County Fair

Progress picture of Kayden's Christmas stocking. Working on the last section. Yeah!!!
I received the other two witches that I ordered from the ILCS retreat.

Picked up my fair entries last Saturday. On the tin I received Reserved Grand Champion. What a surprise! Because it was a last thought entry. LOL!

Remarks from the Judges... all Excellent are checked and handwritten in Workmanship " one more stitch on "H" would help it be different than "N".

I don't know if you can see it good enough to tell in the picture or not but then is an extra stitch on the h's.

On the left-from the Judges...all Excellent are checked and handwritten at Choice of Color "wonderful color, lovely pattern" then in Workmanship "letters very good-consider french knot @ ends, work on stretching /blocking-top pulls to right-not frame great! even @ bottom"
Hen & Chickens-from the Judges...General Appearance Neat & Clean-needs improvement and handwritten "presentation is very important". Then Excellent in Choice of Color, Choice of materials & trim, Workmanship, Usefulness and Originality. Handwritten in workmanship "stitch work very nice, letters are good". In Proper Finish-needs improvement.

This is the one that I framed the night before and I had a really hard time getting the masking tape to stick to the backing paper and frame.

From the Judges...all Excellent are checked and handwritten in workmanship "stitches very even, nice work".

Then just for fun I entered two beaded ornaments. They both received all Excellent and "Very tiny, fine work!" was handwritten at the bottom.
From the Grill! Pineapple Shrimp Packets and Baked Apples.

Pineapple Shrimp Packets-6 canned pineapple slices, 1-1/2 pounds med shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/3 C chopped sweet red pepper, 1/3 C packed brown sugar, 1 TBS seafood seasoning, 3 TBS butter-soften.

On heavy-duty foil (12" sq) place a pineapple slice, top with shrimp and red pepper. Combine brown sugar, seafood seasoning and butter. Dot on each packet. Fold foil and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over med heat for 10-15 min.

Baked Apples-4 med tart apples, cored, 1/3 C raisins, 1/3 C flaked coconut, 1/4 C packed brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Place each apple on heavy-duty foil (12" sq). Combine ingredients, spoon into center of apples. Fold foil over apples and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over med heat for 20-25 min.

Class Reunion

I serviced my class reunion last night. At first I thought about not going, just really wasn't up to it. Even said something to Bob, but he said it sounded like a good time. So, we went. I went to a very small school in Argos Indiana. This is the group that showed up. Sorry about the picture, Bob took it, can't even see half of them and I have my mouth open because, someone pinched my butt. Was told later that is was BO! I was a little ill after that and was glad when he left.

Rhonda, still as funny as ever.

Marsha & Pam.
Me, Rhonda & Reva.
Rod, Tanna, Mindy, Dar and Mary.
That is just a few of the pictures that I took. The reunion was at the Argos Legion. Then a few of us went to the Bar.

Rhonda---------------------------Tanna---------------------Rhonda & Bob

Chris & Bob-------------Rhonda, Reva, Tanna, Me & Chris-Chris, Tanna's HD & Bob.

After it was over I was glad I went. I had a nice time and it was good to see a few of the old classmates again.

Oh, and while we were at the bar I was returning from the powder room, when a man setting at the bar stopped me and commented on my legs. Thought it was very nice. When you get to be my age comments are far and few between. Then when we were getting ready to leave he approached me again and said I was the best looking girl here and was very modest. Bob, came up while we were talking and I could see Bob puffing up in defense, then they started talking and everything was all right. So, Granny still got it! LOL!

Enjoying Summer

What a great surprise to come home to after a very long day!

Dara made cookies! They were great!

Chocolate Crackles

Things are slowing down with work and we can enjoy our summer now. We were invited to a pool party Saturday night and had a great time. Someone said they were looking for toddler toys in a yard sale. Then someone said have you been by Bob and Deb's backyard, it's full of toddler toys. LOL! I also power washed the front porch the other day and had Kayden's front porch toys in the front yard, while I cleaned the porch. I had a car slow way down and check things out. I thought for a minute they were going to stop, thinking I was having a yard sale. Sunday after worked we cooked on the grill.

Bacon-Wrapped Hamburgers-1/2 C shredded cheese, small onion (chopped), 1 egg, 2 TBS ketchup, 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper. Mix well. Crumble beef over mixture and mix with hands. Shape into patties, wrap bacon strips around each, secure with toothpicks. Grill, covered, over med-hot heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Grilled Hash Browns- On heavy-duty foil coated with cooking spray. 3 1/2 C frozen shredded hash brown, chopped onions on top, sprinkle1 TBS beef bouillon granules, salt, pepper and drizzle 1 TBS melted butter on top. Cover and seal foil tightly. Gill, covered over indirect med-heat 10-15 minutes, turning once.

