Leave Sleeping Dogs Lie

We WERE taking a nap....

Then came puppy kisses...

All proof that you should leave sleeping dogs lie.

Proof that people are strange

Do you know this man?

We bought our cellphone on eBay from him.

The phone works great!

I'm not sure why he felt compelled to send us a photo, of him hanging out in his backyard.

I think this is just more proof that people are stranger than we think.

5 Things That Make Me Strange

I am often told I'm a little on the unusual side. ...Really?? So I tried not-very hard to think of 5 things that make me a "strange ranger".

1. I won't drink out of a plastic cup. Nope. I sure won't. I think that we are slowly being poisoned by Tupperware, not to mention that everything just tastes funny coming out of plastic!

2. I don't like summer. I never have. Too many reasons to explain...

3. I imagine that sea creatures may be able to sense my fear and so I have concluded that the extent of my beach experience will be walking the edge of the surf and collecting uninhabited shells. Sorry Atlantic Ocean... just not a fan.

4. I do not like the round chicken nuggets from Wendy's. I request the "non-round" 5 piece when I visit. Justin is typically mortified when the cashier looks at me with a crinkled eyebrow and says, "huh?".

5. I am so claustrophobic that I must always have the window open in the car. No matter what the weather is like.

The Girls

Honey Dew! My Wild Girl!!

Abbey Brown! Our Great Protector!

Lucy Girl! So Sweet!

Just Me and The Guys

Some shots from today! I thought I might try some natural shots with Sephia.

Justin- So Serious!

Scott

Dustin

Fun Pictures of The Fam

The Taylor Clan taking a family walk!

Brotherly Love!

Super Model Lily! When I asked her to pose for the camera, she ran her fingers through her hair and tossed her head to the side as if to say, "I'm ready for my close-up"! What a beautiful baby!

The Hubby! Love Ya Babe!

Lucy! I think it's so sweet that you always want a drink from the bathroom sink!

10 Memoriable Moments

10 Moments I Will Never Forget

1. The Day I Got Married

2. My First Kiss

3. The First Time I Drove A Car Alone

4. The Day I Got Lucy

5. The Day I Got The Keys To My Own House

6. The Day My Brother Dustin Was Born

7. My Kindergarten Birthday Party

8. My Surgery

9. My Graduation Party

10. My First Day Living on My Own

Just to name a few.

A Story That Touches My Heart

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump."
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," he answered.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

Fun Pics

Marjorie

Brian

Hayden, Cheers Buddy!

Lily, Mor Mor, an Aunt Heather go for a walk!

Mama

Lily and Daddy!

Lilly, What a sweet little peanut!

I didn't really have anything to say, but I thought I'd share some pictures of friends and family!

"The View"

I can't resist throwing a few thoughts towards this talkshow. This show is well known for it's inability to assemble a group of hosts that can peacefully discuss topics affecting our world today. I sat and watched the episode of Rosie O'Donnell and Elizabeth Hasselbeck feuding over a comment that Rosie had made on a previous episode regarding nearly 3/4 of a million dead Iraqi citizens. This comment sent waves of anti-patriotism accusations Rosie's way and ended with an all-out bitch fit on national television. I believe the intention of this show is to discuss certain sensitive topics and hear views and opinions from four different women. Thus, should we not expect to get 4 different opinions? Instead of being able to listen to the topic matter and see a few different points of view, we are subjected to the childish, high-pitched squeals of an obviously pissed- off Elizabeth Hasselbeck. I was truely surprised that Hasselbeck didn't throw herself to the floor and scream like a three year old child! I suspect Republicans everywhere were as embarrassed as myself that this woman associates herself with the party. Never-the-less, I believe the point here is that regardless of whether you agree with something someone says, this is still America and everyone is entitled to their opinion! Congrats to O'Donnell for remaining civilized in her responses to Hasselbeck. She possesses the qualities necessary to express one's self even in the face of opposition.
I would not be inclined to say that I agree 100% with O'Donnell's comments regarding this topic. I might suggest that declining to believe there is some validity to her comment is cowardly. We may love our troops without supporting the assignments they have undertaken. We must dare to oppose our governments decision making at all times, for with indifference of good people comes great evil. How many innocent lives will end today because no one had the guts to accuse our government of wrong-doing.

