Eat Your Veggies!

It's March! Pack It Up Already!

2010-03-05T20:21:00.009-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, brought to you by Cate at Show My Face.

28 Days-Not That I'm Counting!

2010-02-26T07:17:00.000-05:00

Cape San Blas, Florida

Sturgeon Spearing-What Are the Chances?

2010-02-17T16:56:00.014-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.
ce.

By sturgeon standards, this is a little fish. It measured only 42 inches long, weighed in at 38 pounds and is estimated to be about 20 years old. It was speared Monday, on Lake Winnebago in eastern Wisconsin. Opening day, a Lake Winnebago record-setting sturgeon was speared. It weighed 212 pounds and was estimated to be 100 years old!

Yeah, speared. How do they do that, you ask?

Well, a rectangular hole is cut in the ice, which is about 24 inches thick, with a chain saw. The hole measures about 3 feet by 5 feet, or about the size of your front door. The fisherman sits by the hole, inside his shanty, and gazes down into the water. When a fish swims by, he spears it with his long-handled, barb-tined sturgeon spear.

What? You just sit there and wait for a fish to swim by? You have to be kidding!

Apparently not. I talked to one fisherman who has been doing this 20 years and has never seen a fish swim past his hole!

Ya think? I mean, what are the chances?

Lake Winnebago has a surface area of 137,000 acres. The hole is 15 square feet. You do the math. And don't forget to allow for looking away just long enough to change the radio station, open a beer, have a snack, pet your dog, open a beer, look outside, take a nap...

You would have better luck looking up a chimney and waiting for a duck to fly by!

And still, the lake is full of holes, shantys and fishermen. And the cap for the season, which this year looks to be only about five days long, is about 1800 fish. So it's not impossible.

I'm a glass (lake) is half-empty kind of person. I mean, if I hadn't even seen a fish through my hole in 20 years, I'd be looking for a new hobby!

"Children As Pets" - The Cat Years

2010-02-15T14:45:00.007-05:00

Cleaning out the desk the other day, I found this clipping and thought I'd share one of my favorites with you. Wish I could take credit for writing it, but that prolific author, Anonymous
gets the credit.

I just realized that while children are dogs-

loyal and affectionate-teenagers are cats.

It's so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it,

train it, boss it around. It puts it's head on

your knee and gazes at you as if you were

a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with

enthusiasm when you call it.

Then around age 13, your adoring little puppy

turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come

inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who

died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging

your doorsteps, it disappears. You won't see it

again until it gets hungry-then it pauses on it's

sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn it's

nose up at whatever you're serving.

When you reach out to ruffle it's head, in that old

affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then

gives you a blank stare as if trying to remember

where it has seen you before. You, not realizing

that the dog is now a cat, think something must

be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial,

so distant, sort of depressed. It won't go to family

outings.

Since you're the one who raised it, taught it to

fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume

that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt

and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your

pet behave. Only now you're dealing with a cat.

So everything that worked before now produces

the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it

runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the

counter. The more you go toward it, wringing your

hands, the more it moves away.

Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you

can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish

of food near the door, and let it come to you. But

remember that a cat needs your help and your

affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking

that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely

forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.

One day, your grown-up child will walk into the

kitchen, give you a big kiss and say "You've

been on your feet all day. Let me get those

dishes for you."

Then you'll realize your cat is a dog again.

(For Soccer Boy, who at 14, is still all dog!)

Thank You For Your Service, Ryan

2010-02-12T21:55:00.003-05:00

These are photos taken of, and by my friend's son Ryan, during his time in the Air Force.

The Popr's family has known him since he was just a little boy, and are proud of his military service. One of the jobs he had was as a mechanic on the U2 spy plane.

I didn't get to wave the flag for him when he returned, but I'm proud to wave it today!

God bless all of our servicemen and women. And thank you.

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Beating the Winter Blahs

2010-02-11T08:42:00.002-05:00

I have a major case of cabin fever, as you may have guessed from the beach countdown. So I decided the laundry room needed an overhaul. After all, it is the first thing people see when they come into my house. Unless they use the front door, and we just don't.

The laundry room gets lots of use. It's where all the wet shoes and boots get kicked, where the dogs eat, and the laundry gets done. And it sure showed.

The walls were dinged and dirty, some of the hooks were broken, one of the bifold doors was off it's hinges...the list goes on.

So I got ready to paint, then realized that even a fresh coat of paint would not fix what ailed my walls. They had been repaired many times. The texture on them was uneven. It was a mess.

I called a plaster man, who retextured my walls with a process call "skip troweling". They look
amazing! Then I painted. Had a neighbor put a decorative edge on an oak board I bought for the new coat rack. I stained it, and put on new, big wrought iron-looking hooks. Tossed the old
grungy rug and put in a new one. Put new hinges on the bifold doors, and bought a slick new airtight container on wheels for the 40 pound bag of dogfood we keep just to the left of the washing machine. Made a new valence for the window.

There was a moment when I entertained the idea of painting it a fun color-terra cotta or lime green. But in the end, as it always does, boring beige won out. Actually, the color is "Muslin", from Benjamin Moore, and it is really quite nice. Goes with everything. Very neutral. It is close to a color the realtors here call "relocation beige". Houses of executives of the big companies in town new on the market get neutralized with this color. All the fun colors go, in an effort to appeal to the masses, who can then turn around and paint terra cotta and lime green.

So, I realized that my house is "neutralized."

Does that mean I am ready to relocate, maybe to someplace warmer? I know the mid-Atlantic states have tons more snow that we do, but their cherry blossoms will still bloom on schedule, while we are still frozen.

Darn! Now I have the winter blahs again.

Forty-Eight Days And I'm Here...

2010-02-06T11:14:00.005-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

This Is Not Your Mama's Lasagne!

2010-01-29T09:53:00.010-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Even though it may be healthier,

It is still pretty darn good!

I was craving a plate of decadent, cheesy lasagne the other day. Just a few days after the doctor told Uncle Lynn that his cholesterol was high and he needed to lose a few. So, being a good wife, I made a few changes. Decided to take one for the team, as it were.

The promise of lasagne drew boys who hadn't had dinner with us on a Monday night in ages! No one knew but me that substitutions were made. I was the only one not necessarily looking forward to dinner!

The low fat, spinach-filled, egg beater, low glycemic index carb noodle lasagne was a big hit!

When the boys second helpings were gone, and plates were empty, Uncle Lynn asked "Should we tell them?"

The only response was "Cool. Tastes just like the regular stuff."

So now, I'm out to look for more ways to eat healthier. Guess I was the one who was the worst skeptic!

And Now The Dance Begins

2010-01-25T10:46:00.005-05:00

Well, I've about recovered from the Viking's devastating loss against the Saints for the divisional championship, and a trip to Miami for the Superbowl.

