A Little Exercise Does Wonders

We're all getting back on schedule now.  It could be that we were so tired on Monday because we really did work pretty hard over the weekend - cleaning, cooking and friends over for the Super Bowl.  Oh, and two babies to keep up with!  The thing that has made both of us feel so much better is exercise.  Dee has been going to the gym each morning for an hour with some of her friends.  I'm glad I'm able to give her that break. She said the exercise makes her feel so much better.  I hope she can find a sitter or a friend to watch the kids after I go back home this weekend.
While she's gone I put Heath down for a nap and then I work out to a fitness show on TV.  It's "Bodies in Motion by Gilad".  Back home it's on FIT TV, but here I found it on JLTV (Jewish Life TV).  It's half an hour and includes some stretching, cardio, abs and some light weights.    When done consistently it's a nice little workout. 
Yesterday morning I was trying to keep Riley occupied so I told her to exercise with me.  She tried to follow along and it was so cute.  Then I picked up the hand weights and she picked up two of the dogs' rubber bones and tried to do the same thing I was doing.  So adorable!  This morning I had my camera ready just in case, and she followed along again with me and Gilad.

Heath has also become a much easier baby.  The colic that he was so troubled with while at my house seems to have passed.  Now he is a happy, smiling baby!

He loves his jumpy chair and will sit in there and laugh and bounce for quite a while.

Brandon came home this morning from five days on a training mission out in the woods. He walked in the front door about 8:30, with all his gear, looking and smelling like a mountain man.

   We were all so glad to see him.  Layla (their Sharpei/Golden) could hardly control herself.

Unfortunately Brandon has to leave at 6:00 tomorrow morning for Georgia for three weeks of Jump School training.  I won't see him again until they possibly come back home in June.  Poor Dee is going to be home alone with the kids for 2-1/2 weeks since I'm leaving on Sunday.  She does a great job, though, and is a wonderful and patient mother.  Brandon wanted me to stay longer to help her, but I really need to get back home.  Dee is probably ready for a break from me anyway.  She's been with her mother-in-law (me!) since Christmas.  Being alone isn't always a bad thing! 

I figure by Saturday, the day before I go home, I'll be accustomed to the time change and Dee and I will have a good system working together!  Then it will take me another week and a half to get used to the Eastern time change!

Beautiful Week of Indian Summer

Well, everything kind of caught up to me.  This seems to happen to me every year during this season.  I think a combination of change of weather and trying to do too much.  Now I have a cold or small bug of some sort.  Nothing major, just enough to not feel myself and have very little energy. I'm on the other side of it now, though, thank goodness.

After I got back from the kids' house last Friday I decided to take it easy over the weekend and on Sunday I just watched Lifetime Movies all day while I knit. That was such a luxury and something I really should do more often!  I haven't done anything like that for a long time.

This is where my little Fergie lays while I knit.

This is where I sit and knit.  Ellie Mae is usually laying on my lap.  You can see the purple baby sweater on the foot stool that I almost have finished for a friend's daughter's baby shower this Saturday.

Now on Wednesday, I'm starting to feel a little better.  This is a beautiful, warm and sunny Indian summer day here in Pennsylvania.

 Look at this beautiful view on this sunny day off my back deck.  I don't have the skills or the camera to capture how pretty it really is.  The sun is so bright that the lake water is just sparkling.  Can you see the ducks out there swimming?  There are a lot of geese out there in the early mornings.  They look pretty, but they come up into the back yard and make a real poopy mess.  The neighbor has staked up wire to try to keep them out.

So I think the rest and the sunshine is now encouraging me to get up off my butt, get a shower, and do something.  

Two weeks ago was the Grand Opening of the new Wal-Mart Superstore in our small town, which was a really big deal for us.  I was getting groceries there for the first time and came across this packaged soup.  It looked good so I thought I'd try it.  

It was delicious!  and 0g. Trans Fat to beat.  I didn't leave it at that, though. I wanted to doctor it up a bit so  I added my own potatoes and then topped off the bowls with sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon bits.  

It was really good! During this weekly Wal-Mart trip, I decided to get the Tortilla Soup.  That's what I'm making for dinner.  It's simmering on the stove right now and it smells like an Autumn Indian Summer day inside the house.  

