Vroom Vroom!

OK, I know "Vroom Vroom" is for Mazdas.  Wait.  No, no.  It's "Zoom Zoom."  Oh.  Good then.  My title still stands!  

After a year of searching, test driving, financing finagling, Greg finally made a move and purchased a new car.  A 2011 Toyota Highlander.  Jet black with leather interior, 3rd row seating, sunroof, the works!  It's beautiful, and it smells great too! 

 Jacob gave the car a thumbs up at first sight!

 He also chose to ride in the "way back," to be as far away from his brother as possible!  

 Andrew, on the other hand, wasn't content sitting anywhere but in the driver's seat.  I think it'll be a while til he's tall enough to reach the pedal!

5 miles on the odometer!  It has about 40 miles now!  We had to take it for a drive along the back country roads, so we grabbed my Aunt Carmen and got ice cream!  The car needed to be broken in right!  Now, let's just try to keep it shiny and clean!  With two unruly boys, that's going to be harder than you think!

Sundays Are For Berries

One of our favorite things about summer is berries.  Greg and I both love to pick berries, and both have fond memories about wild berries going way back to when we were both young.  It's something that we enjoy passing along to our children too.  Today was the perfect day for berry picking - right time of year, not too hot, not too cold, not to crowded!  We went to 830 mass, came home, packed a few buckets and headed out to Canoe Creek State Park for a berry hunt.  It was a huge success!  The boys had fun and we came home with more than enough berries to make a pie, our primary goal.  There were lots of berries left on the vine, that weren't yet ripe, so if you live locally, you could easily go out today, later this week or next week and come home with a few buckets of berries too!    I imagine that berries are coming into season pretty much everywhere in the north east right now, so grab your kiddos, your honey or go it alone - just get picking!

"These berries are making me angry!  You won't like me when I'm angry!" 

A Bucket or a Hulk mask?  You decide!

 One child filled his bucket.  The other child ate every single berry he picked.  Any guesses on who did what?

 That's right!  Jake was our star picker for the afternoon.  Andrew practically ate all of our potential profit...and probably a few bugs too!

 Not only was this Andrew's first official berry picking excursion, it was also his very first bee sting.  Luckily, he didn't inherit his father's severe bee allergy,  just some swelling at the site.  Thank God...a trip to the ER would have really spoiled our berry hunt!

 "Take that, you damn bee!"

 Here we are with our loot.  Like my shirt?  My friend Marsha got me this shirt at The Art Market in Pittsburgh.  It's a shop which sells art projects made by the clients at Milestone - formerly Allegheny East Enterprises - the day program for adults with MH/MR where I used to work.  You can look at all of their cool stuff by going to http://artmarketpgh.com/about/

Now that's what I call a bucket O' berries!

What do you do with all those berries?  Why, you make a pie, of course!

You take 5 cups of berries
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (I use closer to 3/4 cup, because I don't like my pies super sweet)
3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons instant tapioca or corn starch (I use tapioca)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest and
1/8 tsp salt
Mix it all together in a bowl and let it stand for 15 minutes.

Then pour it into a pie crust (I use Pillsbury ready made crusts.  I like making the filling from scratch, but I'm not that industrious!)  Then add 1-2 tablespoons of butter, chopped into tiny pieces.  Put the second crust on the top, and pinch the edges together.

Cut some slats for ventilation in the crust.  Dampen the crust just a little and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake it at 425 for 30 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to 350, cover the crust with one of those nifty pie crust protectors (or aluminum foil around the edges works too, if you don't have a pie crust protector!)  Bake another 25-30 minutes or until the juices start to thicken and bubble through the slats.  You might want to put it on a baking sheet, just in case it over flows.

And this is the delicious outcome!  Just a side note - pies take a while to cool.  If you cut them when they are too warm, all the juices run out, so I recommend making your pie in the morning or even the night prior to eating it. Of course, nothing goes better with a berry pie than vanilla ice cream, so make sure you stock up on your favorite brand!  

