Grandchildren, what a gift! Ben is a busy, busy little boy these days. He’s up, he’s down, he’s on the move and never stops, ever! He chases Abby, she screams, he screams louder, they’re so cute together.
When they got here last Friday, Abby got out of the car and told me, “It was an extremely long journey, Grammie.” She’s so funny, she just cracks me up with the things she says.
I thought you all would like a peek at my sweet little grandkids, I enjoyed them visiting so much!
I loved Betsy McCall when I was a little girl in the 50’s, and eagerly awaited every issue of McCall’s Magazine because they always had a new story about Betsy and a page of dolls to cut out and play with.
It was great marketing, because you could also order patterns in McCalls Magazine so that your mom could sew you the same outfits.
Just a little trip down memory lane this sunny fall afternoon, I bet I’ve jogged memories of Betsy for others, as well. Right V?
He had tubes put in his ears this morning, now he’s recovering at home, looking like he wants to make a run for the border! Poor little guy, but this is going to put an end to those nasty ear infections. Love him!!!!
Our son John, and his wife Deanna are expecting! We are so happy for them, they will be such amazing parents, and they are just estatic about this baby.
And yes, we know what it is, but that’s for Deanna to share with you.
Link to her blog here and find out...
I’m such a proud Grammie to be!!!!!
Every year I post my Sloppy Joe recipe. It’s been a Halloween tradition in our family since the boys were little. It was always so easy to just make Sloppy Joes earlier in the day on Halloween, and serve them with potato chips before the boys headed out for the evening. Oh, how I miss those days, but the tradition continues and now their families have Sloppy Joes on Halloween.
So here is the recipe again, it’s my annual halloween post. It’s just the easiest and the best recipe, ever. Pinkie swear it is. ~ Jan
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Cup Heinz Ketchup 1/4 cup water
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Brown meat and onion, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Drain, add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. If mixture gets too thick, add a bit more water.
Note: I usually double this recipe. When the boys were little, they loved Velveeta Cheese melted on the top of the sloppy joes. I would put the joes on the bun, top with the cheese, leave the top bun off, and nuke it until the cheese melted. Velveeta is so “not cool” these days, but for some recipes it will always be the best!
The range of emotion on this baby’s face is unbelievable. I saw this last night and had to post. Some of the commenters were not nice, berating the mother for doing this and not comforting her baby. I didn’t see it like that at all, I don’t think the baby was scared, I just think that she was responding to Mom, it’s unreal how much emotion she shows at such a young age.
This will tug at your heartstrings, pinkie swear it will. ~ Jan
For the past two years in October we’ve trekked down to Leiper’s Fork with John and Deanna, and had so much fun we’ve decided to make it an annual event.
It was the perfect photo op, and since I have a ton of pictures, I thought you all might enjoy the journey with us…
Of course breakfast was the first thing on the agenda, and yours truly, is not a happy camper!
I could have tried this yummy Backwoods Benedict, made with fried green tomatoes and red-eye hollandaise sauce, but oh no, I opted for a Farmhouse Salad chocked full of chicken, roasted corn and fried blackeyed peas. It was very good, but next year I’m having this! I did, however, have one of the best biscuits I’ve ever eaten. A fluffy, light as a feather, to-die-for biscuit drenched in butter. Ahhhhhhhh, heart be still..
Then we were off to West & Company, this unique emporium chocked full of delightful treasures.
First a family photo in front of the store. What a wonderful backdrop they provided for people to take pictures.
And yes, I know my bangs need to be trimmed, hubby and I were so busy we “forgot” our hair appointment the day before we left…
Then we sat down for a mother and son picture.
This is such a good picture of John and Deanna. Hubby and I also had our picture taken sitting on this bench, but let’s just say I vetoed publishing it.
Now, come along and look at some of the treasures in West & Company, which you can “Like” on Facebook, by linking here.
Back outside and a ride on a bucking sawhorse for Deanna.
And two darling rescue dogs that were just begging to be petted, so of course I just had to stop and say hi.
This jar of marshmallows and the rocking chairs by the fire pit were so inviting.
It was a cool day, temps in the low 50’s, just the perfect weather for warming yourself by the fire and toasting marshmallows
While we were relaxing, Hubby was off “shuckin’ and jivin’” with some guy he met. Check out the retro bike.
We had to take a picture of us with this old Jeep, and it’s a keeper. I’ve discovered that in my sixties, pictures are best taken “behind” a great prop!