I got out a few Thanksgiving decorations.  I do more Autumn than specific Thanksgiving decorating, but on my front foyer table I do set out these little ceramic Pilgrims and turkey that I believe my mother made years ago.  I also have to have a couple little bowls of candy corn sitting around or it just doesn't feel like Autumn.

Probably next week I'll be starting some of my winter and early Christmas decorating.  I do so much that if I don't start early it won't get done in time for me to sit back and enjoy it. My Spokane kids are coming home for Christmas and I want to have everything done before they get here.  

They just sent me this updated picture of my little two month old Heath.

I haven't seen him since he was 1-1/2 weeks old so I can't wait to hold him again and his 18 month old sister, Riley.

I love this time of year, but I need to feel good and not be stressed, pressured or rushed so that I can enjoy the season and not just work at getting through it!

Ready, Set, Boys

We picked up Logan and Landen yesterday for another weekend here at Bob and Nina’s house.   They call us by our first names because when they were little they just weren’t able to say Grandma and Grandpa.  And since they were the first grandchildren, all they ever heard us called were Bob and Nina.  I enjoy being called Grandma, but Bob and Nina stuck. 

As soon as Logan hits our door, he’s running up to their room to hook up his Game Cube that he brought with him.  Austin and Melissa lock this up during the week and he’s allowed to get on it from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. 

We still limit his time on it because he won’t even stop to eat and pee if we don’t. 

Today was a fairly nice day, so we decided to take the boys to Cooper’s Farm Market.  Their Fall Festival weekends were over, but they still had a few things going on.  Logan really didn’t want to leave his Game Cube, but once we were there he had a great time.  Landen wasn’t feeling very well, so he was a little quiet and laid back today. 

Logan picked out two pumpkins for them so they could carve Jack-O-Lanterns tomorrow with their mother.

Second cousin Kyle, as the two boys have lovingly come to call him, joined in the fun with them.

Kyle is 6’4”, so Landen was thrilled to be up so high while walking through the corn maze.

They also had a smaller hay bale maze that was great for the smaller kids to just run around in.

Logan had a great time trying to catch this rooster.  But there was no way!

On the way home we had to stop at the Harley Davidson shop per  Bob’s desire.  Bob has been threatening to buy a Harley for the last 31 years!  He had a Harley when he was about 21 years old and maybe he hopes to re-capture some of those young and wild days. 

This was the first bike greeting us as we walked into the store.

It’s a real buffalo hide hanging on a motorcycle.

Landen also wanted to try on a helmet.

I think he has a way to go to grow into it.  And I think it was heavier than he is!

We ended our afternoon out with ice cream cones.  This if the kind of weekend and times I enjoy with my grandchildren.  Logan was even glad that he took a break from Game Cube. 

Now we’re back home and Landen is taking a nap and Logan is --- you guessed it!--- back in his room on Game Cube! 

It feels like a grilled cheese and tomato soup dinner night.  I love Fall!

Cheers to Halloween

Happy Halloween tomorrow!  I never was a huge halloween fan, but I enjoy it a little more in my Grandma years.  I love to see the little goblins come to the door in the cute and creative costumes.  I'll make chocolate cupcakes with orange icing and halloween decorations just for my grandchildren and family that stop over.  My little Fergie dog and I wear matching cat ears.  I try to encourage trick or treaters to our house by having purple lights around the door and all the outside lights on and candles in the windows.  I'm always a little disappointed because we don't get that many visitors due to the main road we live on.
I just saw this little drinkie recipe in our newspaper last Sunday and bought the ingredients yesterday.  We are not big drinkers, contrary to my last post, but this sounded so good.  I can just picture myself in my black ruffled skirt and orange cat ears, carrying this orange candy corn martini in my hand as I answer the door to welcome my little goblins.  I don't know why that picture in my head appeals to me.  But I won't analyze that!
Anyway, I wanted to share the recipe in case any of you have that same fantasy picture in your head.