I hope you all have a spot to pick berries.  If you do, get out there!  If you don't know of one off-hand, go for a hike!  The exercise and fresh air will do you good, and you're sure to stumble on some berries along the way.  Black berries grow wild all over the place.  The window for ripe berries is small, so get out and get picking!

Cool Breezes, Warm Hearts

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend an entire day away from my kids and home responsibilities.  Greg watched the boys while I met my friends half between my house and Pittsburgh at a park for a picnic and some much needed catch-up time.  Although it was unseasonably cold, we bundled ourselves up in beach towels and spent nearly 9 hours just sitting, chatting, laughing  and eating!  What a way to relax!  

 So happy I finally (after 4 years) figured out how to use the self-timer on my camera!

 ...But, then I forgot to take off the timer when Norma offered to take some photos of us (because she's camera shy!)

Having someone take your photo when the timer is on goes something like this: "Say Cheese, girls....OK, keep saying cheese...a little bit longer...keep smiling..."

 The suspense was just too much for Donna, Marsha and me.  Donna lost interest (much like my boys) and started fiddling with her phone, and Marsha and I started laughing like little girls!  I thought one of us was going to pee her pants, and I was hoping it wasn't going to be me!

Luckily, we were able to pull it together and no one lost control of her bladder!  After a few moments of hysterics, we finally got a nice picture of the three of us with the beautiful background of the lake behind us.  It would have been perfect if Norma were in it too, but hey, I'll be happy with the one shot of her that I got!

These three women are such blessings in my life. Although I only get to see them once or twice a year, we always jump right back in to the closeness that began nearly 11 years ago.  Visits are always bitter sweet.  I love seeing them, but can't help wishing we lived closer together and that our get togethers weren't spaced so far apart.  Still, I am grateful for the gatherings we do have.  I'm blessed to have such wonderful, caring friends who have maintained their love and support over the years and the miles.  Thanks so much for a wonderful day, girls - but thank you more for being who you are and being present in my life!  I love you all! 

The Apple Of My Eye

So, you all know that about two weeks ago my computer died.  It got a worm, which ate its way through my entire desktop and all but ruined the whole system.  This isn't the first time it has happened to me.  Fortunately, we have a friend who is really computer savvy, and was able to recover most of my programs.   Most... but not all.  He recommended backing up all my files on an external hard drive and then offered to come over and completely reinstall Windows for me. That is super nice of him, but still,  what a pain in the rear!

Greg and I have been tossing around the idea of getting a new computer for a while now.  We have had several issues with my PC and  even when it is working at optimal levels, it still malfunctions frequently.  I have heard good things about Macs, but only know a few people who use them.  We have thought about buying a Mac for a while and after this last fiasco with the worm, I decided to email my cousin Willie, my Aunt Carmen's son.  He is a sales rep for Apple, currently living in Singapore.  He gave Carmen an awesome system for Christmas, and being an Apple employee, obviously knows all about Macs. 

 I wrote to him on Tuesday, told him about my usage and asked for some recommendations, which he gladly gave.  I printed out his response on Wednesday morning for Greg to read (and hopefully start shopping!)  Wednesday afternoon, my mom and I took the boys to Idlewild Park for the day with my sister and my niece, Ella.  We didn't get home until well beyond our bedtime, so I didn't have a chance to look at the Apple website.  On Thursday, I took Jacob in to the Penn State Altoona Campus for his Kids Camp and Andrew and I ran a bunch of errands.  Then in the afternoon, my in-laws took the boys and I got some much needed rest!   I took a nap and got a massage!  How lovely it was!  

When I cam home from the massage therapist, there was a message on my cell phone from my Aunt Carmen.  I called her back and she asked if I could run to the local grocery store and pick up a few items for her.  Of course I agreed, and I asked her what she needed.  "Oh no," she said.  "You have to come here first and get the list and the money.  I don't want you to go to the store, buy me stuff and then refuse to take any money for it."  

"Don't be ridiculous!" I said.  "Tell me your list!" I continued to press her for the list, and she continued to refuse.  I suppose I get my stubbornness honestly! Apparently, it runs on the maternal side of my family! After dinner, I gathered the boys up and ran down to her house.  I left the boys in the car while I went in to get the list and the money.  First she started talking to me about chit-chat.  I must have looked funny or impatient or something off kilter, because she stopped talking and said, very seriously, "Are the boys in the car?"  