About recovered. And it ended the way so many of Brett's Packer losses ended...with a chance to pull it off, but a last-minute "please, don't throw that pass" pass...and he throws it, and the season ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.

And everyone will forget that there were many opportunities to win that game. That fumbles also played a major role in the loss. There is plenty of blame to go around.

But everyone will remember the overtime, gut wrenching. could -see- that -coming pass.

And now, the inevitable dance begins. Will he sign? Will he retire? Will he do both? Again?

Look at the photo, and tell me...Is he taking the helmet off or putting it on?

So Viking fans, welcome to our world!

Winter Visitor

2010-01-18T09:08:00.004-05:00

This little guy, a Downy Woodpecker, has been a regular at my feeder. He is darling! I love the way he hops around. Wish he'd bring his friends.

And where are the cardinals? They were in the yard all summer. The neighbor must have better seed!

These winter birds are nice, but I am anxiously awaiting the return of the Oriloes and hummingbirds to the feeders.

I've also noticed there are still robins in Wisconsin. Worms must be few and far between! The smart ones left a long time ago. We look forward to their return as a sign of spring. If they don't leave, how will they ever return? Hmmm....

Favre Takes Vikes to the Superbowl!

2010-01-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

(Well, since the Pack won't go...

And I love Brett, you know...

Sure I'm jumping the proverbial gun,

But watching Favre is tooo fun!)

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

January Thaw

2010-01-13T16:27:00.005-05:00

For the next week or so, temps are supposed to be 15-20 degrees above normal.

What a welcome relief, since wind chills have been reaching 15-20 degrees below 0!

Unless you are a snowman, the sentiment here in the frozen tundra is "Bring it On!"

Food for Thought

2010-01-13T16:01:00.009-05:00

You're a 19 year old kid.

You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle

in the Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam.

November 11, 1965.

Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and

the enemy fire is so intense,

from 100-200 yards away,

that your own Infantry Commander has ordered

the Medi-Vac helicopters to stop coming in.

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns

and you know you're not getting out.

Your family is half way around the world,

12,000 miles away,

and you'll never see them again.

As the world starts to fade in and out,

you know this is the day.

Then-over the machine gun noise-you faintly hear

the sound of a helicopter.

You look up and see an unarmed Huey. But...

it doesn't seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.

Ed Freeman is coming to get you.

He's not Medi-Vac so it's not his job, but

he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.

Even after the Medi-Vacs were ordered

not to come.

He's coming anyway.

He drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire,

as they load 2 or 3 of you on board.

Then he flies you up and out, through the gunfire

to the doctors and nurses.

And he kept coming back!

Thirteen or fourteen more times.

He took about 30 of you and your buddies out

who never would have gotten out.

Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman

died in 2008, at the age of 80,

in Boise, Idaho.

I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but

we've sure seen a whole bunch about

Tiger Woods, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, etc. etc. etc.

Medal of Honor Winner

Ed Freeman

Arizona 51, Pack 45

2010-01-11T09:29:00.005-05:00

In the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history, the Arizona Cardinals brought Green Bay's playoff hopes to an end.

We have been anticipating a Viking/Pack rematch. One where you-know-who returns to the Frozen Tundra.

Like they say, it's hard to beat a team three times. And the Packers have beaten the Cardinals twice this season. So the old saying holds. BUT...

The Vikings have beaten the Packers twice also. I wanted to see how true the adage is, with a rematch and Packer Victory over you-know-who! And now we won't get that chance.

Only one thing left to say...

Go Brett, Go!

Just Seventy-Six Days and Counting...

2010-01-09T07:45:00.000-05:00

I am participating is Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Calico Buck? What Incredible Luck!

2010-01-07T23:51:00.000-05:00

I got an e-mail the other day from a friend in Florida who asked if I had ever seen a deer like this one, allegedly shot in Wisconsin. It was so beautiful that I pursued the story and found the same photo on a website called http://www.snopes.com/.

It's a cool site that is all about verifying or busting rumors. The page to see the deer story is

http://www.snopes.com/photos/hunting/calicobuck.asp

To make a long story short, the "piebald" deer was shot in Texas. And the hunter was not paid $13,000 by the sporting goods store, Cabelas, to sell it to them to display.

But it makes a good story. And the deer is still striking!

Check out this website sometime. But do it when you have lots of free time! There is some very entertaining stuff there...

Dogs in Snow**Remembering Trouble Elizabeth

2010-01-04T09:12:00.009-05:00

I thought these photos were worth sharing. It was a balmy 30 degress, with a fresh snowfall. Nothing like the -20 out there today. We all had a great time that day!

Resolutions Already Broken, New Ones Considered

2010-01-02T08:36:00.008-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Here's to a Safe New Year

2009-12-31T23:14:00.003-05:00

As a Mom, I really don't like New Year's Eve. My three oldest are now 27, 24 and 21. We don't have to worry about the underage drinking thing any more, but there are still plenty of hazards.

So tonight, I called each of my boys, told them I loved them and asked them who they were going to kiss at midnight.

Bob was first. He is going to go out with his former fiance, and staying at her parent's house.
You heard me right. Yeah, I know. Hmmm. We'll have to watch that one...

David is half sick and is going to a buddy's house to watch football and eat a good dinner. The friend is married and has a little one, so he's pretty safe there.

Number Three is going to dinner with his girlfriend, and they are coming back here. They don't want to do the downtown bar thing that most of the 20 somethings feel they have to do. I feel pretty good about that! Progress is being made.

Soccer Boy will stay up late and play video games. So all in all, looks like old mama bear will get some sleep tonight.

I just hate to have them out on New Year's Eve. No only do we have to worry about their
judgement, but that of every other person is a 50 mile raduis as well!

Hope your friends and family all have a great New Year's Eve, and many more.

Oops! I just heard Number Three come in, and it's only 10:25. Looks like I can go to bed early!
(late for me, any other day of the year). Good thing I saw the New Year's celebration in Australia this morning!

Just Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

2009-12-25T21:38:00.007-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

2009-12-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

We used to love to read this charming story to our boys. But these days, I have my own version.

It is called If You Buy a New TV. Here is how it goes...

If you buy a new tv to replace the old floor model, you will probably need to buy a stand for it also.
If you buy a new stand, you will probably find that it doesn't fit in the corner where it needs to be. So you will have to take out the built-in cabinet under the window.

If you take out the built-in cabinet under the window, you will find that you need to change the heat register, since it used to blow out through the cabinet.

If you change the heat register to the floor, you will notice that the brick from the side of the fireplace was removed to make room for the cabinet you took out. The brick will have to be replaced, because now you can see the side of the hearth.

You will want to hook up the surround sound that has been in the family room for 12 years and not used. Because after all, it's a new tv and the speakers have been just sitting there.

