FOLLOWERS

I just wanted to come on this morning and THANK EACH AND EVERY FOLLOWER TO MY BLOG....the number has grown in leaps and bounds.


Some visit now and then and some everyday....how wonderful.


I follow MANY but I don't get to them everyday...I take a few each day so if you don't see me there...wait! I will show up....I think it's like that for most of us don't you?


We have to work the blogging in with our outher daily routines and of late it seems the blogs have taken rank over everything else the first thing in the morning! lol  But I love seeing what my friends are doing.


So thanks again and have a wonderful day

P.S. I wish there was a way I could reach many of you who follow to give back - I see your picture in the following, but lots of you don't show a blog, website or e-mail...so this was the best way to do it.

Karen

Company for Dinner

We had a wonderful beginning to our weekend after a hectic week of hospitals, funerals and taking kitty to the vet…what a week.

Poor Baby has been feeling dumpy and her eye is mattering and she’s sneezing and wheezing so off to the Vet we went on Thursday…and finally after the tune of $178, 2 bottles of Anti-biotic and having to get a urine sample from her (yeah, right!) we got her home. She has a cold and a virus and bladder infection. I feel so bad for her, she’s just so quiet and sweet and now she looks so sad. I don’t like it when my animals hurt…I don’t know what to do for them.

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Soooo – anyway, the fun time! Doug’s cousin is here from Florida visiting her son/family and so her and two other cousins came over this afternoon and I cooked a pot roast dinner. Darlene (from Florida) has been so hungry for this so I told her I’d fix it – oh it was delicious if I say so myself!

 
Cousin on the left from Florida…2 cousins (sisters) and Doug

We went to one of our favorite markets and had them cut these two roasts fresh – total weight is 7 lbs. Don’t they look good??

Just a bit of salt/pepper/bay leaves and onions and away it cooks

 
After the meat is done I remove it and put it in a baking dish, covered with foil, and then in a warm oven until the vegetables are done.
I use the juice from the meat, extra beef broth and 2 jars of Heinz Chicken Gravy to simmer the potatoes, carrots and onions in till tender.
When the vegies are tender I remove them and thicken the gravy

 
I knew we wouldn’t need much with the meal so I just made some fruit cups of peaches, pears and cherries. The girls brought a cake with them for dessert

 

I also made a Corn Bread but not from scratch. I found a most wonderful one by Marie Callenders – they used to have restaurants but I don’t think they exist anymore…but they were very famous for their Corn Bread. So try and find this product…it’s wonderful and tastes as good as homemade…very moist and sweet.

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Tomorrow will be a day of relaxing and sewing on orders. I got a couple large ones so I’ll be busy for a few weeks. Doug will be going on deliveries so this gives me something to do.

I’ll be visiting you soon…see ya!

Karen

EVERYTHING'S OKAY!

A WORD ABOUT THE PIZZA IN MY LAST POST.....
It's a thicker pan pizza and you will definitely have to EAT IT WITH A FORK....maybe the edges you can pick up after it cools a bit - but probably not the centers.

Also, we never cook the ground sirloin before...we put it on in flat pieces and it cooks completely and quickly as the pizza bakes....and because it's ground sirloin I don't worry about it not being completely cooked (ALTHOUGH IT DOES COOK THROUGH).


This day started out very early...up at 3 a.m., left the house at 4, arrived in Milwaukee at St. Lukes hospital by 4:45....Doug went up to surgery at 7 on the nose!

I went to sit in the day surgery waiting room and in came Darren and MaryAnn to keep me company...this just missed seeing dad by 6 minutes.

At 9:30 dr. came and said it went great and that the tumor turned out to be a HUGE cyst (larger than a large egg!), which attached itself onto his saliva gland...he said it definitely was benign but they still sent it in for a biopsy and we could call on Thurs. or Fri. to get the results....all is well.
Went back down to day surgery to sit with him till he was okay to leave...we were on the road back home at 11:01!  What a morning!

So now he's sleeping and I'm doing this and then will sew the rest of the day.
Tomorrow we both will be able to attend my uncle's funeral which I'm very happy about.