Candy Corn Martini

1/2 cup candy corn, plus extra for garnish

1-1/2 cups vodka

ice

2 oz. orange liqueur

juice of 1/2 lemon

l large egg white

In a jar with an airtight lid, combine the 1/2 cup of candy corn and the vodka.  Cover and set aside for at least 3 hours.  When ready, strain out and discard the solids.  (I did this last night and my candy corn vodka is now in the freezer, ready to go)

To prepare the drinks, in a cocktail shaker filled with ice combine 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of the candy corn vodka, the orange liqueur, lemon juice and egg white  Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, then strain into 2 chilled martini glasses.  Garnish with candy corn.

I might have to taste test this tonight.  I sure hope my acid reflux  is good with this.  I'll let you know.

Oktoberfest in Cincinnati

Oktoberfest party in Cincinnati, two weeks ago.  Sorry I'm so late in reporting! I think I've got too much going on, by my own doing, that I'm having trouble staying caught up.   The weekend of October 16-19 was a busy, fun and productive one.
My brother and his wife had invited us to their big Oktoberfest Party and we had been wanting to make a trip to Cincinnati (6 - 6-1/2 hours away) for a while now, so this was the perfect time. 
I lived in Cincinnati, with my family, back in the 70's during my high school and college years.  My two brothers still live in that same area.  My husband is also from Cincinnati and his family is still there.  We try to get back at least once a year. 
This particular trip included My Bob and I, my parents, my son Austin, and my little toy poodle, Fergie.  My parents, Fergie, and I left on Thursday.  No particular reason why the three of us wanted to go a day earlier than Bob and Austin other than to have more time with my brother, Chuck,  and his wife, Jill.  I drove the whole way with Mom in the front so we could talk and Dad sat with Fergie in the back so he could spend six hours on his new little wireless computer.
When we arrived, we noticed the huge enclosed tent that had just been delivered and set up in Chuck and Jill's large back yard.  Complete with plastic windows, a heater, and tables and chairs for 75 people.

Chuck and Jill have a beautiful home on a large lot and throw great parties.  They requested on the invitation that everyone bring a 6 pack of German beer.  We're not beer drinkers, so we brought German wine.  They also had two kegs of beer being brought in and we found out when we got there that Jill was making most of the food herself.  So Mom and I contributed to the preparations as best we could.  There was cabbage boiling for two days for braised cabbage, and I think 30 pounds of potatoes being peeled for German potato salad.

Now back home, Bob rented a small U-Haul.  His sister had gifted to us an antique Larkin Victorian fainting couch that she had and no longer had a place for.  She knew I had a perfect place for it and she wanted us to have it.  She had it re-upholstered and it's beautiful.  We had to have a way to get it back to Pennsylvania. 

This is it all set up in my piano/tea room once we got it back home.   I am now on the search for an antique little coffee table to replace this white iron table.  It just doesn't go with this.  The back and sides of the couch fold down, which I will probably never fool with.  Isn't it pretty?  This is the little bench that used to be here, and it really never belonged.

 This is where the white bench is now.  In my dining room in the bay window.  It gets a lot of use here.

The reason for getting the U-Haul round trip was because I had been cleaning and had quite a pile sitting in the basement for Goodwill.  So did my mother.  My sisters-in-law, five of them, asked to please not take everything to Goodwill.  They all love Goodwill stuff and wanted it all.  And I'm always impressed at the knack they have for fixing up and arranging their "finds" in their homes.  So Bob and Austin loaded the U-Haul and arrived in Cincinnati Friday night.

The other major reason for the Cincinnati trip was to see my mother-in-law.  This is why Austin decided to arrange to make the trip with us.  DIL Melissa stayed home with their boys.  Bob's mother is very ill with pancreatic cancer and is getting weaker.  So Friday night I met Bob and Austin at his sister's house and his mother was there, along with several other family members.  Debbie had very good food and wine for us and we had a very nice time with family.  At the same time it was sad.  Mother Millie does not look well and she cries when you talk to her.  I would, too.  On a good note, we got to see our niece's new baby boy.

He's about 1-1/2 weeks old here and is beautiful.  This is Roxanne's fifth child.  She's a good mother.

Now, back to the Main Event.  Saturday  is Oktoberfest Day.  The signs and posters got hung, the port-a-potty was delivered (Jill didn't want all those drunks messing up her beautiful home and I don't blame her), the kegs were delivered and the cooking continued.

