Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Yes!!!! I'm Back!!!!!!

Hey folks~

I know...where have you been????????? I've been busy....take a peek at the Summer Kitty and I had!!!!

This is a cool program I learned about at my teaching job that I'm using with my kids...so I thought I'd share with y'all!!

http://www.slide.com/r/TlDBbTOh3z-jHuXgqJHS-tQnYyRGOuOf?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Thursday, July 30, 2009

arm, arm, leg, leg...ok, I'm good.

Have you ever seen on the Discovery Channel or PBS those documentaries about the desert or the "law of the jungle", and have seen those buzzards tearing at carrion with their teeth, nudging each other for that succluent piece of rotting flesh?

I believe I just witnessed that at Festival Foods.

Today is their quad-annual One Day Meat Sale. Yes, caps required. It's a big event. I wasn't even going for the meat sale, since there wasn't anything on sale that I needed, but we did need milk, eggs, fruit, and a large vat of salsa (for the family reunion this weekend). So, because fresh fruit is on sale at the Fest this week, I headed there.

Because I was there, I just made a pass through the meat department, just to see what's up.

I'm lucky I made it out with all my limbs.

There were people pushing, shoving, moving others carts, crowding around the meat bunkers, hunched over the Big Packs of Octoberfest Brats and Chuck Roasts like the aforementioned buzzards. I actually saw one grandmotherly figure (not the small, fragile grandma, I'm talking the big hipped, big busted steel grey permed hair type grandma) rip one pack of chuck roasts out of another woman's hands, saying..." I had my eye on that pack first!!!". I saw another couple with 5 packs of chuck roasts in their cart, debating if they should get 5 more. I should mention that each pack had 2 roasts in them, and I'd say that each roast goes about 3 lbs. That's ALOT of Hot Beef Sandwiches and pot roasts.

I grabbed my one lone pack of cheddy-brats and scurried away. The Farmer Family likes their cheese mixed in with their meat. :)

When I was checking out I mentioned to the check out lady that the meat sale was already in very full swing...she said that people show up at 7:00, an hour before it starts, waiting for the butchers to say..."Ok, Go Ahead". Now, I love my meat sale as much as the next carnivore, but that's just rediculous. It's just meat. It will go on sale again, and todays' sale goes until 8 pm. I think you'll get your whole trimmed tenderloin. They wouldn't be on mega sale if they only had 10 tenderloins in the back cooler.

Good times at the Fest.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

A bloggy hiatus

I just haven't been feeling like writing lately....the summer has gotten super busy lately and amongst all other things, blogging hasn't been high priority. here's a few updates:

*the fair went well. I was happy with my results, and i"m hoping next year I'll be able to enter more items of the craft variety.

*My cheesecake is published....check out this link to get there....and good luck making the recipe if you try it out!

*I'm going to be on German TV! A German production company is sending over their version of Emeril and he's going to tour the USA, going to mom and pop restaurants and visiting cooking competitions. The company contacted the Cheesefest office and asked if they could contribute to the show....the office sent them my name and info, and we've been in "negotiations" for Jumbo (that's his name...he stands 6'10'' and weighs in at 340 lbs....BIG guy.) to come to my home and bake with me. I'm so excited. This will be occuring in the spring sometime. Wahoo! I'm now one step closer to being that witty History Channel documentarian. Just gotta get that doctorate and fancy title from a prestigious university.........

*The garden is growing leaps and bounds. I had my first sauteed zuchinni for lunch...tasted like summer. Yum.

*The new carpet has been ordered and I'm working on emptying the room so we can tear up the old stuff.

That's about it. I will probably keep on hiatus for a while, so for my dedicated readers, dont' expect much for a few days or so. Just so you know.,...I didn't get swallowed into the new silo, just being busy....

Catch ya later!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Thumbs Up and Down

Thumbs Up: To today being Judging day at the county fair! I wait all year, Caroline Ingalls style, for the fair to come around. I've got my muffins in the oven and my bread rising. I also am working the fair this year in the Open Class pavillion, so I get to suck in the fair all day today! Joyous.

Thumbs Down: To me being lazy and not feeling like running all the way to Green Bay last night to pick up a jar of The Godfather's corn relish to enter in the fair. I said I would bring it, but miscommunication, and more realistic, laziness and forgetfulness on my part kept me from remembering to pick up a jar every other time I was in GB this past month. Oh well, his pickle relish is also being entered, so it's somewhat ok. But in my defense, I had a bad headache last night and Kitty was somewhat crabby, so the ride looked less appealing every minute that passed.

Thumbs Up: to looking forward to Grammy's birthday party this weekend at Bay Beach! Kitty will be so excited to be back there for more fun and hijinks! And a Picnic! Kitty loves to eat outside...what an adventure!

Thumbs Down: To only 1 more month of summer vacation. boo hiss.

Thumbs Up: To my dr. being super proactive and ordering a bizillion tests to figure out why Kitty is still an only child. He's leaping on this infertility train and said he will figure out why I keep miscarrying. 3 in 10 months is not OK in either of our books.

Thumbs Down: To have to have 7 vials of blood taken tomorrow for these bizillion tests. My veins seem to know when to inconviently shut down, so I'm sure tomorrow will be lots o fun.

Thumbs Up: To the ring bologna I made on the grill last night. My dishwasher is broken, so i've become pretty inventive when it comes to makeing meals outside. Less dishes. So, if you like ring bologna (Navy girl? I'm sure you do..it's like a giant hot dog!!!) try it on the grill!