I thought I would post this for EVERYONE who sent well wishes our way.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.

See you all later,
Karen

Yep, me again!

Today was absolutely beautiful outside…
cold, but it looked like we were in a frosted Winter wonderland.
The temps were a bit warmer in the night and there was lots of moisture and wow the trees, shrubs, EVERYTHING was heavy with this beautiful white frost – or maybe ice, but the sidewalks and driveway weren’t iced so I’m guessing frost.

We went out for breakfast this morning and were in awe at the beauty of it all. I had wished I had my camera with me but you really had to see it for real. There wasn’t one thing that wasn’t covered with it. I don’t think I’ve seen it like that in many, many years. When we drove past the lake the Willow trees looked suspended – everything looked like a painting. I couldn’t stop looking.

Then we stopped at the store so I could get the fixins for home made pizza for dinner tonight – which we already ate and it was delicious.
I have been making this for all our married life – it was a Sunday night supper when our boys were growing up and a family favorite.
This makes a large jelly roll size pizza – enough for a family of 5 at least.

KAREN’S  PIZZA
(2) 6.5 oz. bags pizza crust mix
(1) 15 oz. Dei Fratelli pizza sauce
(4) cup pkg. shredded Mozzarella Cheese
(1) small onion – quartered and sliced thin
(1) 7 oz. can stems & pieces mushrooms/drained
1/2 cup green olives or black olives/sliced
(2) small Roma Tomatoes/sliced thin
3/4 lb. ground Sirloin or Italian Sausage
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
You will need a sheet cake pan or large round pizza pan
Prepare pizza crust as directed, let stand about 5 min. for easier handling
Grease pan, pat out dough to come up the edges of pan
Then layer these ingredients:
Mushrooms
Olives
Onions
Tomatoes
Then take your ground Sirloin and pinch flat pieces off….
this makes the meat cook faster
Salt, pepper and Oregano
Top off with the shredded cheese
Bake 425 degrees for 25 minutes
Let stand about 5 minutes to set up some.
I don’t use a pizza cutter – I use a large butcher knife….I cut up and down, if you try and draw the knife across it pulls the cheese and toppings off.
ENJOY!

 

 

This recipe sounded wonderful…
it was on the back of the Mozzarella package

I hope you all try this pizza at some point – you won’t be sorry.
It’s my recipe (although you can’t really call it a recipe – just ingredients that are typical to a pizza…but please just try it!

I decided to post again because I won’t be able to for a few days with so much going on here.
Take care,

Karen

SATURDAY BRUNCH

Today started out much better than the past week. 
I am officially out of my slump…I need to tear into things now and not only that I WANT TO! Didn’t think that feeling was going to come about none too soon but WHEW it’s here.

We went to Brett and Heather’s house (our youngest son) today for Brunch at 10:00 a.m. and what a wonderful day we had.

Our entire family was there to celebrate
w Doug’s 68th birthday
w Dan and Jamie’s birthdays (Dan’s wife)
   both their birthdays are Sunday!
w A very late Christmas celebration with Darren, MaryAnn and
  Aidan (they didn’t make it to ours on Christmas –
  Aidan was sick) 
w To give a safe and fun send off to Emily going to Disney
   World on Monday
w Wish Grandpa Doug well with his surgery on Monday

So we had lots to celebrate and we certainly did that for the entire day

Here’s a few pictures during the day. Again, most of my pictures are blurry so I couldn’t use them So enjoy!

Aidan never had seen Brett and Heather’s dogs before and he was thrilled with them…both dogs are the same kind.

Some serious talk????

Heather made two different Egg Bakes and this one here was just delicious – filled with ham and cheese

And then the other one which was just plain egg, cheese.
We also had sausage links, fruits and Danish Kringle, and I took fixings for Mimosa’s

Dan made these awesome French Twists with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese and then tossed in salt…very, very good!

Emily and Joe

Jamie (birthday girl)

After we ate Emily and Joe thought Grandpa should see what Wii is all about.
Both are trying to show him how to go about holding the control.

