate her breakast with the fern, I just threw that out there ;o).  And yes, I know I need to sweep, where did those leaves come from anyway?  No,  they aren't left over from last year, well, they're not!

So anyway, I was going through my Facebook posts on my iPad and I see that Jeanne Robertson had posted a new video.  Now if you aren't familiar with Jeanne Robertson, she is without a doubt the funniest woman I have ever seen in my life.  My daughter-in-law, Deanna, introduced me to her humor.   Deanna has seen her speak at several company events she attends and she, too is a huge fan.   Well,  I was instantly hooked, she's  a lovely, lovely southern woman, tall, elegant, and she delivers lines with perfection.

 

 

So I click on the video, sit back to watch, she's talking about "left brain" who happens to be her husband, that's his nickname.  I started to chuckle, then I started to belly laugh, and then I actually cackled, loudly, several times!  My neighbors must have wondered what in the world was going on.  When she got to the part about Victoria's Secret the tears were streaming down my cheeks.

I had to share it with you, I want you to experience the good endorphins that come with laughter this morning.  Oh, this is a good one ladies, a good one!!!

 

 

 

 

 

After you've watched this video, click here and subscribe to her YouTube channel.  This woman is good for the soul!

Jumpy The Amazing Dog

 

This is the most amazing dog I've ever seen.  Wonder if this guy could train Maggie.  She's smart, well she is!!!!  I've just never made her do anything.  Okay, so she's a bit of a valley girl, but I bet he could whip her into shape for about $2500.  Okay, so he won't be training her….

My Dynamite Crape Myrtle

So last Easter John and Deanna gave me a crape myrtle tree.  We drove to all the nurseries, but  there were none to be found anywhere in Heavensville, t was the wrong time of the year, and it took me until mid summer to find one.  Hubby planted it, we've babied it, fertilized it and it's thriving.  It has a lot of new growth, it's full and lush,  it's all good.

Right?  Wrong!  The blasted thing has not one bloom on it.  All over the subdivision the crape myrtle are blooming their fool heads off.  My friend, Trisher, ordered the same variety from a nursery, they were tiny little twigs, but they're all thriving and blooming like crazy.

I'm frustrated beyond belief, my tree is the only one in the entire neighborhood that has no buds.  None!  I called the nursery, they told me all kinds of silly nonsense, because they don't know any more about it than I do.

I've Googled myself senseless, and everybody has a theory.  Not enough sun, not enough fertilizer, too much fertilizer, the wrong kind of fertilizer, yada yada yada!

And so I wait.  I put a styled border around this picture, hoping to make it more interesting since it has no gorgeous  blossoms.  This should be full of blooms right now, bright red, dynamite blooms.

This is what I read online today -

Aside from pruning and fertilizing, Crape Myrtle care is easy.  Water with the rest of your shrubs if extremely dry.  Otherwise get ready to enjoy the gorgeous flowers of your Dynamite Crape Myrtle Tree.

Well, I'm ready, I've been ready for a couple of weeks now.  Trust me, this tree is no dy-no-MITE.  Me thinks I have a dud...

Things I enjoy….

I sit in my sunroom at my computer day after day after day.  Why?  Because I like it, that's why!  It's quiet, it's soothing, calm, relaxing.  Oh c'mon Jan, get real.  I do it because I can and I have no desire to do things that aren't fun anymore!  And in an attempt to justify why I do this, I've made a list.  Well, I have, and it's a good one, too!  This is what I enjoy every day...

• The Local Noon News on the  tv mounted above my computer screens
• My pretty hydrangeas that wink at me thru the window
• The finches on the feeder, so close that I could touch them if it wasn't for the glass in the window.  I know, I can't really touch them, but they're so close.
• My awesome blackbird email notification wav sound, I love that sound, twe-eeet when mail comes in.  Always make me smile.
• My little fan that blows air on me.  Hey, computer screens are hot, and I have two big screens sitting just inches away from my face, and that little fan works like a charm.
• My awesome bulletin board the guys made for me last summer, I look at it and see all of the people I love and I smile.  Wanna see it again?  Sure, here's the click...
• Radium Radio, the best MAC app, ever!  This little retro radio sits on my top toolbar on my iMac and it has all my favorite stations, including my Sirius XM.  Every kind of music I could possibly want is just a click of my mouse button.  And since hubby installed fancy schmancy external speakers, the sound is amazing!  Well, la-te-da, aren't I special...
• The sound of my wind chimes on the patio, tinkling in the breeze.  It's the old hippie in me, i adore wind chimes.  Don't you?
• Growly notes.  See the screenshot below?  If you're lucky enough to have a MAC, Growly Notes is FREE.  It's a customizable notebook, that you just drag pictures and text into, and I have it just full of everything I love.  It's too much to even try and explain.  Google it…