"Yes," I said.  "Where's your list?"  

"I don't have a list" she said.  "I actually wanted you to come down and get this big box out of my doorway."  Confused, I looked around, and there beside me sat a box, from Willie, with this inside:

A brand new iMac 27!  I was shocked!  It's a huge gift!  I started to cry.  I never expected for him to send a computer to me, and this one is fantastic!  It has a 27 inch screen, wireless keyboard and mouse, awesome display, and does all kinds of crazy media stuff that I have only just started to figure out!  I can't even being to tell you all how appreciative I am for this computer.  It was certainly no small gesture!  I've been thinking about it all day, even when I haven't been home to see it sitting in front of me.  I am amazed at the generosity of people, and I am also amazed at the blessings that surround me.  I have lived a very fortunate life, in many regards, and the blessings in my life do not go by unnoticed.  God is good.  Family is good.  And I am grateful.

Silly Boys

It's that time again.  Time for some quips straight from the mouths of my little guys.  I have collected quite a few, and hope you find them as entertaining as I do.

Andrew's words:

"Booger man"
"Slinkeler" (instead of Slinky...this is one we need to correct!  The boy can't be born and raised in the home town of the Slinky and not know how to say the word correctly!)
"Kung Pu Panna" instead of "Kung Fu Panda" (the movie)
"Lightning and Queen" instead of "Lightning McQueen," from the movie "Cars."
"Scroob driber," as in, "Dad, can I help you fix that with your scroob driber?"
"Sizazizabet"  It's what he calls the main child character on "Clifford."  Her name is Emily Elizabeth.  I guess that's just too much for a 3 year old to say!
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And now for Jacob:

He likes to eat Raisin Brand in the morning now. 

He swears the word is pronounced "evolve-shun" instead of evolution.

When you are playing with him, it's best to take heed that he doesn't hit you with a "blend object."  Those are much more dangerous than blunt objects!

Other things he has said recently:
"I'd recognize that Nickelodeon nascot anywhere!"

He has called sunscreen "sunscreams" since he was very little and he just never quite got it right.  The other day he said, "If it really is a sun scream, wouldn't it maglifly the sun and make it worse?"  Um...no.  Nice try buddy, but you still have to use it!

A little while ago he asked me if I ever heard of a wood magnet.  I said no and he said, "yeah, well, they don't market them much."  Gee, I wonder why?!

We went to a local playground with a water fountain the other day.  It was hot, so Jacob needed a drink.  After he was done, he said, "Mom.  That water tastes like coins."  Ew....

We went to a local amusement park a few weeks ago too.  Greg agreed to get on the Scrambler with Jake, and while they were in line, Jacob told Greg, "it's ok if you need to scream.  This is a scary ride."  Then when the ride started, Greg screamed several times like a little girl!
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The last two are things said not by my own kids.  The first was my neighbor's son.  I was taking them ice skating with us, and someone passed us, going the wrong way on our one-way street.  Nik said, "When cars drive down this street the wrong way, its because they aren't paying attention.  The drivers are either texting or smoking too much."  Yep, texting and smoking could  be definite driving distractions!

And lastly, one day at the pool, the lifeguards called for "adult swim."  My niece, Kiersten looked at my sister-in-law and said, "Mom, can't adults swim any time they want?"   

Greg's 40th Birthday Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Birthday Party Photos

On Saturday I had a surprise 40th birthday party for Greg.  I spent the last two years planning, gathering information and photos, making invitations, etc.  (I know, it seems a bit extreme on time, but take into factor two things:  1.  I am a nutso planner and it's just my personality.  2. I made him a book on Shutterfly like I do for the boys, which recounts his life from birth through now.  Greg has been involved in SO much stuff, and collecting, scanning, and organizing those photos took time, time, time, time!  Did I mention it took time?)