So when the sound guy hooks up the surround sound, he will tell you that the surround sound never worked before because you need a new receiver.

When you buy a new receiver and get the sound guy back, he will hook everything up. Three hours later, he will tell you that because of the way it was wired originally, some components sit under the tv and some are behind the couch in the armoire. In order to adjust the volume, you have to click over your shoulder, and have the doors to the cabinet open. So you will probably need to buy a new radio controlled remote, or never close the doors when the tv is being used.

When you buy the new remote, it comes with a guy to program it. It takes him three hours to program the remote, and it is very complicated. When he leaves, everything is fine. The next day, for some reason beyond our understanding, the tv has no sound. We have a Packer party planned, and there is no sound! After many frantic calls to the store, a salesman reached the remote control programmer, who does not work on weekends, and convinces him to make a house call on Saturday.

When the programmer comes on his day off and fixes the sound, you are grateful. You give him a big tip and have the party.

At the party, a guest says "Gee, that tv stand is kinda junky. The doors are hard to open and it sticks out into the room. I see you had to remove the cabinet to get it to fit in the corner. Now you need to fix the bricks and the vent. Why didn't you just have me make you a stand for the new tv?"

So you check to see if the old one can be returned, then say "OK" and hire him to build a new cabinet for the tv...

Do you see where this is going? Everything touches something else, and nothing is easy!

If this were only the end, that would be one thing. But no! There's more. Because nothing is easy, remember?

Here pfishy, pfishy

2009-12-13T21:08:00.007-05:00

Sorry I've been away for so long! I have had many misadventures in the last week or so, but I

came THIS CLOSE to being a victim of pfishing. That is a scam where you are contacted, by e-mail or phone usually, by creeps meaning to do you harm. And they almost got me!

I was caught up in the busy pre-Christmas hustle and bustle when the phone rang. Think I was baking cookies and had laundry in and had the vacuum out, that kind of chaos. The caller said he was from BankCard Services and wanted to lower my interest rate. Great. I was distracted, but yeah, go ahead, lower my rate. So I talked and talked, hunted down my cards, and talked some more. I talked to at least two people, maybe three. They were soooo nice.

To make a long story short, I gave them my full card number, expiration date and 3 digit security number. For two cards. Oh, and to be a complete moron, I also gave them balances and credit limits. Brilliant! I finally sat at the desk, and Googled Bank Card Services. Interest rate reduction scam came up! So I read it, and guess what! That's what this was, almost word for word.

We were just at the part where he said that for "$895 they would guarantee me that I would never pay a double digit interest rate on any of my cards again, and could I just record our conversation?". When I said "Let me think about it" he made some comment like "Good luck

paying off your balance at that rate, expletive deleted", and hung up on me!

So I called my bank Saturday morning and confessed what I had done, and they closed the account and sent a new card. They were able to determine that up until that time, no new charges had been made. Wow. That sound you hear is me, breathing a sigh of relief!

Another common pfishing scam is the e-mail, telling you that you have won a foreign lottery.

They go on and on. Pay attention, and just say, "Hey, I'm on the Do Not Call List. How'd you get this number?" And if you aren't on the list, get on it. Problem solved.

HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY

2009-12-01T23:33:00.002-05:00

To the best Christmas movie ever!

All week, AMC is having back-to-back showings of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, to celebrate the movie's 20th anniversary. You should watch it at least once or twice!

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Do I Make You Proud?

2009-11-30T07:47:00.008-05:00

This sweet video comes from my friend Kristi, who raises Leader Dog puppies for the blind.

Grab a Kleenex and enjoy!

Woodson More Than A Football Player

2009-11-27T23:57:00.000-05:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

If you read this blog, even a little bit, you know I'm a Packer Backer. And a Brett Favre fan.

Even when Brett is wearing purple. And I love to love Donald Driver too. But my eyes have been opened to another player, who is really amazing.

Charles Woodson is a little guy. But he is big in many ways. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1997, while a Junior at the University of Michigan. He took the award over such future football greats as Peyton Manning and Randy Moss. He became the first defensive player to win college football's most prestigious individual honor. But that is only the beginning.

Before the start of the Thanksgiving Day game between the Pack and the Detroit Lions, in Detroit, it was announced that Charles Woodson had given $2,000,000 to the new University of Michigan's Mott Children's Hospital.

He said his mom always gave her best to people, even when she had little to give. She is his role model. After he had his first child, he has wanted to make a difference in a deeper way than just playing football. "My reason for working so hard has always been to be a part of something great," Woodson said.

Charles Woodson is a very bright spot in a world of selfish, self-destructive professional athletes and musicians and actors in such abundance these days. Think I'll go out a buy a jersey!

If your kids want a sports hero to look up to, why look any farther than Charles Woodson?

(Did I mention that he is gorgeous, too?) Think I'm ready to let Brett go...

Black Friday

2009-11-27T04:27:00.002-05:00

Look familiar?

I've only done this once. Went to Target at 4 in the morning, years ago, and cannot even remember what I was hunting for. I do remember that whatever it was, I did NOT get it. And made a resolution to stay in bed, digesting turkey and pumpkin pie, on all future Black Fridays.

But not this year. You see, now it is 3:25 a.m. and I just finished shopping online. I was in bed early, pooped from the long day of cooking and cleaning. My eyes popped open at 2:00 or so and could not get back to sleep. So I got online, to browse, and ended up with three great deals.

Wish I could tell you what they were, but my kids read this blog. (Hi, boys). Amazon had a Lightning Deal and I took it. Turns out that by the time I went back to shop some more, it was already gone. Saved 50% on something I was going to pay full price for in a store. Something that is never discounted. So I scored, and in my pj's, too!

So, after I congratulate myself, I'm having a piece of pumpkin pie, with lots of whipped cream, and going back to bed!

Crock Pot Stuffing

2009-11-19T10:35:00.004-05:00

At Thanksgiving, when oven space is at a premium, I like to make my stuffing in the crock pot.

Another benefit of not preparing the stuffing in the bird is not having to worry about the internal temperature of the stuffing, to avoid possible food poisioning issues. That said, here's a very easy, fool proof crock pot stuffing recipe.

In 1 cup of butter, saute 2 cups each chopped onion & celery. Add 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
Season with:
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Pour this over 12 cups bread cubes.
Stir in 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, and 2 beaten eggs.
Mix well. Put in slow cooker.

Cook on High 45 minutes, or on Low 4-8 hours.

This basic recipe can be doctored any way you wish. I love the ease of using the crock pot. It is served from the crock pot, so it never has a chance to get cold and gummy on the buffet table!

The Boys & Their Boards/version 2

2009-11-13T08:01:00.006-05:00

When I checked in this morning, I had three comments. Two were lovely comments from good followers who comment frequently. One was not. Turns out, it was spam. Porn spam.
If any of my readers opened it, I apologize! I now have word verification in place to eliminate the problem. Please let me know how the word verification is working, as my book tells me it is not seen by the author. Guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. What a world...