 

 

I love, love, love my cow wallpaper.  It was a Pioneer Woman freebie a couple of years ago. I always have it on my desktop, I just love those sweet little faces looking at me.  I just gave this to my buddy, V yesterday.  You want it too?  Sure, here's her link...

 

 

And my red-winged blackbird mail notification sound.  You want it, too?  Okay.

Here's the link for a PC

Here's the link for a MAC

Now you want to know how to install these.  You gotta Google this, too, it's not that hard, just a few steps.  

And that's just a few things that  I enjoy.  

And isn't this boring...

Your morning chuckle...

The fleurs are flourishing...

 

 

We've had such a mild summer and my flowers are loving it, they are absolutely huge.  The impatiens on the wall are planted in a double tiered planter, and I did side plantings so that they would bloom from the sides instead of just from the top, but you can't even see the sides the impatiens have grown so large.  The herbs are doing so well, I keep pruning and they just seem to grow overnight.   Martha Stewart would be so proud of me ;o)

 

 

This is my window box that hangs on my patio fence, I planted some asparagus fern amongst the begonias, thinking that it would give it a feathery look, but the begonias choked out the ferns!  They grew so big you can't even see one little feathery frond.
 

 

More of my side planting.  Hubby made me pedestals to put in the ground, and I planted begonias on the sides as well as the top of the basket.  It's so shady on our patio now that we can't do any kind of sun loving plants.

 

 

It's so pretty, I am just amazed every time I walk out the door.  But wait, I can't take credit for all this lushness.  It's all do to John setting us up with micro irrigation a couple of years ago and hubby  maintaining it every spring.    Every morning at 7am, the little sprinklers that are placed in all my pots and window boxes come on, as well as the fertilizer, and five minutes later all the plants are all dripping wet.  I water nothing in the summer.  Nada, el zippo, and I think it works so well because the foliage doesn't get wet, just the soil.

If everything is this big now,  what is it going to look like in September???  I can't imagine….

 

Did you ever have a day that was so reminiscent of your childhood that you could almost reach out and touch it?  A day so bittersweet that the memory is almost painful?  That's what my day is like.

The weather in Heavensville is absolutely glorious.  Temps in the mid 80's, low humidity, it's a perfect summer day, a day that mother used to call "easy living."" Hubby and I were about and about on Milly, and the breeze, the sun, the clouds, it just took me all took me back to that simple life in the country.

Oh, how I loved sitting on the front porch, dressing my cats in doll clothes, drinking mother's sweet tea with a plate of warm cookies, fresh from the oven.  No worries, no problems, just a little girl living with nature and animals on a dusty country road.  There were so many summer days like today, the windows open, the clothes hanging on the line, WROY, the Tri-State Boomer playing on the radio in the kitchen.

It was so shady at our little house on the ditch, tree's surrounded the house, filtering the sun, it was just so simple, and so, so, so wonderful.

Sure takes me back...

uppiesbeads59 - Tammy's CC and BB Creams

 

Tammy is like having our own personal skin care expert right in our home.  She's the best makeup artist,  ever.  At my age I would have never expected to find someone who addresses old(er) women, and does it with such flair!

I must be living in the dark ages, because I had never heard of CC Creams and BB Creams until I watched this. Once again, she gives us a great video and learning experience.  My gawd, this woman has beautiful skin!

Such a fan here, such . a . fan !

Remember to subscribe to her anti-aging channel on YouTube.  Here's the link...

Let's just pretend for a moment...

 

We're sitting on this porch in a little rickety cabin in the mountains, you and I, having a cup of coffee and catching up on whats happening in our world.  We can hear water trickling in a nearby stream, a dog or two sitting at our feet, Maggie in my lap, a cat is lazily winding itself around the porch post  and the birds are singing their morning songs.