Has This Ever Happened To You?

So... tonight I was going through a few odds and ends of things in our house and I happened across a movie from Giant Eagle Video. Now this movie had caused several assorted conversations with the video store that were on the more unpleasant side. I swore venomously that this video had been returned and that the general incompetence of the clerk was most assuredly to blame. After a lot of bad noise, they removed the black mark from my name and soon after closed their doors. I now feel a burdon of guilt at the closing of their establishment and feel that I owe someone an apology...but who???? Open mouth and insert foot....big foot!!!

Strawberry Bread

1 1/2 C. STRAWBERRIES
3 C. FLOUR
1 TSP SALT
1 TBLSP SALT
1 TSP BAKING SODA
1 1/2 C. SUGAR
4 EGGS
1 1/4 C. VEG. OIL
1 1/2 C CHOPPED NUTS (CHOICE)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Combine eggs and oil.
Blend dry ingredients and egg mixture until just moistened.
Mash strawberries and drain. Fold in strawberries and nuts.
Bake in 2 greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans for about 1 hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

Strawberry Swirl Cake

Now...in case you haven't noticed, I love strawberries!! I am dedicating the month of May to strawberries and the delicious desserts they make. I found this recipe recently, and it is super easy and yummy!

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
2/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; set aside. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour half of the batter into medium bowl. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until well blended. Spoon half of the white batter and half of the pink batter, side-by-side, into each prepared pan. Swirl batters together using a teaspoon.
BAKE 30 min. Cool 30 min. in pans. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
MIX sour cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Place one of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the whipped topping mixture. Top with 1 cup of the strawberries and remaining cake layer. Spread top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 cup strawberries just before serving. Store any leftover cake in refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Cookies...The Best!!!!

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.
Yield: 72 servings

Low-Fat Chicken Salad...Easy...Yummy!

2 cups cooked skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 medium unpeeled apple, diced
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup low fat yogurt (PLAIN)
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder

Place chicken cubes in a medium bowl along with sliced celery, diced apple and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, yogurt, mayonnaise and curry powder. Pour over chicken and toss to coat.

I got this yummy, easy recipe from the internet and we like to eat it on pita bread versus the salad. You can also easily add walnuts or diced onions to this recipe, but this will change the fat content significantly!

Calories 229, Calories from Fat 24, Total Fat 2.6g (sat 0.7g), Cholesterol 85mg, Sodium 237mg, Carbohydrate 17.2g, Fiber 1.7g, Protein 34.1g

Reasons I Love To Cook

I have loved to cook since before I was tall enough to stand at the stove and stir a pot. Now, there several types of cooking and an endless list of ways to temp the taste buds! I would have to say I specialize in comfort foods. My great-grandmother and I would spend hours in her kitchen making recipes she had been serving her family for over 60 years! She would assign me little tasks and bussle around the kitchen canning fruits and vegetables, stirring sauces and baking the best pies and cakes you've ever tasted! The very first recipe she taught me to make was the peanut butter buckeye. I remember standing in my mom's kitchen struggling to get the ingredients measured perfectly, while melting the chocolate on the stove top. I'll never forget the feeling I got when my family devoured the entire batch and complimented me on my "skill" at making this Christmas favorite. From that point on, I was hooked. I learned to can fresh fruits and jams. I perfected the art of a delicious lasagna. And I made my grandma cry when she tasted my first homemade pie crust! The day she gave me the recipe for her famous pie crust, she told me it was a family secret. I quickly committed it to memory where it still lives to this day!

Grandma Ruth has been gone for three years last Sunday. I miss everything about her. The way she always smelled of baby powder and aquanet, the way she smiled even when she was "mad as hell", or how she would never throw anything away! She kept Hershey's Kisses and water colors in a small cupboard for when her grandbabies came to visit and gave me a new baby doll she handmade every Christmas.

I keep her in my heart now and in my kitchen. Grandma was always in the kitchen. She said it was the hub of her family. No matter what was happening, her cooking always brought them together at the table. Many family members have tried to duplicate her recipes over the years and they all have tasted pretty good, but never quite as good as grandma's. Last year for the 4th of July, I made all her favorite recipes and we all gathered in her kitchen to eat. I received loads of compliments and several family members pumped me for information regarding "secret ingredients", to which they attributed the difference in grandma's recipe versus their version. To those individuals I reply, that Grandma Ruth did indeed make all of her dishes with one unlisted ingredient, but it is no secret. She always cooked with LOVE.

Recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Crust for a double-crust pie

1 cup plus

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 ½ cups sliced rhubarb (about 1 ¼ pounds)

2 ½ cups hulled strawberries, halved and quartered if large

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in several pieces

1 tablespoon milk

Vanilla ice cream, optional

1. Roll half of the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Roll out the second disc of dough and slip onto a rimless cookie sheet. Refrigerate while making the filling.
2. Whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, and vanilla and toss until the fruit is well coated with the sugar mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes until the fruit softens slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
4. Spoon the rhubarb mixture into the pie shell and distribute the butter over the fruit. Cover with second crust and trim the overhanging dough to ¾ inch all the way around. Turn the edges under, flush with the rim of the pie plate, and crimp or flute to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut several steam vents. (Or you could cut 1-inch strips and weave a lattice crust, crimping the edges). Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake until the crust is a rich golden brown, the fruit is tender, and juices bubble through the vents, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour.

I prefer the lattice crust top because it looks prettier and is less messy in the oven!

Recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
dash salt
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 scant teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 baked pie pastry, 9-inch
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, the cornstarch, flour, and salt; gradually stir in hot water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, stirring, for 8 minutes. Stir about 1/3 cup of the hot mixture into the slightly beaten egg yolks, then return to hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 4 minutes longer. Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice. Pour into baked cooled pie shell. Cool to room temperature.
Beat egg whites with 1 teaspoon lemon juice to soft peaks. Gradually add the 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks are formed and sugar has dissolved. Spread meringue over filling, covering completely. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool pie completely before serving.

Recipe for Strawberry and Peach Pie

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 medium peaches, cored and sliced
3 cups of strawberries, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp lemon juice (I use the little plastic lemon stuff.)
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
2 deep-dish pie crusts, thawed (one for top)


1. Preheat over to 425 degrees.2. Add peaches and strawberries to large bowl.3. Mix flour, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl.4. Add dry mixture to fruit and toss. 5. Add lemon juice to fruit mixture.6. Add water to egg and beat. Brush egg mixture on bottom of one pie crust. 7. Prick bottom pie crust. Add fruit mixture.8. Cut other pie crust into 1/2-inch strips and create a lattic on top of the pie. (Instead of cutting top into strips, you could also cut some decorative holes in the top crust with apple- or other-shaped cookie cutters.) I found this step worked better if you ball up the top pie crust, then roll it back out before cutting or working with it.9. Brush top of pie with egg.10. Cook for ten minutes at 425, then turn oven down to 350 and cook for another 35-40 minutes until crust is browned and the filling is bubbly. (Cooking it at 425 for ten minutes will firm up your crust.)

This would be great served warm with ice cream!

Era of "Lost Signal" Comes To An End

So we finally lived out our satellite contract with Dish Network. Most likely to be called the era of "lost signal"! Because this house lives and breathes by a television, we are never short on quality programming and our latest selection for viewing entertainment is no different! I was oblivious to the fact there were over 500 channels that can be purchased through Time Warner Cable! Remember when HBO had one channel? and it was 17.99 a month? and they played the same movie every day? and your parents didn't allow you to watch it after 10? Well, now HBO has like 8 channels and it's like $10 a month! But for those of you who hate change: they still play the same movie everyday and you still shouldn't allow your children to watch it after 10!

When it came time to select our channel package we couldn't seem to agree on anything, except that we could lose half of the home shopping channels and still be satisfied customers! Alas, we ended up with nearly 100 movie channel choices, 300 "regular" channels and 100 chances to watch various different sporting events! Tack on the DVR and multi-floor viewing, and it is certain that no house work will ever get done and I will be spared the pleasure (note sarcasm) of seeing any "Conan", "Predator" or gun-slinger type movies ever again! Ahh...that felt nice to say! Better yet, I will never miss another episode of "King of the Hill", "Family Guy", "Gilmore Girls", or "House". Freakin' Sweet~