Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is our 38th wedding anniversary. For those of you who were around on our wedding day, we had our reception at a haunted house with peacocks strutting their stuff through the yard and a really scary basement that our guests could have fun with. Pretty unique – had to really do some talking to get my dad to go for it. It was the mid-70’s after all. Everyone was into casual and fun weddings. My sister Jill had been married outside at our cottage a couple of years earlier. We had a beautiful sunny day, thank goodness, because the majority of our guests were outside most of the time. We celebrated with two of our kids and families by heading to Hastings to The Waldorf and enjoyed dinner and good conversation. Tonight we’ll head downtown and see a concert by Ronnie Dunn, former member of the duo, Brooks and Dunn for those of you who might remember that.
Most importantly, we’ve made it 38 years by placing God at the center of everything we do. We’re so thankful for the experiences, joys and trials in our lives that have made us who we are in Him.

Family Time

Memorial Day and come and gone again for another year, but I hope, like me, you’ll take time to remember our veterans and current service members each day throughout the year.  We were blessed to spend time with family yesterday – it was a blistering 90+ degrees here in Michigan, but a perfect day.  We celebrated with a picnic type meal – grilled burgers and brats (the soaked pork will have to wait for another day), baked beans,  potato salad a la Grandma Great (my mom) and Melanie’s corn salsa.  Hot fudge brownies and Almond Chocolate Chip Bars finished off the meal.

Here’s the recipe for the Almond Chocolate Chip Bars.  They are to die for.

Almond Chocolate Chip Bars 

Preheat oven to 325 º.  Grease (or use baking spray) a glass 9×13 pan.

Melt together:

2 sticks margarine (I use unsalted butter)

1 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar

Put in large mixer bowl and add:

2/3 c almond paste (I use an 8 ounce package from the dairy section)

Beat until creamy.

Add:

3 eggs (one at a time) beating after each addition.

Combine the following and add:

2/3 c flour

3 tsp. baking powder (not soda)

2 c quick oats

¼ tsp salt

Mix just until combined and stir in 1 ½ c milk chocolate chips by hand.

Batter will be thick.  Spread batter into greased 9×13 glass pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Bars should be lightly golden around the edges.  Center will fall after removing from oven.  Let pan cool completely before cutting into them. They are very rich, so cut into snall pieces. These bars freeze well. Do not cut before freezing. (I often cut the pan in half and freeze half for later) Thaw in refrigerator.  Keep tightly covered.

Enjoy!

Memorial Day – We Remember

Now, about Memorial Day…have you hugged your service member yet?  My son Mike is deployed on the USS Makin Island, an amphibious assult ship as part of the Navy’s Pacific Command.  He’s a 1st Lt., USMC, and has been part of a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) that has been floating in reserve in the Gulf of Aiden for the last six months.  They are on their way home now, and we’re all anxious to see them.  My husband will be flying to Honolulu to meet his ship at Pearl Harbor in June and sail back with him to San Diego as part of a Tiger Cruise. Needless to say, he’s pumped and I’m jealous.  As you celebrate with your family this weekend, remember those families who are missing someone at their table because they are serving their country somewhere in our troubled world.  Check out this video on Youtube:  and remember what this holiday is all about. We are free to have fun and celebrate because they have sacrificed.

Time Flies

I had hoped to post at least once each week and I’ve already missed two of them. Time flies when you’re having fun. The twins, Alana and Makayla, spent 10 days with us while their parents vacationed in Florida to celebrate their Uncle Marcus’ graduation from college.  Congratulations to Marcus and to his parents for getting him through this phase of life.  I was so busy helping with homework and having fun them I didn’t have time to post.   I’m looking forward to Memorial Day when I’ll be spending time with granddaughter #4 Addy from Denver.  She’s 18 months old and such a sweetie.  Her mom and dad are driving her up to be a flower girl in her Uncle John’s wedding in Chicago next weekend.  I’ll post pictures later so you can see what a doll she is.  The twins will be over to celebrate and spend time with her too.  Kaelyn, in California, you’ll be missed.

I’m thinking the menu for our bar-b-que will be soaked pork kabobs, potato salad (my grandma’s recipe) fresh fruit, grilled asparagus and maybe some mushroom kabobs if I have time.  And how about some homemade ice cream for dessert?  Haven’t had the ice cream maker out for a while and it’s supposed to be a hot, hot day.  Sounds good to me!

What are you doing on Memorial Day?  Besides celebrating with family that will be in town, we plan to remember our service members past and present – more on that in my next post.

Hello world!

Gma24/7 has arrived!

I’m the lucky grandparent of 4 beautiful granddaughters, ages 8,8,19 mos. and 16 mos.  The twins live very near us so we are able to see them often, but the babies are in Colorado and California – haven’t seen either of them since Christmas.  I love to craft with the the twins, Alana and Makayla.  They love nothing better than to go upstairs to my craft room and make something with me.  We’ve been making braided headbands out of jersey knit, origami flowers, frogs and butterflies, Mother’s Day cards with my Cricut, knitting, drawing, decoupaging and lots more.  I’ll share some of our projects in future posts.

Not sure where this journey will take us, but I hope you’ll come along as we discover our creative sides and enjoy spending time together!