Our children never really do grow up, do they? Notice my great wrap bracelet that my friend Holly made me. She is so talented, I love this bracelet! And I really like this picture with BookBook covering my face. BookBook is one of my very favorite things, it holds my iPhone. We’re a BookBook family, Linds has one for her iPhone, too and we have big ones for our iPads. They’re really vintage looking and the older and scruffier they get, the better!
Deanna and I had our picture taken last year in these chairs at our favorite art gallery, so we recreated the setting.
I’ve always loved pictures of the photographer being photographed.
And that was our day in pictures.
We made some wonderful memories last weekend.
There is nothing like spending a crisp fall day in the hills and hollers of Tennessee with your family.
Leiper’s Fork is a treasure, if you live close enough to visit, it’s worth the trip…
I've had my pumpkin Loaf pan for several years, and it's one of my favorite things. In fact, I was having coffee with my friend Barb, and she said that she has worn hers out she's used it so much. It's so festive, I just used it to make a loaf of pumpkin bread that I won't be eating. *sigh*.
Williams-Sonoma has a new version, much more detailed than mine, but I still love the way mine looks. Lots of memories associated with this pan. Just thought some of you might enjoy treating yourself to one of these this fall if you don't have already one.
This is my pumpkin loaf, fresh out of the oven...
And here's my recipe, it's a good one...
1¾ cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. double-acting baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ cups sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 heaping tsp. ground cinnamon
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup water
½ cup yellow raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°. Pam your loaf Pan...
Into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
In another bowl beat together the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree and water. Add to the flour mixture and beat until the batter is combined. Stir in the raisins (if using). Pout the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Using the tip of a sharp knife, draw a line down the length of the surface of the batter. (This helps the appearance of the baked loaf.)
Bake in center of preheated oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (Test after 1 hour and 15 minutes.) Let the bread cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Turn it out onto a rack, immediately use a small strainer with sugar in it to dust the top and let it cool completely. Using a strainer distributes the sugar uniformly.
NOTE: I didn't bake mine that long, started testing at an hour and baked it an hour and five minutes, ovens vary, just test and take out when finished. If it starts browning too much, lightly tent the top.
I got this recipe from the Chowhound Recipe Forum, and altered it a bit. Here's the original recipe and the lady had this to say about her recipe.
I had a request for this recipe on another board, so I'll post it here. When my kids were young, we used this recipe numerous times to make either pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins which we entered in our annual Unionville (PA) Community Fair. Without fail, each time we entered, we won first place ribbons, the kids in their respective age categories, and me in the adult category. One year the muffins even won Best of Show (best out of all baked goods entered by elementary school students). Now that the kids are grown, the recipe still remains a family favorite. It's been a few years since I've submitted any entries in the Fair, so I'm no longer quite so protective of the recipe.
I read an interesting article this morning on anti-aging on Radar Online of all places...
Dr. Gerald Imber, M.D., one of the nation’s foremost plastic surgeons and medical authors, is revealing his must-follow skincare prevention tips!
In a guest blog for RadarOnline.com, Dr. Imber, an internationally renowned specialist in anti-aging procedures, details how you can achieve timeless beauty by following his tried and tested strategy of prevention, maintenance and correction.
Dr. Imber knows what’s he writing about, too: The credentials that put this surgeon at the top of his field include owning and operating a private clinic in Manhattan and serving as Assistant Professor of Surgery (Plastic) at New York City’s Weill-Cornell Medical Center.
Dr. Imber — the author of The Youth Corridor: Your Guide to Timeless Beauty (available now in both print and video-enhanced eBook editions) – writes:
As far as the skin is concerned, there are genetic, chemical and mechanical causes for the visible changes that we think of as aging. We know a few basic facts about aging skin, which should direct our behavior and prevent accelerating the process. These simple lifestyle measures will not stop the clock, but they will definitely help. read more...
I switched out my closet today, putting away summer clothes, bringing out the fall and winter. It was so quiet, the only noise was the hangers bumping against the wall. Our clothes hold so many memories, I was smiling as I remembered wearing some of them this summer, frowning because there were others that were never worn because they didn't fit.
And I wonder what changes will be in my life when I switch them out again in the spring. Will hubby and I be in good health? Will they fit better than they did this summer, as I seem to be hanging in there with my new eating lifestyle. What will sweet Abby and Ben be doing by spring, they are growing so quickly.
Lots of changes for sure, nothing stays the same. And so it goes, folding and stacking, what do I keep, what do I pitch. Feeling nostalgic, again. What's going on with me and all of this reminiscing….
If you read me regularly, you will remember a post earlier in the month about this Mother's Tang Pitcher from the 70's and how I found this and wanted to update it.