 It's a beautiful summer morning, the sun is filtering through the trees, a gentle breeze is blowing, the air is perfumed with the scent of wild roses and we have warm croissants, Irish butter and homemade blackberry jam to go with our coffee.

Now doesn't that make you smile?  Works for me...

Let's go make it a good day, ladies, and carry this smile with us.  ~ Jan

This isn't exactly what happens in our house...

Poor LC spends his days looking for things I've misplaced. The man never loses anything.  I just don't understand why not...

I think this will be my new motto, love this!

The Queen of Versailles, Excess like you've never seen before...

 

This show literally had my mouth hanging open.  It's a documentary that was on Bravo earlier this year and I had taped it.  I was cleaning out my queue last night, found it and LC and I thought it would be interesting to watch.  Well, it certainly is, I've never seen so much excess and flamboyance in my entire life.   These people have no grip on reality, none!

You can find it on Netflix Instant or Hulu Plus, if you have some free time, you might want to give this a go, it's definitely not boring.

After it was over, I Googled to see what happened since it filmed, as the show ended,  their 90,000 square foot house, the largest in America, was going into foreclosure.  Looks like their back on top of the heap, the bills are paid and construction is ongoing.  Amazing, simply amazing...

Happy 4th!!!!

 

 

July 4th,  a day for picnics, family, friends, fireworks and sunny, hot weather.  

But not this year, it's currently 72°, with isolated thunderstorms predicted for Heavensville.  Hubby and I are "home alone" this year, so we're skipping the fireworks, just grilling a steak, tossing a salad and then going to the movie.

Wherever your travels take you this weekend, stay safe, enjoy and make it memorable.  ~ Jan

Talking Ben

 

Precious little Ben is almost eleven months old now and obviously has a lot to talk about.  Videos like this will be such a good memory for him some day, totally priceless...

Ladies Night, Mary Kay Andrews

This is the best read of the summer, at least so far.  I'm a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews and have been for years.  I started with Savannah Blue and Savannah Breeze, enjoyed her hilarious stories so much that I went on to read all of her books.   I introduced them to my daughter-in-law, Deanna, and she has read them all, too.  Her latest, Ladies Night is such a trip, and of course since it's about a blogger, it's especially interesting to yours truly.

So if you're looking for easy, breezy this summer, take this for a spin, you won't be disappointed.  

~ Jan

 

Rising media star and lifestyle blogger Grace Stanton’s own life gets torpedoed after she drives her cheating husband’s pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool in a fit of anger. Soon she’s locked out of her own palatial home, checking account, and blog, forced to move in with her widowed mother who lives above, and owns, The Sandbar, a rundown beach bar. Attending court-mandated weekly “divorce recovery” therapy sessions with a group of three other women—marital misfits whose only common denominator is betrayal—Grace and the women soon ditch their therapist and move their Wednesday “Ladies’ Night” sessions to The Sandbar. They begin to help each other, walking a fine line between revenge and justice, as each one finds closure in ways previously unimagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and how strong she needs to be to get there? Told with Mary Kay Andrews’s unique blend of humor, heart, and unpredictable plot twists,Ladies’ Night will have you raising a glass and cheering these characters on.

So how many pictures are on YOUR hard drive!!!!

 

Outta control doesn't begin  to cover it.  I take pictures, thousands of pictures, and they are only filed by date in folders on my hard drive.  At least  they are backed up to an external drive, but that's as good as it gets.   They are all jumbled together, they are so mixed up that trying to do any kind of organization is beyond me.  I keep "hoping" that someone will eventually come up with a program that will help filter them.  But i have no tags, nada nothing, so I'm pretty much SIL!

Things are so bad that I can't even try out the new Instagram video feature on my iPhone.  I was talking to my buddy V awhile ago, she was asking why I hadn't done any video, well it's because there is no room on my phone and now I have to make yet another folder and move all my iPhone pictures, all 1,750+ of them to my hard drive.  My organizational skills or lack thereof sometimes is mind boggling.

Just whining.  That is all….

Snoopy on a Saturday morning ;o)))

Ashleigh and Pudsley, Britains Got Talent

 

What a wonderful video this is.  Pudsley is an amazing little dog,  and this is one of those feel good videos that stays with you long after you've watched it...

Dial Gold Antibacterial Body Wash, it's NEW!!!