Today is the day Soccer Boy has been counting down to on his calendar. His brother comes home from college for the weekend. They are planning to eat junk, stay up late, play XBox and skateboard.

Longboard, excuse me!

I love this shot of them. Like peas in a pod. I hope that when I am long gone, they are still the best of buddies! That's what it's all about, after all.

Grammar Police

2009-11-10T10:23:00.006-05:00

No, I'm not a teacher. Just an everyday user of the English language. And a bit of a detail freak.

Some would say a perfectionist. Others, worse.

So when I heard a local radio personality pushing a trip to the Caribbean recently, and excitedly proclaiming that "Travel Company XYZ has arranged for you to join my wife Amy and I," I cringed.

I could hear my Dad's voice gently correcting me, at least 40 years ago, after making just such an error. He would patiently ask me questions to get me to see my mistake, and lead me to correct it on my own. And no, Dad wasn't an English teacher. He sold houses and insurance.

So, Dear Local Radio Celeb, let's just say that for the moment, your wife was staying home.

(Sorry, Amy). Would you then say "Travel Company XYZ has arranged for you to join I?"

Didn't think so. Of course," you are invited to join Wife Amy and me on that lovely trip to the

Southern Caribbean." is how the ad should have been written. Lesson learned. Thanks, Dad!

Dry Spell

2009-11-05T19:08:00.006-05:00

Ok, it's November 6th and my last post was pre-Halloween! I'd call that a major dry spell.

How to get over a dry spell...hmmmm..........Think I'll have a beer first,

and then make some lists or something.

After dinner, (guests tonight) and the dishes are done, and homework checked and laundry folded. And it's a nice night, so maybe after the dogs get a little walk. Yeah, that's a good idea. Pretty soon, it'll be too cold to walk them.

Oh jeez, I have to run out and get turkey for Soccer Boy's lunch tonight too. And milk. Probably need to stop at the gas station first. Did I mail that bill today? Better run by the Post Office, too.

Probably be too tired to write after all that.

I can't even imagine what life was like for my Grandma. She did all this without a dishwasher, electric oven, washing machine, refrigerator, or car. Of course, she could pick veggies from her garden, or the root cellar, so she didn't need to run into town every day. And the turkey would have been one whose neck she chopped off, and whose feathers she plucked! The dog didn't need walking. He went down and brought the cows up to the barn twice a day for milking.

And she definitely would not have had a beer! It would have been a brandy.

The Meaning of Halloween

2009-10-31T10:27:00.006-04:00

At our house, Halloween is known as the day when children dress up in wonderful costumes and go out with one purpose...

TO GET CHOCOLATE FOR THEIR MOTHER!

(They keep all the Nerds, Sour stuff, suckers, gum and Gummy candy. Hey, it's a win win situation)

Welcoming Brett

2009-10-27T07:23:00.005-04:00

The city of Green Bay is trying to come up with some unique ideas to welcome Brett Favre back to town on Sunday. What do you do for a guy who has a street named after him?

There is talk of trying to set the record for the WORLD'S BIGGEST WAFFLE! Funny!

Go Pack GO!

Looking at Ghosts of Halloweens Past

2009-10-24T07:45:00.000-04:00

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

What Can Possibly Compete With That?

2009-10-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

Our friends, Joe and Elizabeth are having their annual Halloween party. It has been the event for years. They rent the Boathouse, which is a lovely old building on the lake, with a great view of the water. It has a kitchen, fireplace and room for 100 of their closest friends. There is room to wander outside, and a place for a band or DJ. There is always lots of food, and plenty to drink. And I hate to go!

You see, I'm not a dresser-upper. And at this party, the costume is the thing. There have been some great ones, but none of them mine.

Last year, I was a McCain supporter. Ha! All my costume amounted to was a navy sweatshirt, with a McCain bumper sticker on the chest, surrounded by blue led lights. The perfect Sarah Palin stole the show. (I didn't know Elizabeth knew Tina Fey).

The year before last, I was Tom, the Blendtec guy. I wore a lab coat, goggles, and carried a rake.
Turns out, I'm the only one who knows about the Youtube sensation Will It Blend?

A few years ago, the Dad who coaches soccer with Uncle Lynn, was Anna Nicole Smith. He was wonderful! And so unexpected, for a buttoned-up architect like Craig to be her! Memorable.

But here's what really got me! Joe and Elizabeth had the best costumes! Very cerebral...

This is what they wore (sorry, not actual photos) ...See if you can guess what they were...

Elizabeth's costume...

and Joe's costume...

and they were...

Peace & Quiet!

Any suggestions would be welcomed! Otherwise, I think I'm going to be sick that day!

Rembrandt Tulips

2009-10-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen anything as gorgeous as these Rembrandt tulips? They are my very favorite! Love how the two colors swirl and blend together.

My last post was about planting bulbs, and I'm happy to say that I planted some of these beauties. Now it's just a matter of getting through the long, cold winter...

Delayed Gratification!

2009-10-18T23:00:00.000-04:00

Somewhere along the line, I remember learning that delayed gratification was a good thing.

But I've always been a more immediate gratification kind of girl.

There are lots of examples...why wait to get home to a nice dinner when you can have a Snickers right now? Or why study, when you can go out with friends right now?

Or why save money when there's $50 burning a hole in my pocket right now? You get my drift.

But there is one instance when I'm all about delayed gratification...Fall! Because when you plant a handful of these right now...

six months from now, you'll be rewarded with a display like this...

or even this...

The weather here has been so cold and grey, it's set some kind of record. But tomorrow is supposed to be one of those magical, bright blue sky, nip in the air days that are too few in northern Wisconsin. And there won't be many of them, either. And then all winter, I'll be thinking about my treasures, waiting in the frozen ground, to finally come up and announce that spring has sprung. So, if you can stand a little delayed gratification...

Get out there and plant...and one more thing...POINTY END UP!

October is...

2009-10-14T18:18:00.005-04:00

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

St. Elizabeth's hospital, in Appleton, Wisconsin has Walk-In Wednesdays. Mammograms are done on Wednesdays, no appointment needed.

Last Wednesday, that is just what I did. It was easy and fast. There was no time to dread the procedure, and maybe call to reschedule, as I have been known to do.

So what about you? Have you had a mammogram recently? Are you due?

Now, if they would just offer a walk-in colonoscopy, we'd really have something!

Brought to you by Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Another Car, Another Name

2009-10-07T06:17:00.000-04:00

I think naming cars is silly. Would never set out to find the right name for a car, like it is some newborn child or something. Frivolous. Ridiculous. But sometimes, you just can't help it.