Green Beans- On heavy-duty foil coated with butter place a few strips of bacon then fresh green beans. Cover and seal foil tightly. Gill, covered over med-heat until bacon is crispy.

Cabbage Salad- 1/2 head cabbage chopped, 1/2 bunch broccoli chopped, 1/2 head cauliflower chopped, 4 green onions chopped. Toss veggies in large bowl. Toast 1 pkg Ramen chicken flavored noodles, crumbled, 1/2 C slivered almonds, 2 TBS sesame seeds, until golden on cookie sheet. Add to salad. Dressing- 1/2 C veg. oil, 3 TBS cider vinegar, 2 TBS sugar, 1 tsp salt, seasoning pkg from noodles. Shake well in jar, pour over salad.

Mini Apple Pies- 1 12 oz refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, 1 med. tart apple, peeled and finely chopped, 1/4 C raisins, 3 TBS sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 TBS butter. Flatten each biscuit into a 3"-4" circle. Combine apple, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Place flatten biscuit in ungreased muffin pan cups. Place a large tablespoonful on each biscuit. Dot with butter. Bring sides of biscuit to enclose filling and pinch to seal. Bake 375 for 11-13 min. or until golden brown.

We also made corn, but didn't have any on my plate.

Corn- On heavy-duty foil coated with butter place fresh off the cob corn with a few green peppers and/or red peppers chopped. Seal the foil tightly.

Kayden being silly!

My Mom called the other day said she found a turtle sandbox along side the road. She said it set there for about a week. She wanted to wait and see if whoever lost it would return for it. But no one did. So, now it is Kayden's.
I even had time to put a few stitches in!!! Yeah! Progress picture of Kayden's Christmas stocking.
Here is a picture of Myrtle escaping for the outdoor pen. The little stink escaped while I took Kayden up and down the little sidewalk in the backyard (3 times). I went to check on the turtles and Myrtle was gone! Bob and I looked and looked for him. He was all the way to the front of the neighbors house, almost on the sidewalk, just moving as fast as he could.
Kayden does a pancake dance. When you ask him if he wants a pancake, he stomps his feet and goes a little giggle. I tried to get it on video, but this time he did it so fast, it was hard to get it.

A little bit of this and that

On the 4th I took my stitching with me to the family gathering. I started Kayden Christmas stocking. I don't know if it was the excitment of getting to stitch, because I haven't stitched sense the retreat or the excitment of starting a new project or a combo of both. Anyway I forgot to count down before I started the first band. So, when I stitched Kayden's name it only left me about a half an inch for finishing. I like a little more than that, but it is staying as is. LOL!
Picture of Kayden on the 4th of July. It was raining and a little chilly that day.
Over a year a go Bob saved a turtle from one of the pools we were opening. I took him home and he has been the best pet I have ever had. I named him Myrtle. You can see how much he has grown in a year.

My sister (Loretta) called last week and asked if I wanted another turtle. I said sure. Bob has always said Myrtle was lonely. I was suprised when she brought it over it was almost the same size as Myrtle. The new turtle was a litte scared at first, but is getting along fine now.
Brandon found a larger tank at a yard sale and cleaned it up for me. The new tank is 3 times bigger then the tank I had Myrtle in by himself. Then Brandon found some really neat things on the internet for their new home. I will be buying for them in the future.
It took a few days but I decided that the new turtle's name is going to be Millie.
I don't know how to tell the turtles sex. I was told that you have to wait until they are a few years old. I really don't know.
A while back I bought an outside pen for the Myrtle, but he can get out of it. He works his body up one of the metal crossing in the pen then turns himself sideways and pushes through. I put both of them in the outside pen the other day and Millie got out too. Will have to get some chicken wire to go around the pen.
Millie up by the glass and Myrtle right behind her.

Myrtle and Millie

Video is of Kayden. He still won't talk, just the normal MaMa and DaDa, with a few other sounds here and there. But he always knows what we are saying to him. Ask him if he wants to go outside he will shake his head yes, then go get his shoes. He knows that we don't wear our shoes in the house and if anyone walks in and doesn't take there shoes off right away he will point at them and make a little ahha noise.

I took the video over a week ago and he was getting a little tried.

Work...now that it is pass the 4th of July things will be slowing down and I should be able to find some stitching time here and there. We will be working a few less hours, instead of our 90 to 105 hours that we had been doing.
The retaining wall I talked about a while ago here is the video of the wall that goes around 3 sides of the pool we put in. We have just a little bit left to do, then it will be DONE!!!