Friday Foto Fun with the Ewing Family

It's time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-)

It's my 300th post and I was going to do a giveaway or something like that however, after my mom's catherization, she ended up in the ICU. No fun:-( She is going to be fine but I am just beat from running back and forth to the hospital and worrying.

So instead, I decided to dedicate this post to my husband's family.

That's my MiL on the right and Hubby in the gray and...

... the distinguished gentleman in the hat and the lovely lady in the white shirt were our hosts (they got that hostess gift I wrote about last week:-)

Last but not least, my FiL in the red hat:-)

They are so great and they read my blog (so you know that they are cool:-) They are the universe's way of evening out my life for me. They are always teaching me things. For example:

1. Did you know that Citibank is the only credit card with virtual account numbers? I had never heard of this. Apparently, it is for online purchases. They give you a temporary number that is hooked up to your account. It is a way to prevent theft. Very cool...I did not know that.

2. Did you know if you dig a hole next to a slug infested plant, put a plastic container in the hole and put an inch of beer in it plastic container, it will rid your plant of said slugs. (It cures what ales you...sorry...couldn't resist.) But isn't that cool? I did not know that.

3. And finally, my FiL's other brother and his wife were not caught on film however, I did get this great recipe from her:

Aunt Mary's Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbl green onions, chopped fine
1 Tbl minced garlic
1 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
2-8oz. package sliced almonds

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except for almonds in a bowl. Spread in 9 or 10-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm with crackers.

Enjoy:-)

You See This...

...this is a plan for our grapes.

After our harvest this year, we are tearing down the arbor and putting up a pergola:-) Yippee:-)

Unpacking

It's amazing how much unpacking is generated from just a weekend away. But, that is what I am tackling today.

Wish me luck because they doctors finally stopped fighting. Tomorrow they may actually do the catherization on my mom.

Hostess Gifts

As we speak, I am vacationing at a relative's home in Ohio for a family reunion. To show my appreciation for their hospitality, I put together this cute little package:


It includes a little bit of Wisconsin's best sausages and cheeses. I wrapped it up in a plastic box lined with a kitchen towel. Then, I adorned it with raffia and a wash cloth that I rolled into a rose:-) Cute, right?

No Gardening Today

No gardening today because we are traveling. I leave you with this cute little plaque I got from my MiL for my birthday.

Traveling with Kids

This week is going to be more Wordful than Wordless because I want to tell you about this beauty:

I love to being organized when I travel. With this binder, I can preplan and pack:

I can track mileage:

And, I can stay on budget:

Why did I title this post "Traveling with Kids"? Because in order to have a successful trip with your children you need to be prepared. With my checklists, I won't forget her favorite toys. I will remember to pack healthy snacks and things to do in the car. I will be on top of our schedule and leave plenty of time for potty breaks. And, by staying on top of our budget, we will be able to do the most without breaking the bank:-)

One of these days, I will learn how to publish spreadsheets in blog posts. If you are interested in any of my checklists, just email at sewing@wi.rr.com and I will be happy to send them to you. Happy Trails to you:-)

Tackling Vegan Cupcakes

I tackled cupcakes for the Iron Cupcake: Milwaukee Vegan/Glutten-Free Challenge.

I chose to go vegan and my entry was a Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake with Vegan Chocolate frosting. I presented it as a bushel basket full of zucchinis coming straight from the farm to the farmers market.

And....I won the grand prize from the sponsor, Beans and Barley. I got a HUGE reusable shopping bag and a mug. Yeah me! I also got one a Taste of Home Cupcake Cookbook in the raffle. Double Yeah! Good night for me:-)

Friday Foto Fun with Craig's List

Its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-)

Because we have this:

We don't need this:

Or this:

So, I am selling them on Craig's List! Wish me luck:-)

My Boxes Behind the Lilies

Melon Salsa

Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

The saga with my mom continues this week and so, I need to keep it really, really simple. At Pick N Save, they are having a Melon Mania:-) All their melons are on sale 2 for $6 (normally 3.99/each). I picked some up and I am pairing it with grilled fish this week.

Here is what I am serving:
Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti (Cleaning/Doctor Appointment)

Tuesday: Leftover Buffet (Doctor Appointment/Playdate/Swim Class)

Wednesday: Grilled Fish with Melon Salsa (Doctor Appointment) (See Recipe Below)

Thursday: Chicken and Pasta (Swim Class)

Friday: Eat Out

Melon Salsa
Ingredients
2 cucumber, seeded and finely diced
1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and finely diced
1 cantaloupe, peeled and finely diced
1 cup minced red onion
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tbs fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs fresh lime juice

Directions:1. In a large serving bowl, stir together the tomatoes, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Stir in the orange juice, almonds, salt and lime juice. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving for best flavor.
2. Serve over grilled fish.

Servings: 8

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours and 10 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (6.6 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 59.23
Calories From Fat (4%) 2.58
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0.3g <1>

Happy Lily

Since the critters are eating my beans in my veggie garden, I am posting a picture of my lily because it give me hope:-)

New Toy

This is my new toy:

Ipod Touch!!

I love it!! It is an Ipod but, I can also check my calendar and cruise the internet with it!! So today while I am sitting through my mom's cath, I can blog!! I really needed something to distract me...cool distraction, right?

Dealing with Heart Disease

Today, I am tackling heart disease. My mom had an abnormal stress test that has resulted in a echocardiogram today and a catherization Wednesday. So, needless to say, my creativity is at a low right now. But, if you send me some positive energy, I will be sure to be back up and running full force next week:-)

Friday Foto Fun with Lilies

Its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-)

A couple days ago, Janice at 5 Minutes for Mom said goodbye to June . Today, I want to say hello to July with this:

The lilies are in bloom in July and this is a beautiful sample from my garden! Happy July Everyone:-)

It's Back!!

Remember my dying rose from last week? Well, I took some of your advice and look at it now:

It's coming back!! My Grandma's roses are back! Thanks everyone for the tips because I think it is going to make it:-)