I was so worried that he would know what was going on.  Two years is a long time to keep a secret from the person you talk to the most!  But, luckily it all went through as planned.  The men in the family took Greg to Monroeville for the day on a music store excursion, and my sister-in-law and I put the house together.  Greg's mom and oldest sister helped quite a bit too, with planning and organizing.  I definitely could not have done it alone. 

Greg's actual birthday isn't until August, but because of our hectic schedules, this was the weekend we chose.  I think it helped to throw him off.  Of course, knowing Greg, I don't think he would tell me even if he did have an idea that the party was coming. 

We had lots of family and a few friends, and everyone helped to celebrate the day with one of our most favorite men.  Greg's uncle even drove Greg's 91 year old grandfather in for the party.  I hope that a day dedicated to celebrating our dear, sweet Greg, helped to ease the pain of transitioning into his 4th decade of life.  Who wouldn't want to grow old surrounded by so much love?

A little poster I put together of tid bits from the year Greg was born.

"What the?  I thought this was a party for mom?"

"You guys are crazy!"

Making his rounds in presidential style, shaking hands, hugging babies, and patting little girls on the head.

Happy to see his 91 year old Pap, who came in from Pittsburgh.

And my 83 year old Pap who came in from Altoona! Haha!

Fred gave Greg his guitar.  For Greg, it was better than receiving a guitar from Angus Young!

The birthday boy and his bass fishing cake!

"Forty!  Forty!  I'm forty!  That's 4...0"

It just wouldn't be a party without a visit from our neighbor's kids, "The Weichel Boys"

Andrew gives Dad a birthday hug

"Oooo!  What is it?"

"Look everyone!  I got a gigantic beef loin and a cooler lid!  Fantastic!"

Greg's mom is still using disposable 35 mm cameras, despite repeated attempts to move her into the digital age.

Fred, Dale Ann, Renee and Dalann

Greg's grandfather and SaraBeth

"Don't look down!  I think Karissa lost her pants!"

Hit The Road

What's wrong with this picture?

Wait a minute.  Don't answer that!  It's wrong on too many levels...but, it's also very, very right.  Know why?  Because the sweaty woman with the crazed look in her eyes just completed a 6.25 mile run.  Go me! It feels so good to be back on the road.

I got the OK from the doctor last week to start off slowly, which I did.  Last week I ran 4 days, maxing out at 3.5 miles.  I used the foam roller religiously, stretched, iced and took an occasional naproxen, and felt pretty good.  This week, I ran 4 out of the last 5 days.  One 5.25 miler, one fast (for me) 2 miler, at an 8:15 pace on the track, and two longer 6.25 milers.  I was cautious.  I reminded myself to keep good form, to relax, to hit the ground with my forefoot and to pay attention to my body. 

I feel good.  Really good.  I missed running so much. I know it was only a two week hiatus, but it felt like an eternity.  And in that little amount of time, it's amazing what kind of head games my mind can pull.  Not being active the way I wanted made me feel sluggish.  It made me more critical of my body and much more critical of my diet.  Being back on the road has renewed my confidence, cleared my mind and just generally set me back on track.  Today I registered for a 15K race on July 4th.  I'm so ready!  9.3 miles?  Yep!  Bring it on, baby!

Back In The Saddle

Hello out there!  Miss me?  My computer had some nasty viruses and was all but completely conked out!  I had to send it to the technology intensive care unit for almost a week, but it's on the mend now.  Actually, I don't have it home yet.  I borrowed my mom's mini lap top for the day, because it was making me feel very disconnected to have no computer.  We expect to get mine back tomorrow.  Whew!  I might throw a welcome home party for it!  (Just kidding!)

Actually, it was kind of nice not to have the computer for a little while.  I missed it, but not nearly as much as I thought I was going to.  I believe that people, me included, tend to get a little too connected.  We rely on status updates, emails, and texts and become, in fact, somewhat disconnected with others.  Technology is a great thing, but like all things, requires balance, something many of us struggle with in some form or another.

At any rate, my week without a computer was only moderately bitter.  It is summer after all, and we have lots to do!  We got a pool membership this year, so I have take the boys swimming several times in the last week.  We had friends over last weekend, and I must say, it was much easier getting ready for their arrival without the distractions of facebook and gmail! 

