Gingerbread crazy

I was watching the Food Network today after recording the gingerbread competition. What absolutely beautiful crafter gingerbread creations. It makes me itching to get baking some gingerbread to make a house or something!

new cookbook

😏Of course, I bought a new cookbook. It came recommended and I fell for it! So, I'm hoping it will be fun to get out of my rut! Been in a rut for 2 years, just not feeling the love for cooking and I think its because it's just us! I'm a little more creative if we have company or the kids come for supper, but otherwise, it's just the same old same old! :) So here's to more adventures in cooking!

Happy Saturday!

Today was my day of rest though I did a little vacuuming, laundry and got our granddaughters cards at the store! But all in all it was a rest day as we will be gone tomorrow for the twins birthday party! These girls went today with some of their friends to Feed the Starving children site in Minneapolis to make meals. What thoughtful girls! There was 9 of them. I'm very proud of them!

I think they are 5 years old in this photo

Here they are 15 years old!

Lady

Lady is home! I know it sounds so weird from me, but we really missed her. She has come back with 10 lbs on her and taller than when we dropped her off! She retrieves birds and isn't gun shy which is good for a bird dog!

4th of July

This is the 4th of July! I'm so proud to live in this wonderful land! I'm so proud to be an American! Let's us learn to love one another! Thank you to the men and women who serve our country!

Monday

With today being Monday, it's always a good time for new beginnings! Work has been stressful for 6 years. My feelings have gotten smashed more times than I can count on both hands by upper management and co workers. I don't go by feelings as feelings are fickle, but that is the only way I can describe what has taken place at work. I have been called to the office 2 times since I have been there in 17 years and it has been over trivial things, like sitting down is an office for 4 minutes because my knee hurt and for saying something that was truth, plus I didn't deny I said it. But I am slowly seeing that I am in control of my self and have to stand up to a couple of people. I don't plan to be mean about anything, but they need to stop controlling me like my mother, I had a great mother and they are not it! I'm saying all of this for my own benefit as I need to take the step to do it! Probably tell everyone off when I finally retire and won't look back!! :)) Well, that's all I wanted to say and to pray for the situation! Blessings!!

one more thing

This week I got an email from a friend that I have known for 3 years. She and her husband are really great people, but she was telling me and others about their 15 year marriage and what they had learned. I cracked up, I have been married 46 years and still finding out things about Gordon I never knew before, 1. either I wasn't paying attention or 2. he never told me. More likely the latter.
We don't fight, we may disagree, but never fight. We have before, but he just walks away and nothing is resolved. So we try to calmly figure things out. We have gone to bed not speaking to each other, but its a rare occasion. I have slept on the couch because I was mad, but that never solves anything either. When the kids were little or teens, we stood united, we may disagree privately, but we stood united in front of them.
For instance, he wants mustard on his hot dog, really????? I didn't know this until 10 years ago, I thought everyone had ketchup on it, no not him! :)
Another one, he likes a clean house, but on my day off, I can do what I want, didn't know that until 3 years ago. It's my day off from work, so in his mind that means cleaning the house too. I do clean the house, but not always on my day off.
WE love traveling together, but I do enjoy being alone from time to time, so when he goes hunting out west, I'm ok.
His love language is touch and gestures of love. Mine is words. He loves his head rubbed and still holds my hand. I love it when he calls me or now he's learned to text, go figure!
Well, that's all for now. Blessings!!

June

It's June 20th, how did that happen?? Summer is flying by! Vacation was ok, I wish we could have gone away, but it wasn't in the cards. We did see Lady on that Friday and she was glad to see us! Hopefully she will be home next weekend! That will be 6 weeks. It's too long , but I have gotten a lot of cleaning done! I finally hauled 4 boxes and one garbage bag to Vinny's , so onward and upward for more decluttering!!
I posted on Instagram , Gordon's new way to grow tomatoes. I will show it here now. So you can see there is 5 gallon buckets with about 5 holes drilled in them, plant the tomatoes around the bucket and then add the wired cage around the plants. They get watered by using the bucket and adding fertilizer also. So the top photo is 3 weeks later than the bottom. I hope this works!