Thumbs Down: To the lack of rain....Kitty doesn't like to play outside on the grass because it's so dry. That limits our things to do outside. But her playhouse has been brought onto the patio, so she's happy going in and out of that door.

Kitty's Thumbs Up: To having toaster waffles back in the house. We did a much needed Sam's Run on Monday and we now have more toaster waffles in our house. I know I could have purchased them at the grocery, but when you pay over $2 for one box when I could pay $7.50 for 8 boxes, I figure she can wait until I Get to Sam's. But she's now happily eating breakfast...all is good in our worlds.

Monday, July 13, 2009

The Big 100! Let's throw a party!

Can you believe it? I made it to 1oo posts!!!

I know I'm not the most consistent blogger in the blogsophere, but it's a good time!

Since i've put in that feed of who reads my blog, I've been shocked to see that I have readers from all over the nation, and the world!!! I didn't think I had near that many readers, especially since I don't have anything real world shaking or madly exciting to write about!!!

So, In honor of this 100th post, I'd like people to just make a comment in my comment form and tell me where you are from and how you found my little blog. You don't have to continually comment on every post---goodness knows I'm one of the worst lurkers out there---but just pop in once and say Hey! We'll throw a little party via comments!

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My information for the fair came in the mail on Saturday. We're getting all ready for the big week next week! Woohoo!

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Kitty has a new word...Elmo. And she's also learning how to beg. She says "Elmo???" in the most sad voice when she wants to watch her Sesame Street video, and she blinks her eyes and pouts. She quickly escalates to very MAD when Elmo doesn't appear on the screen. Other big advancements: She learned what the elephant says and what the monkey does. She's a one woman zoo.

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They finished the new silo. It looks very sharp, all 90 feet of it. it's now currently 50% full of haylage...Farmer's almost done with the 2nd crop of hay.

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Yesterday we took a family trip to Bay Beach. I didn't know if Kitty would like the little kid rides, but she LOVED them. She rode the ladybugs, the train, the cars, the jeeps, and the planes. It was a surprise trip from Daddy, so I didn't bring my camera with us, so I guess we'll have to go back soon. We then went to culvers, where we discovered that Kitty LOVES chocolate custard. She's definitely my girl, and Navygirl's good friend.

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We picked the first of the green beans from the garden. We'll be swimming in crops soon.

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Don't forget to join the Big 100 Comment Party in the comment box....it's lots of fun!

Monday, July 6, 2009

The 4th of July update and tidbits

Kitty's 4th of July Extravangaza went quite well. Grammy, Poppy, Auntie Mousie and hubby, and the BabyBear came, along with one of my cousin's and her family. We had a BBQ, croquet game, bonfire, and fireworks show. It was a very nice party. The weather was great and all babies were well behaved. Kitty even got a tan line on her tootsies from her cupcake sandals, which is so cute. I was woken up at 6:15 am on the 4th by my folks, calling with questions about the Declaration of Independence and the Founding Fathers. Nothing like giving an impromptu history lesson when you haven't even opened your eyes yet.

My question for them: Why the buzzard are you even thinking deep thoughts about the founding of our nation at 6:15 am??? I know it was Independence Day, but at 6:15 am, you should be watching the early news and groping for your coffee. Maybe reading the paper.

*****

Yesterday we went to a parade in Maribel, a small farming community where my Mum grew up. it was basically a tractor parade, but we enjoyed ourselves. Kitty loved it. She likes to go anywhere where she can wave to people. So, parades are about as great as the grocery store. Good times.

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Today Kitty went to her first pool party (man, she's busy! party, parade, pool party....what a social butterfly!) with her boyfriends, G and E, the babies of my two best friends. She had another great time floating around in her ladybug floatie. I enjoyed hanging out with my buddies.

*****
I'm so angry. There's a bar in Crivitz, WI (small northwoods town) who was denied a liquor license, and so he's flying the American flag upside down in protest. How stupid. What respect do you have for our country to brazenly show such disrespect? I know, freedom of speech, but still. On the 4th of July? Maybe it's my history background, knowing what it took throughout the last 250 years to be able to fly that flag freely, but that is just so terrible. Shame on you. SHAME. It make me seethe.

*****
The Godfather made 24 pints of Strawberry Jam with his berries. He's going to be eating jam until the end of time.

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NavyGirl and Maverick are in the process of buying a new house in the northwest. It's beautiful. You must head over to her blog to check out the pictures. I'm so jealous...mainly of her kitchen. :) But it's a good jealous. I'm happy for her.

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I had a dream last night that President Obama picked our house to have dinner with "the common folk". It was SO REALISTIC....I'm still somewhat pondering if it actually happened or not. PS: I made steaks, baked potatoes, and mushrooms. He walked around our property with Farmer and checked out Farmer's convertable and my garden. He was in just his dress shirt and kahki's, very casual. Kitty was very shy. I didn't have my hair done. SO REAL.

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That's about it. No news yet about the cheesecake publishing, but I'm checking the website every so often. I'll be sure to let people know ASAP.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

today I....

....Picked over 20 lbs of strawberries in order to teach The Godfather how to make his own jam. Not freezer jam, mind you, but actual processed shelf stable jam. It will be an adventure.

....cleaned my whole house in order for the exterminator to come tomorrow.

....did what feels like 1000 loads of laundry that I now need to fold.

....what a day.