Oh, I get excited by the stupidest things, and this just made my day!  Mother's soap of choice was always a bar of Dial Gold.  I love the smell and the memories associated with it,  and use it occasionally, but I'm spoiled by body wash.  Its just a royal pain to use a bar of soap.  How lazy am I??? Ya, ya, I hear you, I know it's silly, but just telling it like it is...

So, today I was at WallyWorld, cruising the body wash aisle, and Bingo, there it was, sitting on a shelf, front row and center in front of me, NEW, DIAL GOLD BODY WASH!!!!

I may have to go take another shower just to take it for a spin.  Doesn't take much these days to excite this old(er) girl...

Uppie'sbeads59, Tammy's Messy Side Bun Hair Tutorial

 

You all know what a fan I am of Crazy Miss Tammy.   Well, this lovely 50 something woman has done it again.  Her messy side bun is an amazing look.  And no, I don't have long hair and never will again *sigh* but it sure is fun to watch her do this and see the end result with her gorgeous earrings.

Take a break today, sit back and enjoy.  This woman is just lovely and such a sweet, sweet person!!!!!

Subscribe to her YouTube Channel and you will get updates for all her videos.  She is going to do a makeup tutorial later this week on the makeup she used in this video.

Here's the link to her channel...

Firing Paula Deen, my two cents worth

 

I think, this is without a doubt, a total travesty, destroying this woman's entire career because of a remark, albeit racist,  that happened twenty year ago.  Twenty years ago.  I'm certain that if most of us were held accountable for things we said or did twenty years ago, we would be landing in a pile of doodoo, too.

I admire the woman for what she has accomplished.  Sure she can be crude, rude and obnoxious, but should she be fired for a racist comment made years and years and years ago.  Oh, puh-leez.  

Following are lyrics from a Chris Brown rap song.  A black man, who beat his girlfriend to a pulp on the way to the Grammy's  and was still invited back to the same Grammy's a couple of years later and forgiven for his transgressions, still singing his songs with filthy lyrics and making millions of dollars for doing so.  Why???  Is what Paula Deen did as bad as these lyrics that were written and sung by this same black man, Chris Brown.  I think not!  And this is just a  minuscule drop in the bucket, a mere blip on the radar screen, but it's shocking to see.

And let's fast forward to the politicians.  Andrew Weiner and Weinergate.  All the sexually explicit photos and messages he sent, in part to a 21 year old college student, while he was married and his wife was pregnant.  Was he ostracized?  Oh hell no, he's now running for mayor of NYC!

And then there is Mark Sanford who disappeared totally for six days when he was Governor of South Carolina,  he left his wife for a woman in Buenos Aires in 2009.  Was he slapped on the wrist?  Was his career over?  Nope, he's now a congressman in South Carolina.

I could blog for hours about people who did far worse things than Paula Deen.  Far worse, but they are forgiven and all is well.  Even Martha Stewart who went to prison never missed a beat when she returned to society.

I think this is appalling, it's a witch hunt, and this woman got caught up in it.  Totally ridiculous, in my opinion, punished to the extreme for nothing worse than other people in the limelight do on a daily basis...

Tiger Lilies always make me nostalgic...

Hubby and I drive the county roads often, and now the tiger lilies are in bloom.  They were Mother's favorite, she had them on her ditch bank, and as a child I never appreciated them, but now they just make me nostalgic.

That's happened a lot this summer, being nostalgic… When I hear a train whistle I'm transported back to my childhood, running to the front porch to sit in the porch swing and watch the far away train wind through the hilly countryside.  Summer rains remind me of days spent at my friend Roxie's house, playing endless games of Monopoly that went on for days. 

I was browsing thru an antique store and saw aluminum glasses, the ones that Mother had, they were so popular in the fifties, and they made your tea so cold that it would sting your mouth and Mother put so much sugar in her tea that it puckered your lips, not from the sour, but because it was so syrupy sweet.   And the white ducks we fed last week when Abby was here transported me back to my Aunt Liz's house, she always had white ducks in her yard.

I'm thinking I need a trip to Enfield.  I like to park the car on the road by our old house in the country and listen to the familiar nature sounds.  Drive down our gravel road and sit and gaze at the ditch.  Just remember my childhood when life was carefree and the world was a better place.  And maybe I'll find some Posey County Cantaloupes for sale on the way home,  and if I'm really lucky some summer squash and zucchini.  Yep, that's just what I need, to be transported back to my childhood, if just for a few hours….

