Only In My Dreams....

So, for those of you who know, Gerry has been in NY spending time with his father and his sisters. Now, I've always told Gerry that if Matthew McConaughey came knocking on our door, I would NEVER refuse a date with him! :-)

So, this was a picture that was taken while I was eating breakfast with him. Unfotunately, my friend, Justine, forgot to get me in the photo too! It was a leisurely breakfast at a local cafe. He told me about his recent movie, "Failure to Launch" & then paused in the middle of it all to tell me what a beautiful woman I am and wanted to know what I was doing for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!! Sadly enough, that is when my alarm went off, Bailey started panting, the phone was ringing! Reality sank in and I realized I was only left with one truth....that I AM a beatiful person! He, he, he! :-)

Happy Sunday America & thank you God for blessing us with wonderful things to dream about!

Longaberger Basket Bingo WINNERS!

So last night was my first experience being with men and women FIGHTING for Longaberger baskets & playing BINGO to win one! I could not believe the turn out of people! It was hosted at a local school....and I thought it was at someone's house! I thought I would NEVER win. It wasn't a basket but it was a note pad and pen! :-) My friend Justine walked away with the window box basket filled with gardening supplies! Interestingly enough, all the people sitting at our table won a basket with the exception of myself and one other woman!

So, I've got my dabber and may find myself entering into the next game which will be hosted on April 7th at a local church! To all you competitive BINGO players, watch out....T-mad is in the game! :-)

A little "Bragadocious"...

I am VERY proud of these delicate cookies!!!!!! It was my first time making Pizzells--an Italian cookie. Growing up, my Nana use to sit for hours at a time, spooning dough onto a hot pizzell iron. I use to sit and watch her and still remember the excitement in her eye....teaching me how to make them---even thought at the time, I was too young. :-)

As an adult, it's not a cookie that I CRAVE but when I eat them, it brings back those memories of her. I happened to share this story with one of the doctors I work for. Well, he loves eating them too! I told him that my mother made them and using some of my manipulative tactics, he's managed to get many batches of them for his own eating pleasure.

So, for Christmas, Peter gives me a framed recipe for his mother's pizzells....with the intention that I bake some for him---you know, a "you-for-me-gift"....:-) Today, I decided to clear some of my day to make them. I happen to be on the phone with Justine (we both work with/for Peter) and I told her what I was up to. I told her that it was going to get me a RAISE! We giggled. Then, I tried one.....I told her that not only would I get a RAISE but I would get another week's paid vacation!!!!!!!!!!! I like to dream BIG!

So Peter, it's TOO bad that you have to wait until MONDAY to get these! They are YUMMMY!

St. Patty's Celebrated with Thai??

Okay, so NOT the usual celebration of Corned Beef and Cabbage! We added a twist to St. Patty's by having Thai food! Of course it was FRIDAY and as a good Catholic (Gerry would disagree), I had all veggies and a little peice of "Justine" (A.K.A.: "The Justine Roll"). It was a great time and I had the opportunity to reconnect with Alyssa! Justine had coordinated the gathering and asked all of us to wear GREEN. Notice that most of us followed the rules....AMANDA (she's quite the rebel)---yes, she is the one sporting the WHITE shirt. Her "green" was the sash belt that you could not see! :-) Thanks Justine for inviting us and setting it all up!!!!!

May luck be our companion

May friends stand by our side

May history remind us all

Of Ireland's faith and pride.

May God bless us with happiness

May love and faith abide.

MY MUGS!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the final product (see "Mug Shots" posting) on the mugs that I made!!! When the pottery place called to let me know they were ready, they offered to let me buy the third one that I made that would have been sold in one of the local stores. I purchased it and then my friend Mikki bought it off me! I told her that she needed to love it FOREVER!!! :-) That's HISTORY!!!!!!!!! My name permanently engraved at the base of the mug! Ha, ha, ha!

Anyway, apologies to all my readers. I have not been updating as much as usual. It could be the "end of the winter blues". I've been busy, in a little "funk", COMPLETELY READY FOR SPRING and I will catch up with you all very soon!

Love to you all! :-)

Miss Rylee's Overnight Extravaganza!!!

This was Miss Rylee's first overnight with Gerry and I. I picked her up yesterday afternoon & I almost SWEAR that Jaime & Shawn did a little dance as we left....:-D Rylee and I went grocery shopping, through the car wash, out of the car and into my house before she opened an eye (a little angel). It was a little touch and go for the first hour. I will be a little "bragadocious" and say that I am quite experienced with babies and children but each one is different. I changed her before I fed her---so that she would be full AND dry (adopted from Leslie). As I'm feeding her, she lets out a BIG juicy toot that took her out of her first outfit. As I'm cleaning up that mess and getting some new clothes on, she takes out outfit #2 as she spits up. So, I get that off, wait a few mintues....to make sure she's done! :-) It all happened within minutes but it felt like a 1/2 hour! :-) The picture below was after she was all settled. She decided to watch me put together dinner in an electric pressure cooker! THANK GOD for that. Throw your stuff in and call it dinner. I have a new appreciation for all moms!!! Dinner was planned for 5:30, we at at 7:45! :-) She was a peach but it was ME who didn't think I could manage it after the poop, vomit, couple outfits later extravaganza! Ha, ha, ha! Some time has passed since I've had a little baby for the night. It only took me two hours to grow my "mother wings". It was SMOOTH sailing from there on out.

She spent some time hanging out with Gerry...they had quite a conversation going when I had to interrupt and let him know that dinner was going to be served. :-) Then, later into the evening, she and I decided it was high time we sat down to relax and watch a little TV. We also shared several conversations about how much she loves her mom and dad. She was excited about them having a night out with friends.

We ended up sharing the guest bed for the night! She got up at 2a.m. and 6a.m.! EASY as pie! I had to sleep with the accent light on so that I could make sure I could see her at any given moment! We were up for the day at 6a.m. She was so excited to share a bath with Rubber Ducky & Mr. Frog! Then we were off to church! The picture below was how she was through church...until the last 10 mintues. I think she had had enough of my singing! Of course, I think I could be the next American Idol but Miss Rylee disagreed!

This was the little sleeping beauty that ended her stay with us after church! I hope little Miss Rylee wants to come again! THANKS Jaime & Shawn....it was a pleasure and a priveledge to have hosted an evening with this little love bug! :-)

"MUG" Shots...

Pam, Justine & I with ONE of the three mugs we made at a local Clay making shop. This Clay shop offered "mug" making day to raise money for students interested in furthering their education at Haystack Mountain School of Art . Unfortunately, it was only the three of us but hopefully next year, "word of mouth" will show a greater interest. It was actually quite nice to have such a small class. We got a lot of one-on-one time with the instructor. The mugs we made will be sold in some of the local bakeries. Also, with the money we donated, we were able to make some to keep! You can see by the picture below (those of you that know me well...) how appropriate the mug was that I designed for myself. I also did one with a hand sketched sunflower. I cannot wait to see the finished product after they have been fired/glazed/painted.

Pam designed some mugs featuring her "trademark" fiddleheads . These will be the first household treasures to be used at their new house at "Fiddle Ridge". :-) I giggle about it because they are so perfect!

Overall, it was a good day spent with great friends, committed to making a difference in the community! I had a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!