Like the white conversion van , affectionately named "Vanna White." My first named car.

Well, it happened again. Vanna retired, and was replaced by a silver Lincoln Aviator. Uncle Lynn asked what the car's name was, and I said something like "huh?"

"You know, a name, like Vanna White for the old van." And out of my mouth, completely unexpetedly, came the perfect name for my new car...

Amelia!

Real Men Wear Pink

2009-10-05T09:21:00.006-04:00

Here, in the Shadow of Lambeau Field, there is a mighty big battle brewing tonight!

But the NFL and the players are acknowledging, all month long, the battle so many women and their families are fighting against breast cancer. Look for the pink in tonight's game. Word is that Brett's shoes will be pink. His wife, Deanna, is a breast cancer survivor. And that's the real battle. After all, football is just a game. And in the midst of all the hype, that's a good reminder.

Deanna Favre, breast cancer survivor

Making the Ocean Safer...

2009-09-30T10:22:00.006-04:00

...one shark at a time!

The POPrs crew went on a Florida panhandle vacation last week. The trip was strictly guys-only.

They hung out in the sun, smoked cigars, ate oysters, talked smart and shark-fished. There may have been some adult beverages involved, also! All in all, it was a great bonding, team-building experience. And based on the number of sharks caught, they are all rethinking ever swimming there again!

In The Shadow of Lambeau Field

2009-09-27T06:10:00.003-04:00

We, here in the shadow of Lambeau Field, have a new favorite TV commercial. Watch it, and you'll see why!

No, I didn't shoot the commercial, but that gets my nomination for Best TV Commercial of the Year! Even Packer fans have to admit, that's funny...

Weekly Winners are brought to you each week by Lotus at Sarcastic Mom. Go on over and give her some comment love...pretty please?

Six Word Saturday

2009-09-26T07:29:00.007-04:00

Enjoy fall's splendor...Winter's coming, remember?

Six Word Saturday, sponsored by Cate at Show My Face.

We LOVE Our Green Bay Packers

2009-09-24T20:43:00.015-04:00

I am participating in Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, sponsored by Carrie at Candid Carrie.

The "Frozen Tundra" on a nice day!

The players riding kid's bikes to practice, from the locker room.

St. Vincent. His friend, the nun, sports an official cheese bra. All donations for photo ops go to the American Cancer Society.

Donald Driver executing a perfect Lambeau Leap. Watch those hands, ladies!

The Bikini Girls, of Maxim magazine fame . Is it HOT in here?

And the winners of the Great Poprs Giveaway, where you suggested a name for a Leader Dog puppy, are Tortuga and Freegal1000. Tortuga suggested Clara, and freegal, Gracie. Kristi, who will raise the puppy for her first year, won't be able to say definitively until she actually meets the pup. So they both win 5 multipacks of Poprs. The rest of you who suggested names will receive one multipack. Thanks for playing!

Last Day to Name the Puppy and Win!

2009-09-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

This is the last day to enter the Great Poprs Giveaway...name this special puppy and win! She will be a Leader Dog for the Blind, and give someone the gift of independence and mobility.

Winner will be announced Friday, so this is your last shot.

The winner will receive FIVE multipacks of Poprs, one each of color changing, rainbow, cinnamon, butter and strawberry. Each multipack contains 10 pouches of magic crystals, to sprinkle on good food to make it great! All who suggest a name will receive one multipack, so everyone is a winner.

Remember, this is a female puppy. She is German Shepherd and Labrador. And she has a very important job to do. Be creative, and have fun.

An Early Quilt

2009-09-21T23:42:00.006-04:00

This is one of my favorite quilts, and one of the first that I made. It is an Ohio Star, on a natural background. The colors are rich reds, forest greens, rusts and browns, golds and soothing blues. The best part of this quilt, though, is that the plain blocks are hand quilted. Back when I had time!

The quilting pattern is a feathered wreath.

There are little tiny blood stains on the back in several places. If I were to try this again, all sharp objects would have to be hidden! With four boys, when did I ever have time to do this?

Must have been back in the days when the boys were in bed early, and I stayed up late. Now,
the reverse is true!

And no, none of the college-bound kids got hand-quilted quilts for their dorms!

Don't forget to check out my newest contest! It'll be lots of fun. And it involves a puppy!

Hmmmm....Enter quick...winner announced on Friday, Sept. 25.

"Mom, Was I Planned?"

2009-09-19T22:21:00.023-04:00

These photos shot with a film Canon Rebel. Weekly Winners brought to you by Lotus at Sarcastic Mom. And BTW, don't forget: I've Got a Great New POPrs Giveaway going on...and it involves a puppy!

"Mom, was I planned?"

That's the question Soccer Boy posed last night at dinner. And I was surprised, to say the least.

"What possible difference could that make?" I replied.

He said "I just want to know." So I said, "Of course you were planned." I don't think he bought it, though. Because, the truth is, he definitely was not planned. We already had three boys, the youngest was eight. I was forty, for goodness sakes!

We finished dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, and each did our own thing. But his question was still swirling in my mind. So I went to the photo albums, and went back in time for a while...

And what I found, late last night, was a better answer to his question. After hours of looking at old photos, I saw a family that was meant to be made up of four boys, we just didn't know it at the time. But God did.

His older brothers are proud of him, they delight in everything he does. Big Bear cuddled him to sleep when he was a baby. College Boy helps him with his homework, and is way more patient than I am. Shark Boy uses him to work out! Just kidding.

He was taken to show and tell in fourth grade, because he was 100 days old on the 100th day of school. Other kids brought 100 pennies or 100 baseball cards. He spent the night in his brother's college dorm room, the first year he went away. They both needed to see each other. They taught him how to climb stairs, ride a bike, play soccer, ride a longboard, divide fractions, dive, use an ipod and computer, eat crab legs and mushrooms, boogie board, be tough, play beer pong (with Mt. Dew), play Texas Hold 'Em and text message. (Hey, he's 13 and his brothers are 21, 24 & 27).

There will be more lessons. Like driving, and how to treat a girlfriend. Things big brothers were made for. And I don't want to miss a minute of it.

Sometimes, the best things in life aren't planned!

After Fifteen Years, Vanna White Retires!

2009-09-19T00:01:00.002-04:00

I've Got a Great New POPrs Giveaway going on...and it involves a puppy!

Not THAT Vanna White...This one!

Hey, doesn't EVERYBODY name their cars?

I am participating in Six-Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

Name the Puppy Great New Poprs Giveway

2009-09-17T09:52:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, I talked at length about the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, and the part you can play in naming a Future Leader Dog puppy.

My great friend, Kristi, has raised eight previous puppies (not 9 as was previously reported!).

These are the names they were given:

Moses, Daisy, Vince, Odin, Liise, Ingrid, Scout, and Abby

Moses is my favorite, maybe because he did not go on to complete the program, because of a slight hip problem, and he is lying at my feet as I write this! It is also the name of a great leader!