Abby Reads...

 

 

This is my last Abby entry, it's a short video of her reading.  Ryan and Lindsay were telling me that she can read, so I bought her Dick and Jane books, the ones I read when I started first grade, wondering if they would be too difficult for her at three and a half.   I just handed her the books, she had never seen them before and she read them with no help from Grammie.   Then I gave her Dr. Seuss' The Cat and the Hat and she read that!   So much for Dick and Jane...

Abby and the Golden Necklace

When Abby was visiting last week, every day we would go for rides on Milly down to the woods, and Milly would transform from a golf cart to a Magic Pirate Ship, and the woods became an Enchanted Forest.

When we would ride thru the field to the Enchanted Forest, the field became the ocean and it was pretty rough going, but we persevered.  Captain Hook, who was a bumble bee, led the way with us yelling "Ahoy Matey," and we were screaming the whole time because the bad pirates were chasing us, but we were faster than they were and always outran them.   We were looking for the Golden Necklace that the bad pirates had stolen, and every single day, we made this trip, some days,  two or three times, always looking through our telescope, trying to find the golden necklace.

Well, naturally grandparents want to make a little girl's dream come true, so Larry went to a tag sale and came home with two huge bags of Mardi Gras beads. 100+ necklaces.  Then the night before she left to go home, he went to the woods and dropped piles of beads along the path, ending with a whole pile of golden necklaces.  For those of you who know Larry, you are probably smiling, because he never does anything half way, he always takes it to the extreme, and of course, since it was for Abby, he really pulled out all the stops.

So the last evening, we went for one last treasure hunt, searching for that golden necklace, and the following video is the result.  It's rather long, but I couldn't bear to edit it, this will always be a real treasure for her in years to come.  The farther into the video we go, the more excited she gets, just watch and you'll see what I mean...

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was so excited, after we came home with her treasures,  she kept saying over and over again.  "I never saw anything like it."  "Never in my entire life."  It was as though she couldn't believe it had really happened.  Now what do Grammie and P-Pa do to top this?  I'm clueless right now, but it sure will be fun figuring out what we do for her the next time she comes to stay...

It's all about the grandkids this week...

 

Ben, Abby's little brother, is ten months old now, cutting his first teeth, and is just adorable.  Abby went home today, I have a couple more posts to make about her, then it's back to business as usual.

I do all of these blogs about my grandchildren and tag each one with their name so that some day, when they are grown they will be able to look back at their childhood thru the eyes of Grammie and her blog.  I think it's a special gift I'm giving them.  So bear with me ladies, all the Grammie gushing will be over soon, pinky swear it will.

The house is quiet now, LC and I miss her so much, but she will come again.  She had a blast visiting us, I haven't laughed so much in years as I have this week, oh we had such fun with her...

Huh, what crayon???

 

Most dogs eat off the floor, pick things up, put them in their mouth, but  that has never been Maggie.  She just doesn't.  You drop food, she ignores it, she doesn't sniff for crumbs, nada, zilch.  

Well, that has all changed since Abby's arrival.  Three year olds leave lots of things behind, things that would entice any little dog, and apparently Mags has decided that she likes what Abby likes.  She has a particular fascination with crayons.  Why, I don't know, but she licks them, she carries them around in her mouth, and her human Mom is not a fan.  I wouldn't think crayons would be toxic, after all they are for kids, but I don't like her carrying them around in her mouth.

Abby is good about not dropping things, but she's not perfect, so occasionally I find "things."  This afternoon Maggie had dibs on an apple slice from Abby's Happy Meal, and she wasn't giving it up.  She just follows Abby around seeing what treasure she can eat and/or play with.  Kids and dogs, is there anything cuter….

Abbyisms...

 

Abby:  Grammie, I really like your home.

Grammie:  You do Abby, why?

Abby:  Cause you have pretty stuff… and no stairs!

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Abby:  Ppa, why are your feet dirty?

Ppa:  Because I've been walking in the garage barefoot, Abby

Abby:  Well, you need to wash them...

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Abby:  Grammie, does Mrs. Dowd have a little girl? (Mrs. Dowd lives in the condo next door)

Grammie:  No Abby, Mrs. Dowd is old

Abby:  How old is she, Grammie?