Vacation

So with our 4 legged baby gone to boot camp, I decided to take a week off of work! So, today being the first day that I could sleep later than 4 am, I'm awake at 3:30 am. WHAT????!!!! Yep, lousy sleeping patterns! Plus, I have been sick with bronchitis and taking steroids for the breathing thing! Sleep eludes me and has for a long time, I know it's restores my body, but no go for me! Anywho, I'm going to take a nap later today, maybe! :)
So, I have a plan for the week. Clean some more of this stuff out, take a trip to Eau Claire for a lunch with a friend, haul stuff to Vinny's, get a shot in my back and rest, go see the grandgirls! Maybe I will throw in a lunch with my daughter! :)
But we miss our little girl! We didn't realize what an important part of our lives she has

 taken up. Yes, she is naughty, sweet, loving and funny! All wrapped up in a puppy! Puppy love!!
This the face I saw when we dropped her off for her bird training, oh sweet girl!

Gordon's garden project

😊So, after much talk and figuring things out, Gordon has decided to plant a partial garden. Mostly potatoes and tomatoes. He's using a new to us technique for the tomatoes. It involves a bucket with some holes drilled in it, plants and wire fencing. The premise of the deal is to put the bucket with the holes down first in the ground, put the plants around the bucket(4 of them), then the wire fencing. You use the bucket for watering and fertilizing, the fencing holds the plants up. So I took a couple of photos now and will take some later in the season as it goes along! He also laid that cloth down that prevents weeds coming up. So we will see!!

Happy Memorial Day

I want to take this time to thank all the men and women who are serving, have served , retired from service or gave their life for our freedom! Thank you so much, may God richly bless you and your families!

Springtime in northern Wisconsin

Spring/summer has arrived. Last week it was high 80's for temperature, but this week it's a little cooler! The one thing is it's not rained enough for those of us who suffer from allergies! Pine dust is horrible and I suffer from that ailment! I have coughed for 5 days so far and no end in site as my airways are so irritated from the pine dust. UGH!!!!
Trees are blooming and everyone is in the planting a garden mood! WE are hesitant to plant, yet. We have been burned a few times and planted a little too early only the pay the price with a frost! But here's a photo of the beautiful crab tree in the back yard.

new study book

😂

This is a really good book so far, but I'm only on Chapter 2. Ask me later.
Lady is growing so fast, everyday it seems she grows another inch or two. Of course, we have been told by 9 months, she should be full grown! Don't feel sorry for her, she had water in that dish, took 2 slurps, turn over the dish and ran around the yard with it her mouth! :D

Bible Study

Yep, I got a new Bible study book by Lisa Whittle. It's a book and study guide all in one! So far I like it. I'm only on chapter 2, but I will share more later. I had so much trouble being a young Christian back in the day, but this still has meaning as I don't want to become so compliant. Put my boots on , fight for truth and Christ! Blessings!

Puppy update

This puppy is growing up so fast. She is now 6 1/2 months old! Lady is so fun, naughty, sweet, naughty and needy! Here are some fun photos!

So stupid questions continue

I have had a few comments and lots

of laughs at the demo issues I shared with you all! So, I thought I would add a few more!
If for a few minutes you walk away from the demo station, people feel very free to help themselves to cut up a cake if that is what you are serving or put cheese on the crackers or get a handful of chips from the demo cart. It's amazing that people think just because they have shopped at this store all the time that its like they live there and feel so compelled to do these things. So, I learned very quickly to hide the items I was demoing.
People don't realize that they are on camera. So, we can go back and watch what they do at the demo stations. People have walked away with pizza cutters, knives(that we use for demos), spoons, and other items. Unbelievable!!
So, next time you are at Sam's club or Economart, watch other people and how they react around the demo stations. People tend to be greedy about food, unbelievable!

This and That

So, 2 weeks ago Lady got spayed, hallelujah!!Maybe some the hormones will quiet down and she can become a less energetic dog, maybe!!
I hope I didn't come across crabby about my life as a demo lady! It was fun, but long days! I had lots of ideas, but quite a few got shot down and that really sucked as I had spent many hours preparing the information! But whatever, it didn't happen, maybe that is why I got burned out! Since I have a different job at the store, I'm not on the floor very much and people still after not doing demos for 3 years, think I should be behind the counter doing them! No thank you!!!