Odin, Liise and Ingrid are Norwegian names. Kristi is a proud Scandinavian.

Vince was named after Vince Lombardi, another great leader. It was fun to give the puppy a name that also reflected the state in which he was raised. This pup was a black lab, with a big head. Vince fit him to a T. And I think he wound up with a man, so it was perfect.

Anyway, you get the drift. Come up with a name for the next puppy. Think of great leaders, Wisconsin or any other tie-in you like. The puppy will be a female, German Shepherd/Lab mix.

The contest will run through Thursday, September 24th. The winner will be announced Friday, September 25th. Kristi will choose the winner herself, and the name will be put on all of the official documents, and will be the name this dog will learn as she is growing in her Leader Dog skills. Her eventual owner will be introduced to her with the name you choose. HAVE FUN!

All entries will receive a 10 pack of Poprs, and the winner will receive one 10 pack each of all five flavors! This is the introduction of FOUR NEW POPRS FLAVORS. Uncle Lynn is anxious to hear what you think about them. As of this week, all five flavors are available at Festival Foods.
Learn more at http://www.poprs.com/.

The varieties of Poprs are:

*Color changing, for yogurt
*Cinnamon, for applesauce
*Rainbow, for cupcakes
*Butter, for veggies
*Strawberry, for ice cream

Have fun with this one! Only one entry per person, please. Check back to see the names that have been suggested so far, and next Friday, to see if you are the WINNER. Good Luck.

Wordful Wednesday: Destined to Lead

2009-09-16T07:19:00.014-04:00

I am participating in Wordful Wednesday, sponsored by Angie at Seven Clown Circus.

Founded by three Detroit area Lions Clubs members in 1939, Leader Dogs for the Blind provides dog guides to people who are blind and visually impaired to enhance their mobility, independence and quality of life.

Leader dogs are raised by volunteer puppy raisers. Leader Dogs could not be provided without the assistance of volunteer puppy raisers.

There are nearly 400 puppy raisers in 22 states and Canada. Puppy raisers travel to Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, to pick up and return their puppies.

Seventy percent of puppy raisers raise more than one puppy in their lifetime.
Puppy raisers receive their puppies at 7 to 8 weeks of age and return them to Leader Dogs for the Blind between 12 and 15 months of age.

Puppy raisers teach puppies basic obedience, house manners and good etiquette while exposing the puppies to all types of environments, such as:

Churches, stores, amusement parks, sporting events
Different types of people
Different types of floors and stairs
Different sorts of animals, including squirrels, cats, birds, dogs and farm animals
Loud sirens
Busy sidewalks and bicycles.

Some puppy raisers are able to take their puppy to work with them . Puppy raisers are responsible for meeting at least monthly with their puppy counselor. Volunteer puppy counselors are regionally placed. Counselors organize obedience lessons and exposure opportunities for the puppies.

Puppies who see and experience a large variety of environments during the first year of their lives will be more confident when exposed to future experiences .
Raisers provide health care, food and necessary supplies for the puppies.

Raisers have the privilege of naming the puppies.

Puppy raisers follow very specific guidelines, such as:

When puppies are in public wearing their “Future Leader Dog” bandannas or jackets, they are expected to be clean and well mannered.
Puppies will be taught to stay off furniture .
Puppies are expected to lay quietly at meal time and not beg.

Each month, approximately 30, 1-year-old puppies are returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind to begin formal training .

My friend, Kristi, has raised 9 puppies to date. They have all been Yellow Labs up to this point.

Moses, the love of our lives, was her first. He went everywhere with her, restaurants, church, the grocery store. No place is off limits to Future Leader Dogs. Anywhere a blind person would be welcome, these puppies are welcome.

After a year with Kristi, Moses was returned to start training, and Kristi took another puppy home. Not long after, she got a call. One hip was not perfect, and did she want him back? That was easy! So I picked him up part way home, and drove him the rest of the way to her house. Two of my boys rode along, and fell in love. How could you not? But Kristi had plans for him. We bid a tearful goodbye, and I whispered "If your plans fall through, call us." And that's what happened.

Kristi is devoted to raising these wonderful dogs, and giving them a terrific head start for the life they are going to lead. This German Shepherd/Lab mix will be her tenth! Moses was a "Career Change", one is undergoing training now, and 7 have been placed as Leader Dogs.

Which brings us to the puppy at hand.

Your task, privilege, is to come up with a name for this puppy. She will be picked up in Rochester, Michigan on October 3. The name will be decided before then, so that it can be put on the formal documents. (Once she has the puppy home, I'll be able to publish a photo of the actual puppy you have named. The one that has appeared so far is a photo furnished by Leader Dog of a former Shepherd pup).

Tomorrow, check back for names Kristi used for previous puppies. And I'll have info on the prize for this new Great Poprs Giveaway, too!

This Little Girl Has a Very Big Future

2009-09-15T07:23:00.005-04:00

She is going to be a Leader Dog!

And you can help name her!

Details of this new Great Poprs Giveway coming soon, so check back with us every day.

I Feel Another Contest Coming On!

2009-09-12T00:01:00.002-04:00

I am participating in Six-Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face. Those are my six words in the title of today's post.

Stay tuned for contest rules. This is gonna be a fun one! I'm off to a wedding this weekend.

Should have some photos to share next week. And check back often. When you see this cute little guy again, he'll be announcing the new contest. It'll be another Great Poprs Giveaway!

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

2009-09-11T13:29:00.008-04:00

I am participating in Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, today. Go visit her, OK?

Grab Your Kleenex...

2009-09-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

I was driving through town the other day, not thinking about anything much, when it happened.

Right there, behind the wheel, I felt my chest tighten and my field of vision narrow. Tears came into my eyes and I had to pull over. All because I was following this...

What's the big deal, you say? Well, grab the Kleenex, and I'll explain..

I'm the youngest of three kids, the baby in the family, the only girl. My Dad died when I was 24, and my brothers had already left home. It was just my Mom and me. I had just been accepted to two top graduate schools (Columbia, MO and Auburn) when he died. There was no way I was going away to school and leaving Mom alone. How would we pay for it? What would she do alone? So I got a job and we muddled through. I needed her as much as I thought she needed me.

Long story short, I met a great guy (Uncle Lynn, the Popr's King) and we got married. Moved away and had two kids. My brother had children too. She was a Grandma. She retired. Life was good. Not perfect, but good.

Mom had four sisters, and a brother. Her brother died of a brain tumor in his thirties. There was cancer in her family. One spring day, we got the news that Mom's oldest sister had it. She died a few months later. The next spring, the next sister was diagnosed. She moved home from Atlanta to live with Mom, and she also died shortly after. Summer turned to winter, then to spring.