  Jill's sister also brought deep fried goetta balls and deep fried pickles.  Oh my gosh, were they delicious!  I don't know if everyone knows what goetta is.  I only ever see it in Cincinnati.  It's a sausage mixture and it is so good.  By 6:00 at night the German music was going in the tent and the people started pouring in.  My brother swears that he had the 3rd largest Oktoberfest Party in Ohio.  I believe it.  Fun was had by all and some had way too much beer.  It was fun to see some of my brothers old friends that I hadn's seen since they were little kids.  Sunday morning was clean-up day.

Bob and Austin headed back home with U-Haul in two on Sunday morning.  Mom, Dad and I stayed one more day.  My nephew and girlfriend also had a new 1-1/2 week old baby girl, Natale, and we got to visit with them on Sunday afternoon.

This is me with my new little niece.

We had a great trip.  Very busy, fun, a little sad, a lot happy, and productive.  A lot crammed into a weekend. 

Monday morning started the 6-1/2 hour drive home.  This always includes a stop at Cracker Barrel at lunch time. 

It took me about a week to recover.

I need to shorten these posts up a little bit, but so much happens all at once.  I should divide our events up in chapters, I guess. 

Life is a Series of Ups and Downs

Life is just so fickle, isn't it?  One day can be so good, and the next day, not so much.  I remember when I was a little girl, I used to keep a daily diary.  Each day I would start off the entry with, "Today was a good day", or "Today was a terrible day".  I guess the good thing that tells is that if you're having a bad day, don't get too down about it, because it will change.  Well, that's how the past three days have been for me.
Sunday was a great day.  It was a beautiful autumn day.

 The colors outside were so pretty and the temperature was cool, which made it feel even warmer and cozier inside.  I got up early to start preparing lunch for the whole family:  Austin, Melissa and the boys, Dee and Riley, and Mom and Dad.  Austin and his family had not had a chance to see their new little niece and cousin  (Riley) since she's been in town.  I was so happy making two pans of lasagna, homemade pear crisp from  pears off the tree in the front yard, salad, garlic bread and apple cider.  Everyone showed up between 12:30 and 1:00, after church.  I would have gone to church, but I needed the time to cook.
We had a wonderful afternoon.  Everyone taking turns holding Riley.  She is such a sweet baby doll.

Mom and Dad with Riley

Dad with his 3 great-grandchildren

The boys are so funny.  They come up with the darndest things.  Logan wanted to know if Riley would turn into a little boy when she got older so he could play with him.  Oh my gosh!  That was so cute!

Melissa and Dee (DIL's)

Dee and Riley then left for Pittsburgh to her parents house for a few days.  Now she's back in town for two days until we leave for Cincinnati to my brother's house for a big Oktoberfest Party that he and his wife are having.  It will be fun.  More on that later.

It was a great family Sunday.  And I'll hold onto that, because Monday was not so pleasant. 

It was a good news/bad news thing.  The bad news far outweighing the good. 

Our accountant called and told us that because our income was up we have to come up with a lot (I mean a lot) more money that we owe in taxes.  My Bob is just in the worst mood now.  He's ranting and raving about taxes, the IRS, the crooks in Washington, and on and on.  He'll get this out of his system and will eventually be fine, but right now he's a bear to be around.  I don't blame him and I feel his stress.  We live a nice life, but in no way an extravagant one.  Being self employed just comes with it's own issues.  He works so hard and then he almost feels punished for all his hard work.  He's rambling now that he's just going to go live out in the woods in a tent and not have to deal with this stuff.  OH My Gosh!  He'll calm down, but I almost wish he would go into the woods for a few days.  I feel like I need to help somehow, but how?  I'm trying to offer any help in the way of support.  Then I feel like I should go out and find a "real" job.  But I work now for our business, so that would suffer if I wasn't here doing it.  I just don't get a pay check or any money that you can actually see. 

Today My Bob is busy with work and then decided to go downstairs to lift weights.  I hope that helps just a little.  But as I said earlier, things will change and I know we'll go back to being the happy family of a few days ago.