Here they are well into a game!

Darren has been playing with their Wii at home and trying to use it for therapy – he has gained some use of the right arm and can swing his arm with the control but if he tried to lift his arm in the air from the shoulder he wouldn’t be able to … and he can only hold something in his hand for about 2 minutes then he looses use of it….please continue to pray that the healing will be complete.

Besides spending money we gave Emily a Locking Diary/Journal to take to Florida with her….She was one of 18 chosen from grades 6-8 to participate this year in the JASON PROJECT and Monday they are all going to Disney World for a week of learning…classes everyday and hopefully a little time for some fun. (She’s in grade 6)

And then Aidan had to get his funny groove on!

Our other two grandchildren, Alexandra and Jesse (Dan’s children) didn’t make it…Alexandra had to work until one and Jesse must have been at one of his buddies….but we did have a great day.

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Monday Doug goes in for day surgery on the right side of his neck just under the jaw bone to remove a tumor.
And my uncle passed away yesterday and the funeral will be Tuesday morning.
If Doug has to stay overnight I won’t go to the funeral but if he gets to come home Monday late, then I will go into Janesville to the funeral by myself.

I doubt I will be on here Monday or even Tuesday but will certainly see you all Wednesday.
Thanks for visiting me and have a great Sunday!

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I also want to THANK everyone who participated in my YARD SALE on PictureTrail…it was a huge success.
It started at 12:30 Friday with 40 items and by 6 that night there were 6 left. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

Karen

YARD SALE

Do you remember that pile of items I had on my dining room table???
Well I finally went through it all, put SOME things back out in the house, packed up SOME and took pictures of the rest to SELL ….

I put pictures on my PICTURETRAIL this morning and have sold a few items already…here’s my link:  http://www.picturetrail.com/kmprimitives  so go on over and see if there’s something you might like….now remember it’s like a garage sale….lots of the items have been in my possession for for quite some time, some newer.

If you see anything you like just e-mail me with your choice(s) and I will send a PAYPAL invoice for the amount plus shipping – I don’t have a set-up to have a BUY NOW on here for this so the e-mail will have to work.
 
Thanks for looking.

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So how has your day gone??? Mine has been a mish-mash of stuff and besides getting the pictures on picturetrail I put a load of laundry in and then every now and then I sit down to read or watch the horrible disaster on Haiti…I don’t really know why I’m so drawn to it – but I’ve come to the conclusion that I watch in hopes of seeing something good happen to just ONE PERSON! But that won’t be for some time to come. Pray is all we can do.

I am sooooo not happy with my decorating right now. It’s like I’m in limbo – between seasons it seems. I don’t want Spring flowers out yet – so I don’t put any out….I don’t like all those tiny little decorative things on my shelves/tables anymore but I don’t have anything I want to replace it all with.
And in this conclusion….I’M BORED WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE! Sounds like I have Cabin Fever or just plain not easy to please these days…lol

I think I need a couple different table or cabinets instead of what I do have – maybe that would help me…or get some new lamps, yeah, that’s it…we are so in need of lamps in our family room. I want the black iron Colonial floor lamps but haven’t found the ones I want yet. I want to get the lamps off the side tables so the floor lamps would work great. We have two of them in the den and they work great.

You know what….I think we need a ‘BLOG PARTY’…..we all need to log on at the same time, have our goodies near us, pick something fun to do and talk about….how in the world would we do something like that????? Any suggestions?  Like a CHAT.

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Today is my husbands birthday (WOW, 68!!!) and he’s on a day delivery and won’t even be here for dinner tonight – he just called and said the group is going to stop to eat on the way home…so it’s just little(little ??) ole me. Anyone want to come on over and keep me company can…the door is always open.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG….your family!

Guess I’ve rattled enough….go on a check out my PICTURETRAIL.

Karen

LITTLE ONE’S WITH BARE LEGS???

If you have little ones running around or grand children you might like this website!

