A DAY AT THE PARK

Here we are!!!

Hunter came over while his mommy went to the doctor....hmm..why is Mary going to the doctor? After her visit we all went to the new splash park. Eleanor was suppose to be napping but she just would not settle down. (that is the reason for the binky and blankie.) We packed them up and decide to try out the swings

On our way over to the swings Hunter found the shower and it was dripping some water. Boys and water...could not get him to move.

He had to investigate the whole works. The splash pad did not open up until 11 am and we were there at 9:30 so we didn't get to splash but there will be many more visits to do that.

Ellie went right on the swing and ejoyed herself. Hunter and another little boy waited off to the side . Hunter use to love the swings but for now is a little scared and he is fearless most of the time. Look Hunter, Ellie says...It really is fun..why don't you push me.

Hunter is starting to warm up a bit and pushes Ellie

Then his mommy gets him to give it a try but he still does not like it very much

Ok mom...let me out of here...PLEASE

Well it was fun for awhile but everyone was getting hungry and tired so we went home. Ellie says good-by to the other kids

Both kids took a good nap and grandma took one a little later.

STRAWBERRY PICKING

Saturday my daughter-in-law, Karla, and I went berry picking. Across the street from where I live is a berry patch, Lodermeier Gardens.

It was a very foggy morning and the fields were damp but we picked any way

Here is where we picked up our buckets to pick. It is a small place but the berries were good and it was Ellies first time.

It was early so we were dressed for picking and Ellie had her strawberry outfit on.

It didn't take long to get our buckets full and Ellie did a pretty good job of entertaining herself

Ellie was ready to go home and eat some strawberries but grandma was making jam with hers

just enough for jam and a few to freeze for later..oh..and a few to eat

I was able to get 11 little jars of culinary delight.

I will have to watch that hubby doesn't eat them all before winter. It will be nice to enjoy a scone or biscuit filled with fresh butter and strawberry jam this winter in front of the fireplace.

ELEANOR AND HER BOX

Hello...my name is Eleanor but my family calls me Ellie. My grandma takes care of me while my mommy and daddy have to work. Today she gave me a box to play with because I am getting bored with my old toys. I have really grown and am just learning to crawl but don't have the hang of it just yet.

I really liked it. We pretended all kinds of fun things and grandma stayed close so I would not fall over in the box and get scared.

I was able to stand up in it and pretend I was a sea captain and then grandma rocked the boat and pretended we were in a storm cuz their was a storm passing over outside. Lots of thunder and lightning and rain also. I didn't get scared cuz grandma says GOD is always nearby to keep us safe.

The wind was strong so I sat down to get my bearings.
Mr. Moose wanted to come to but he is a little scary to me.

I think he is funny from a distance

It sure was fun playing with grandma today. I like when we go on adventures, as long as they are at her house. I am very shy and do not like strangers very much.

We had a nice blanket in the bottom for softness and a couple of books to read and a few toys and a flashlight that looked like a pumpkin . I thought it being a pumpkin and all it might taste good, my favorite food is sweet potatoes and pumpkin kind of tastes like that.

Thank you for letting me share my day with you but I am getting a little tired and gradma says it is nap time so I wll have to go. It sure is fun playing with my grandma.

She says her mommy was like that too and my daddy had a good time when he was with her.

COTTAGE BIRTHDAY

My birthday was on June 10 but my hubby wanted a celebration so we had it this past Sunday.

We even decorated a little..see the birthday banner on the window? We invited what little family we have here over for lunch after church.

There were pink and white carnations, paper birthday plates but real ones underneath, hubby was doing the dishes so paper products were used. Lasagna, salad and bread were for dinner.

I helped set the table..boston cream pie and assorted cheesecakes for dessert

There were even presents

The grandkids are not quite old enough yet to help grandma open gifts

now for the guests..my daughter Mary

son-in-law Nate

my son Michael

daughter-in-law Karla with grand-daughter Eleanor

and last but not least grandson Hunter who is always good for a little excitement

somehow he managed to break the door off one of the cabinets lining the hallway wall. Our new place is small and I don't have a pantry so I found some cabinets to use. He loves to look inside and see what he can find , only this time (we were in the living room) he must have started to fall and hung on to the door. It was so funny I could not be mad...Hunter was yelling uh-oh..gamma ..uh-oh..and holding the door in his hand not knowing what to do or how much trouble he would be in.

The party ended well and all the cake was eaten.

Now off to the treadmill to see if I can burn some calories.

I have lost 3 pounds while hubby has lost 15...uggg:(

CEREAL BARS FOR MEMORIAL DAY

While I am waiting for my angelfood cake to come out of the oven I thought I would share a couple of cereal bar recipes I made for our Memorial Day picnic. I like smores but I felt the recipe on the box was to sweet and too messy so I altered it a bit. First you melt 4-5 Tablespoons butter( I use 5) then add one 10.5 oz package mini marshmallows (I use Kraft jet-puffed) use medium heat or lower so they don't burn. Keep stiring until they are all melted together and it looks like the picture below

measure 6 cups Golden Grahams cereal in a large bowl

butter a pan about 13x9 (i used a bit smaller pan) depends on how thick you want them

Pour melted marshmallow mixture over cereal and fold over with a rubber scrapper until well coated

put in greased pan and pat with your buttered hands until even (you want them a little loose so the chocolate falls through a little bit)

pour over melted chocolate (i used a double boiler and picture is below) use one 12 oz package semi-sweet Hersheys cocolate chips

I used white chocolate chips for the next recipe
melting chocolate in double boiler below

This is Rice Krispies Bars we all know and love.

I used 7 cups rice krispies, one 10.5 oz package marshmallows,

5 tablespoons melted butter
and the same directions as above.

pat in buttered pan these may be a little more solid

I melted the white chocolate and tried to add red and blue food coloring so they would be patriotic but it turned out to be pastel and more suited for a baby shower, but they are still delicious.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

ENJOY!!

LUNCH WITH HUNTER

My daughter Mary invited us to have lunch with Hunter on her day off. Once again I forgot the camera so these pictures are from the i-phone they can be a bit fuzzy. I also was so ingrossed in my lunch that no pictures were taken of the beautiful lunch. We had Italian Sub Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit Salad with bananas, pineapple, strawberries and raspberries and Choclate Eclair squares for dessert. Hunter had mac and cheese and yogurt. After lunch we went outside to play.

Grandpa and grandma brought a toy that shoots out bubbles and a big bubble blower

He loved the bubbles and then we thought he might go swimming but the water was to cold.

So we played store instead, I was trying to buy an ice cream

It was such a nice day we decided to walk the trail behind her house.

The Wobegon Trail of course.
.

Not many people on the trail today

The trail crosses some streets and this was an interesting name
Grandpa and Hunter waiting for mommy and me

The official sign Lake Wobegon Trail

We saw a BALD EAGLE
the tiny black thing

It flew alot closer to us but didn't want to pose for the camera
(again the tiny black thing in the sky)

It was a nice finish to a beautiful day