But for now, I am back in the game.  So, in celebration of my return to the world of technology, I thought I would share some recipes I tried this weekend.  Two are new, and one is actually my sister-in-law's famous Broccoli Slaw recipe that has been a family favorite for at least a few years now.  It's a great light and crisp, yet different, salad to eat in the summer - super easy and fantastic for picnics! 

Here you go: 

 

Broccoli Slaw

Salad:

1 bag broccoli slaw

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup raisins

 

Mix it all together in a medium sized bowl.

 

Dressing:

1/2 cup canola oil (or whatever oil you prefer - I used extra virgin olive oil)

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/8 cup sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

 

Mix the dressing earlier in the day and allow it to stand (stirring periodically) so that the sugar dissolves.  Pour the dressing over the salad just before you serve it.  Serve with Chinese rice noodles on the side for sprinkling.

 

 

The next recipe is for strawberry shortcake.  Definitely NOT the epitome of healthy recipes, but so, so good!  Hey, it's OK to indulge on occasion! 

 

Strawberry Shortcake:

nonstick vegetable spray

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

1/2 8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temp

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp

3/4 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9 inch diameter cake pan with 2 inch high sides (at least) with nonstick spray.  Sprinkle bottom and sides of pan with sugar; tap out excess sugar.  Whisk flour and baking powder in medium bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, cream cheese, and butter in a large bowl to blend.  Beat milk, eggs and vanilla in another, medium bowl.  Beat milk mixture into cream cheese mixture.  Add dry ingredients; beat until smooth.  Transfer batter to prepared pan.  Sprinkle remaining tbsp sugar over the top of the batter.  Bake cake until golden brown on top, until toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

 

Slice your strawberries and cover them in a good amount of sugar at least 4 hours before eating so that they get that super sweet syrup.  I actually did mine the night  before so they were extra juicy.  I like to eat mine with a healthy dose of milk on top, but you could eat it plain, or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream...or whatever floats your boat!  This is the best summer dessert ever! 

 

And lastly, here's an easy and delicious recipe for hummus.  Hummus is a great option when you are looking for dips.  It has olive oil, so the fat content is loaded with healthy omega 3 fats.  The chick peas add a ton of protein too, without all the trans fats and preservatives.  You can dip veggies, if you are looking for a way to cut calories, or pita chips.  I found Athenos pita chips to be my favorite.  The original ones have just the right amount of crunch and salt.  Yum!

 

Hummus:

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cups tahini (roasted, not raw - it's sesame paste, found in the ethnic section of your grocery store)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

 

Throw it all in the food processor and mix until smooth.  You won't be disappointed!

Lend An Arm

I found this sad little guy when I was cleaning out the toy shelf today:

Initially we were afraid that he would have to be permanently retired, but that thought made Andrew so sad, we attempted to fix him.

We got him the best plastic surgeon we could afford.  Unfortunately, for the bunny, I am the best we could afford...

 He's OK, after his reconstructive surgery, though.  His arm is a little off center, but we think it makes him look like he's akways giving us a cool, "S'up, Home Boy?"

A little physical therapy and he was right back with his best buddy, the little guy who loves him, crooked arm and all!

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted!

Yesterday was officially my last day of work until the end of July!  Thank goodness! The summer lay-off is a major perk to my job!  This year, we got a pass to a local pool and decided to try it out last night.  Have a look:

It made Andrew jump for joy!

Jake gave it a thumbs-up, too!

Andrew thought his new towel was "dino-riffic!"

Here's the little stegosaurus walking to the car.

Going home, we had one very tired dino and 2 very happy kiddos! Hooray for summer!

72:8

Yesterday was Jacob and my dad's official birthday.  We had a small celebration at home for them.

 Terry has 72 years on Jacob's 8, but even with the age difference, they're still best buddies!

 We decided to take it easy on my dad and go with the large number candles, instead of a massive amount of small ones.  I didn't want a house fire, after all!

Apparently it still took a lot of gusto to extinguish the flames!

Happy Birthday, to two of the most important men in my life.  May God's blessing keep you always!