My cousins daughter has been in the process of getting this business going and it is finally off the ground. TOTALLY AMERICAN MADE…!!!!!
Do you ever see your sweet little ones or grandchildren walking out of their tiny little sockies or have the knee highs slip down or even struggle with the little leggin’s? Please have a look see here and you’ll be impressed with this soooo simple solution….imagined, designed and marketed by a MOMMY WHO CARES!

Here’s her e-mail to introduce her new business

Hi All!
I hope this note finds you well and looking forward to a brand new year. (I know I sure am!) After two years in the works, my business Rock-a-Thigh Baby is finally open. I design fashionable, functional eco-friendly thigh-high socks for infants and children; I outsource the manufacturing here in the USA. Feel free to check out the website at: http://www.rockathighbaby.com
(We're also on Facebook.)
I sure would appreciate your help in spreading the word about my business by sharing this email with your friends. I'm hoping that the networking power of the internet will help get the word out about my business and help it to succeed!
Wishing you all a very blessed New Year!

Jen
http://www.rockathighbaby.com/

Here’s a little bit of what Jen is offering
 
 






So I’m asking you as a fellow blogger…please just go check it out…you just might like it for your own children or pass it along to your married children/with children or even friends with children.

I also thank you for taking the time to read this!

Hugs, Karen

I’M KIND OF BACK TO NORMAL

I got through another day without my computer and just got it back around 4:45 p.m.  - whew! Those were three long days! Tech said that’s the second one today with the same problem.

It’s not a typical virus which are basically ‘old stuff’ these days…now it’s the spyware/add ware that attaches itself and won’t let you get into any of your files saying you are infected and want you to buy their product…he said the group is like CYBER GYPSYS! They don’t ruin your files and the like but they lock up your ‘anti virus, spyware and malware’ – puts a block on your desktop so you can’t get to it and you can’t download NEW programs.

But now I’m okay – a good $60 fix!  This kid is so good at what he does – he removed the hard drive this time to make sure he got it all.

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Tonight’s dinner is going to be very late – midnight to be exact! Hopefully a bit earlier but that’s unlikely. Doug’s plane doesn’t even land till 10:35 at O’hare and then he has to catch the 11:00 bus which will be almost an hours ride then where it stops is 35 minutes away…HMMMMM…my addition is off….Guess it will be AFTER MIDNIGHT!  lol

Here’s what I fixed – now I’m re-thinking eating it at that hour – TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE AND ITALIAN BREAD…doesn’t that bread look good? Look at the score lines on it….I love slicing a thick slice, putting butter on it, put it under the broiler and then peanut butter…omgosh it’s delicious!

A couple of Sundays ago Darren and MaryAnn finally got over here for our Christmas…it was nice with the 5 of us because we could concentrate on Aidan – I wish they had been there for Christmas but with Aidan sick it wasn’t in the picture.

Well, Aidan was a normal 1-1/2 year old…tore a couple gifts open and then started to act silly. He actually got bored and decided enough was enough and layed down for a bit.

And then it was time to leave – here he’s giving grampa a big kiss!

Today was a GOOD DAY! Good things happened so I can go on to another day! The past three were crappy so say the least but hopefully it’s over – for awhile anyway…nothing stays balanced forever but we go on don’t we and make the best of what it is.

Maybe now this week with Doug back from his delivery we can sort through the mountain on our table in the dining room and pack up things we don’t want anymore and hopefully there will be lots.

Like I said the other day…I’m purging the clutter in my life and the best place to start is the decorative items. I know some of you who saw the pictures are probably saying “gads I hope that isn’t out all at once”…. NO it’s not…it’s just a lot of things I have accumulated in boxes from packing things away over the past seasons. Bringing out less and less each time the seasons and holidays change.

Actually Christmas and a weeee little bit at Halloween is the only holiday I decorate for – I like all my everyday decorations and don’t care to add other things to it.

This post got longer than I expected…for some reason I feel chatty – possibly cuz my mind is back where it should be.
THANKS TO WHO OR WHATEVER DID IT!

Stay warm and safe,

Karen