In the middle of a party for my birthday, on March 11, 1986, my brother called. He never called. I said "Hey! You remembered my birthday! Why this year?"

The pause was eternal. He said "Oh. It's your birthday. Never mind. I'll call you tomorrow."

Another long pause, and I remember saying something like "Oh my God. It's Mom, isn't it?"

Kidney cancer. I spent the next months during the week with her, and on Saturdays, I'd drive 3 hours across the state to go home and do grocery shopping and laundry for my husband and kids, and the next day I'd go back to Mom's. My husband's Aunt Mable moved from Milwaukee, in with us, to take care of the kids. We got along that way for months.

Then one night, in the middle of the night, things changed. Mom's sister was with us, and so was Mom's friend Alice, from California. They had been in nursing school together, and had remained close all that time! They took my brother and me aside, and said it was time to take her to the hospital. We called an ambulance.

I drove alone, and followed the ambulance. About half way there, the light came on in the back, and I saw her sit up on her elbows and wave to me!

Later, my aunt told me that my Mom knew I was behind them, and she didn't want me to worry. So she summoned up her strength, and made the most unselfish gesture ever. She had the driver turn on the light so I could see, and she waved to me.

She only lived another day or two, and died Labor Day Weekend. I don't know, don't want to know, the exact date. It's been 23 years. But I have not forgotten anything about that night. It was all she could give me at the time, and it was everything. I'll never forget it. And I'll never be able to follow an ambulance again ever, without sobbing, as long as I live.

And that's OK. I love you, Mom.

No Empty Nest Here!

2009-09-06T09:20:00.001-04:00

For more Weekly Winners, go see Lotus at Sarcastic Mom.

I have four boys and I'm a stay-at-home mom. It's the job I've always wanted. Doesn't pay well and the hours aren't great, but I never wanted to be anything else. And there have been days, believe me, when I questioned that decision from sunup to sundown. But there were more days when I felt like the luckiest person in the world.

My boys are mostly grown now. They are 27, 24 and 21. The oldest two share an apartment, and the other is a senior in college. We have empty bedrooms. The phone doesn't ring much. The washing machine actually has time to dry out between loads. The grocery bill is way down, and so are the water and gas bills. I could be REALLY depressed...

But that fourth boy is still at home. He was a 40th birthday present from my husband, who said "some day I would thank him." I found out about him on my 40th birthday, and that afternoon, my new eye doctor asked if I needed bifocals! "Well, you are 40, you know." The thought of carrying graham crackers and pacifiers in my purse again brought tears to my eyes. It was harder to get up in the night with each baby, so I wondered if this one was going to feed and change himself in the middle of the night. He was delivered in that brief period when hospital stays were limited to 24 hours for deliveries. That is not enough time. At 40, you need a week!

But Uncle Lynn was right. I have thanked him lots of times over the years, but now that the 21 year old is back at college, and the two oldest are settled, we were that close to an empty nest!

And that's not something I'm looking forward to! So thanks, honey. Again. Now let's go watch a soccer game!

Puppy Love

2009-09-05T07:39:00.011-04:00

Meet Darby, the newest POPrs Pooch.

My six words brought to you by Cate at Show My Face.

He's about as cute as they come, don't you think? Just what my mother-in-law needed. And as the newest puppy in the POPrs Family, he's probably going to steal some of the attention away from Rowdy.

And Darby's a soon-to-be 100-pound dog! This is when you want to wave the magic wand and keep him a puppy forever...

America's Got Talent...

2009-09-03T09:48:00.009-04:00

You might remember the post last week about the wonderful opera singer, Barbara Padilla, who is competing on the reality show America's Got Talent. Last night, the first five of ten finalists were chosen. Check these guys out!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mlxVY7007A

I'm with Sharon Osborne, the judge, who looked at the blonde cowboy and said "Call me!"

Do Kids Learn Poems in School Anymore?

2009-09-02T12:25:00.004-04:00

The pretty photo of the too-soon-red maple tree the other day got me thinking.

Fall is coming at us fast! And since it is the very best time of theyear, there are lots of things to love about fall. Lines of a poem were swirling in my head. A poem I learned back when dinosaurs roamed the earth! Here it is.

September

The goldenrod is yellow;

The corn is turning brown;

The trees in apple orchards

With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes

Are curling in the sun.

In dusty pods the milkweed

It's hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,

In every meadow nook;

And asters by the brook-side

Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning

The grape's sweet odors rise;

At noon the roads all flutter

With yellow burrerflies.

By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,

With summer's best of weather

And Autumn's best of cheer.

This is stretching my memory a little, but I think the 5th-graders in Mrs. Newton's class (she was also the principal) who learned this poem got to recite it for the younger kids during classtime. So we got time out of class to practice and more time out to recite. It was a great deal. I'll have to check with my friend Kristi. We've been friends since second grade, and she remembers lots more than I do.

Brought to you by Angie's Wordful Wednesday. Enjoy!

A Sign Of Things To Come

2009-08-29T12:29:00.007-04:00

Sunday is the last day to vote for Veggie Mom & Aunt Julie in the Mommy Blogger of the Year Contest...Thanks for your support!

I am participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate at Show My Face.

I LOVE Fall...NOT IN AUGUST!

This gorgeous little maple tree seems to have a mind of its own! But if you look closely, there seems to be some damage to the trunk. I'm hoping this is the cause of the display of red leaves in AUGUST, though the high for today is the low 60s.

School starts Tuesday. Where did summer go?

America's Got...Barbara Padilla

2009-08-26T07:57:00.015-04:00

Don't forget to vote for Veggie Mom & Aunt Julie in the Mommy Blogger of the Year Contest...Thanks for your support!

I admit it. I'm hooked on America's Got Talent. And last night, this performance gave me goose bumps.

The semi-finals will be a lot of fun to watch. I also loved Voices of Glory and Kevin Skinner. And don't forget the amazing voice of Lawrence Beaman. When each one of these acts is on, they are my favorite!

Non-traditional acts include Mario & Jenny, the naughty elderly comedienne Grandma Lee, and Paradizo Dance.

Watch tonight, as the field of 40 gets narrowed again. Who's your favorite?

Aunt Julie...Mommy Blogger of the Year?

2009-08-25T10:12:00.003-04:00

Isn't this face adorable? I'm talking about Soccer Boy, not me! But Eat Your Veggies! is being featured today on Project Mommyhood. Remember? I'm one of 12 Mommy Blogger of the Year Finalists.

Veggie Mom started this project more than a year ago, and I'm carrying on the family tradition. Veggie and I are the Dynamic Duo. All you have to do is vote. It's not that hard. Just click here and look for the poll on the right. Click Veggie Mom. Click Vote. And you're done!

Thanks to all of you for the support you've given me since I took over from Veggie Mom in July. You're the best!