idea for now

So, I was talking to a friend about my job and I should write a book about the years that I was a product demonstrator. I am so glad to have moved on from that job, it was fun the first 7 seven years, but the last 6 were painful and mundane! So, this idea popped into my head that I would share some of the weirdest things people either asked or said to me during those 13 years. So here we go:
1. What is it? Probably the number one question, but the problem was that it was pizza, REALLY, that's what you want to ask me??  Probably they wanted to know who's brand, so say that please, otherwise you sound really stupid!! Just sayin!
2. How long has this been out, is it fresh today?? Again, REALLY, How can frozen pizza be fresh??  Also, did you not just see me take this out of the oven?? Again, stupid!
3. After eating one piece of pizza, taking another, actually sneaking another piece, WE SEE YOU!! We see you sneaking another piece or 4, yes , one time a lady told me she was taking 8 pieces for her children, let me tell you, if she had children in the car, they would be 40 years old or older. Please don't lie or try to trick us!
4. This is a snack, not a meal, please don't stand here and eat the whole tray! It goes along with number 3
5. Please no double dipping, when we have chips or carrot sticks out with dip! Had to put up a sign every time to remind people, this isn't home, don't double dip! Again, REALLY!!!????
6. Please don't litter the store with the empty napkin or portion cup that held a carrot and dip. This isn't home and you need to clean up after yourself!
7. It's a sample, not a meal, move along!
8. Just quite saying stupid things to the demo person! Don't act like a jackass! Nobody likes it!
This is a small list of the stupid things people say to us! We are just people trying to make a living and have a little fun while doing it!

Challenge

I totally did bad on the 21 day Bible challenge, though I did love reading the Word, I didn't do it first thing in the morning before I turned on my phone! I'm reading 1Samuel now.
Lady has really grown a lot in the last month, she gets spayed next week. We have been going to obedience classes with her on Sundays. So far so good!
Winter is just clinging on with below zero temps! Enough already!! Spring needs to come fast and soon!! What a goof!!

The Challenge continues

So, it's day 3 for me in this challenge because I started late. Anyway, it's a real struggle to read the Word before looking at my phone, just is such a habit! Working through it and keep reading the Word even if it's not the first thing. I chose the book of Daniel to read this time. Taking my time in reading it. God called Daniel to obedience and his friends, put no other God before God and not to worship/ partake in idol worship in this strange land. What would you do, comply and go along or be a rebel and ask God for His protection?? I hope I would see the bigger picture and ask for God's help and go against the grain! Blessings! Puppy photos! Lady grabbed that grocery bag because it makes a noise! Goofy puppy!!

21 day challenge

So, I signed up for this 21 day challenge of reading the Word of God before looking at my phone, FAILED already!!! Forgot I signed up and my phone was in my hand for about 20 minutes this morning and thought "oh . man I really goofed up"!! Grateful that God is forgiving and lets us have a do over!
 Here are some puppy photos from the last week! Lady is a goof!!

More in the life of everyday

So, this is an update. I have already spent $94.83 on groceries, I have $168 left for the month, see if I run over or make it! I spent the majority for 2 main meals, but I will have at least 4 days worth of meals. I found a website and the 2 recipes that I spent the $34 on are for chicken enchilada chili and pasta salad using ravioli 4 cheese, this will be my lunch for a few days. The website is chelseasmessyapron,com, she has some really interesting and easy recipes!
Update on my left leg and back, I plan on getting a shot in my back on the 17th of this month. I also intend to get another opinion of my back and if there is a remote possibility of help for it. Something beyond PT. My leg feels like shin splints 24/7, the pain is enormous! I feel like crying most days and just suck it up! Having the puppy is hard, as I can't keep up with her and she needs to be on a leash now, it's hard most days! Blessings!

New Year, New Look

So, the new year is here and I'm hoping to be better in keeping this blog updated. So wish me luck. I intend to set some goals and please keep me accountable!
1. For the next 30 days to keep a ledger of what I spent on groceries, so that I can budget better the rest of the year! So, I gave myself a $250.00 allowance for January to spend on groceries. I need to realize that toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies are not in that budget, as I have for years clumped everything together. So this is a lesson in separating my budget.
2. Resting better, I sleep like crap! I have for many years and I think that is part of my weight problem. So this is the year to get more than 5-6 hours a night!
3. See another back doctor for a second opinion on my back and how to help it!
4. Dote on Gordon more than before, the kids say he's spoiled, but that is my doing and I plan to spoil him more, he's 71 and time is precious!
5. Join a girls Bible study! Hopefully I will find one soon!
So there's a few goals and that's not all, but it's a good start!
I hope to do something very special for someone, just waiting on the Lord for guidance! 
Lady at 12 weeks! She's a fun puppy, getting into trouble and licking us a lot! Puppy kisses are the best!