Well, just look at it now!
Isn't it amazing what a $3.00 can of spray paint for plastic will do? It's so retro, but SO cool now.
I was mindlessly clicking through Facebook links today and stumbled on to 10 Shopping Tips for Bargain Hunters from MORE Magazine. So I'm going through their slide show, thinking some of these tips are pretty good when I came to Tip #8, an application called "POACH IT" that you register for and then drag their little icon to your toolbar.
When you are buying something online and have it in your shopping cart, you just click on the "POACH IT" button and it instantly finds any discount coupons that are available for the item you are purchasing. I tested this on both Lands' End and Kohls, two online stores that always have coupons, and it worked!!!!! AND, after you register when you go to poachit.com, they will show you tabs for trending items nd deals.
You're gonna love this, Peeps! You seriously need to grab this POACH IT button for your toolbar if you shop online. You will save yourself a bundle! ~ Jan
And, here's the link to all of the 10 Shopping Tips for Bargain Hunters
I've lived the low carb lifestyle since May of this year, May 23rd, 9:30 am to be exact, only veering away for a few meals, mostly pizza. and never eating sugar. And how's it working out for me? Oh, I did gangbusters at first, dropped eighteen pounds, then stalled, and have gained and lost the same pound since the beginning of September.
I keep telling myself that it's a lifestyle, but we all know I've lost and gained back a badzillion pounds over the years and have little hope for anything long term. But that's not the point of this post to talk about my success or lack there of with what I put in my mouth, I merely wanted to share this picture, because it's just hilarious, and some recipes because they're really good.
You seriously don't eat many veggies on 30 carbs a day, and even less fruit, but ya know, it's not all that bad. I'm sitting here sipping a cup of that wonderful Trader Joe's Ruby Red Chai tea, liberally laced with cream. It's a perfect treat on a cool fall day.
And dinner tonight? Sausage pumpkin soup, such a good recipe, (I'm trying it tonight with Italian sausage) you really don't taste pumpkin at all, it just thickens it and gives it depth and richness. Also Cheddar Bay Biscuits (leaving out the Old Bay Seasoning, I'm not a fan), they're almost a dead ringer when they're warm for Red Lobster's Biscuits, except made with almond flour.
And dessert? Warm, Brownie in a mug with a scoop of Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream. It's pretty awesome, too.
I know, I know, you're saying to yourself, "no wonder she hasn't lost weight." But this shouldn't affect any weight loss, it's the way you eat on low carb, it's normal to stall for a month or two, and at least I'm not gaining.
So, do you want a look at the recipes? Just click on the following pictures. I've made all of these, they're "tried 'n true." It's what I do, I cook, every.single.day and I'm always trying something different. If anybody is interested in low carb links and more recipes, just email me.
Soup Tweaks: Simmer the soup uncovered so that it reduces and thickens. Warm the cream in the microwave for 1 minute before you add it to the soup. Cream curdles easily if you pour cold cream into hot soup, heating it prevents that. I don't add the half cup of water at the end with the cream, I just stir in the half cup of cream and simmer it for a minute until it all blends. If you add water, then you have to reduce it again. Too much trouble. I also added diced red pepper to this. I prefer the Italian sausage to regular sausage, it gives it a really good flavor.
Today marks the 62nd anniversary of their debut. They will always be the best… Enjoy ~ Jan
This line of Tom's Nepal Boots have me drooling this fall. These have so many styles, it's hard to choose.
And since I've loved moccasins since I was a girl, many, many moons ago (hehehe) I ordered these fringed ones from Nordie's.
I love them, I really do, but back in the day, I would have never bought boots with just one row of fringe. I would have bought these!
And yes, I realize I would look really stupid traipsing around in these three layer boots, I'm old now, darn it! So I didn't. No, I didn't even consider them, but I do love them. I'm a descendant of Pocahontas after all. Seriously, I really am….
And my love of all things vintage continues. I've subscribed to Decor Steals for months now, at the suggestion of my friend, Barb, but have yet to order. I missed a really great iron Paris sign, too, that I haven't quite recovered from.
And I've been looking for S&P shakers for my bar in the kitchen ever since my big redo, and when I saw these, it was love at first sight. I ordered these puppies quicker than a New Yawk minute. Oh my, narrow aluminum tops, vintage green blown glass, heart be still.
You like them, too? If you do, better snap them up fast, this steal is only good for today and sometimes they sell out fast!
Sometime's a girl's just gotta do what a girl's just gotta do...
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