Grammie:  96

Abby:  NINETY-SIX, that's almost a hundred, Grammie...

Dear Abby...

 

Today I would like to introduce you to Miss Abigail Leigh (wearing Grammie's glasses).  She graciously sat down for a question and answer session for The Daily Dish.

Grammie:   What is your favorite thing to do?  

Abby:  Play with my Dad

Grammie:  What games do you like to play?

Abby:  Horse, it's my very favorite.

Grammie:  What do you do at school?

Abby:  Ummmmm, I do stuff.

Grammie:  Who is your best friend and why?

Abby:  Chloe, because I like her, I give her a snuggle and a  kiss.

Grammie:  What is your favorite thing to do with mama?

Abby:  Ummmmm, I like for her to read to me.  My favorite book is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Grammie:  Who is your favorite dog?

Abby:  Izzie and Maggie because I like them so much.

Grammie:  Abby, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Abby:  I want to be a good drawer.

Grammie:  What is your very favorite thing to do with your brother?

Abby:  I like to play with him because he swings with me

Grammie:  What is your very favorite food?

Abby:  Big crackers, because I like them so much!

Grammie:  What food do you think is icky?

Abby:  Chicken, because I don't like it, it tastes funny.  Macaroni and cheese tastes funny, too.

Grammie:  Are you looking forward to going to the zoo tomorrow?

Abby:  Ya, I want to see a unicorn (oh-oh).

And that concludes our question and answer session.  She sat on my lap and informed me when I forgot to put a question mark at the end of my sentences, and reminded me to put Abby and Grammie at the beginning of each question and answer.  Oh, dear Abby...

 

 

More from Glamperland

If you love all things retro, and who doesn't, these campers will just make you swoon.  I'm not even a camping type girl and these make me want to rush right out and buy a vintage one just to see what we could do with it. 

But no, I'm not going too, I'll just drool over these and post pictures for all of you….

Enjoy ~ Jan

Abby's Summer Visit 2013

Lindsay and Ben brought Abby half way to Heavensville  today, we met at Cracker Barrel for a quick lunch, and Abby came home with us for a few days.  It's her first visit, and she was reassuring her mother.  Linds was telling her goodbye and hugging her tightly and Abby said, "Don't worry, I'll come back."

We've got so many things planned, what a fun week we have ahead...

Miss Minnie Smartest Little Yorkie I've Ever Seen

 

 
 

This little dog is less than six months old.  I am absolutely, positively astonished at how smart she is.  When my Yorkies were six months old, I was still trying to teach them not to pee in the floor.

If you're a dog lover, you must see this video.  It is one of the sweetest things I've ever posted, well except for that precious two year Emma and her horse Cinnamon...

Oh, this tiny little fur baby brings back so many memories of Maggie, with her wispy hair.  She reminds me of my friend Diane's Miley, as well.  I do adore Yorkies...

It's National Eat Your Veggies Day...

 

 

Okay gang, last week I told you about what I now know to be called "zoodles."  It's the faux spaghetti made with summer squash and zucchiniNow you all know that I've always given you good information, and trust me, this is absolutely the best, ever!  Last night, thanks to Ang bringing me a grilled pork tenderloin that she had wrapped in bacon, seasoned with Tony Chachiare Creole Seasoning and grilled, dinner was easy breezy.  The tenderloin was amazing, and since I'm low carbing, I made strips of Zoodles with summer squash, using my nifty julienne cutter, sautéed them for just a minute in butter, salt and pepper, and you have no idea of how good this is.  I had been tossing them with olive oil, butter takes it to a whole other level ;o)  And tonight, I'm making it and adding fresh basil from my garden and shards of freshly grated parmesan.  Yum!

It's a must try, pinky swear it is.  And yes, I know I just blogged about this peeler last week, but it's so good that it's worth repeating  with a bit more information.

I have this Oxo julienne peeler, but people like the the Kuhn Rikon even better.

Here are the links, do yourself a healthy favor this week and buy one.  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond, but its 's much easier just ordering on Amazon.

Such a good thing...

Here's the link for the Kuhn Rikon

Here's the link for the Oxo that I have

 

 

A Glamper! Is this not the cutest thing ever...

 

Quite possibly one of the coolest retro-camper yet.  We need one of these hubby!!!!!