The MOST IMPORTANT POST I've done

2009-08-23T00:01:00.001-04:00

On August 29, 2008, a brain tumor was found on Luke's left occipital lobe and on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 the tumor was removed at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.

So begins an entry on the journal page for our friend's little boy, Luke.

Caring Bridge offers free, personalized websites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery. It was one of the first social networking blogs!

Since Caring Bridge was begun in 1997, there have been 155,000 personal web pages created to give families an outlet for medical information about their loved one. The information is immediately available, and eliminates the need to make all of the phone calls necessary to update family and friends. The site includes sections to post information, a guestbook for concerned people to post their well wishes and prayers and a photo gallery.

If you know someone with a critical illness, premature baby, cancer treatment, stroke, war deployment or injury...consider creating a Caring Bridge webpage for them. It's simple to do and free of charge. It's a great way to easily stay connected to friends and family.

Check them out here. It can make all the difference!

And tonight, say a little prayer for Luke. He's a great kid, battling a terrible disease.

Thank you!

FYI: Voting has opened in the Mommy Blog of the Year Contest. Vote for Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie...Pretty please? Thanks!

Fx4's Friday Floral Fiesta

2009-08-21T08:08:00.020-04:00

FYI: Voting has opened in the Mommy Blog of the Year Contest. Vote for Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie...Pretty please? Thanks!

Since my flower garden is on its way out, thought I'd share some of the blossoms that won't be seen in my front yard again anytime soon...Brought to you by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta.

Happy Friday!

The Hour I First Believed

2009-08-20T05:50:00.001-04:00

FYI: Voting has opened in the Mommy Blog of the Year Contest. Vote for Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie...Pretty please? Thanks!

Now that my beach vacation is over, it's time to let you know what my choices were for beach reads. Many of you made suggestions, when I ran the great Everyone's a Winner POPrs Contest, everything from the Bible to teen vampire books.

These were my picks...

Lots of you suggested My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. It will be released as a film, starring Cameron Diaz, soon, if it hasn't already been released. Loved it, and didn't see the ending coming. Wow! No matter how good the movie will be, READ THE BOOK FIRST.

I also read Three Dog Life, by Abigail Thomas. It is the story of how a woman adjusts and carries on after her husband was struck by a car, and is left with traumatic brain damage. It's relatively short and easy to read, and not as depressing as you might imagine. Rates as OK; it's not bad and not great either. Which leads us to...

My favorite is The Hour I First Believed, by Wally Lamb. It is a fictionalized story about the aftermath of Columbine for one family. It mixes fact and fiction beautifully, and also spans the time of the Civil War to the present. Sounds weird? Well, I loved it. It's long-725 pages-and I confess, I have about 50 pages more to go. Walking on the beach took precedence over reading.

This was not a suggested title, but I had read another book by Lamb and remembered liking that, so I gave it a shot. Loved it.

If you take my advice and read The Hour I First Believed, also try I Know This Much Is True. It has been reviewed as "the saga of the century. Best, most wonderful, most dramatic, most powerful..." It's the other novel by the same author I referred to above. Gee, maybe I need to read that one again!

Packers vs. Vikings: 576 Tickets Available!

2009-08-18T19:11:00.012-04:00

For the Packer Viking game Sunday, November 1, 12:00 at Lambeau Field.

Prices range from $348 to $1,800 (note: tickets may sell for more than face value).

Really?

My best guess is that Brent (Brett) didn't see the sweet post I did about him back on July 29th, or he NEVER would have worn purple.

What do YOU think about the continuing soap opera that is Brett Favre?

Actually, the first meeting of the Pack and the Favre-enhanced Vikings will be a Monday night game, in Minnesota, October 5 at 7:30. Watch it on ESPN. We Packer fans are waiting to play the Vikes at Lambeau, Brett's home for 16 years...

2009-08-18T08:12:00.002-04:00

Because I'm one of the 10 Mommy Blogger of the Year Finalists, I was required to answer a questionnaire. Uncle Lynn and I had fun going through these sharp questions. All modesty aside, I think I might have "aced" this test. Please tell me what you think! And, don't forget to vote for me over at Project Mommyhood!

1. In your opinion, what makes a great, readable blog?
I love reading humorous, relevant blogs; the ones that make me "think" are great. I also love parenting tips and recipes!

2. What traits do you think our Mommy Blogger of the Year should possess?
The Mommy Blogger of the Year, first and foremost, has to be able to take herself seriously, while at the same time realizing that "it is what it is," and that life goes on. In other words, "silly" has to be part of the mix, big-time. This realistic approach to "Mommyhood" will keep her on an even keel, while at the same time keeping her readers a little off-balance.

3. Why are Mommy Bloggers so important today?
Oh, gosh, so many answers come to mind. Mommy Bloggers remind us that we're not alone; that it's OK to mess up sometimes, that kids are resilient, and that being a Mom is the best job in the world!

4. If you were stuck on a deserted island...what 3 things would you take with you?
My family, my dogs, and rum, to go with the tropical fruit! I'm assuming that this would be a tropical island, right?

5. What is probably the best Mom Story you have?
I've always loved the beach. When I was pregnant with Soccer Boy (my 4th), I took an innertube into the ocean, planning to spend some time floating around in the gentle surf, watching the dolphins. I guess I must have fallen asleep; when I awoke from my slumbers, I noticed I was waaaaaaaaaayyyy too far beyond the shore. The currents were carrying me out to sea! I panicked briefly, but was relieved when a hot young guy in a kayak came by and asked if I needed help. He towed me to shore. Before he rescued me, I thought I was headed for Bermuda!

6. What do you plan on doing if you win our Mommy Blog of the Year Contest? (Going to Disneyland?)
I'm going to that deserted island you mentioned, with my family, my dogs and a bottle of rum, if that's OK!

7. What do you want the public/readers to know about you?
That I've got 4 boys and a wonderful husband. You know, Uncle Lynn, the POPrs King! I love my family (natch), I'm a gardener (except when I'm killing the petunias and the topsy-turvy tomatoes) and I'm also a quilter. I'm a beachcomber, too, and I'm always on the lookout for bargains! I'm also really involved in the family business. Uncle Lynn, aka my hubby, Mr. Pops and the POPrs King, makes a product that encourages kids (and everyone else) to eat their veggies! Hence, the name of my blog, and my prime purpose in the blogosphere...to share a little bit about me and my familywhile getting the word out about the POPrs King and his adventures!

WILD on the beach!

2009-08-16T23:22:00.016-04:00

FYI: Voting has opened in the Mommy Blog of the Year Contest. Vote for Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie...Pretty please? Thanks!

I'm back from my beach vacation, and am slowly getting back into the swing of things. Today, I must have done 14 loads of laundry! The little black skimmer isn't the only wildlife we saw on the beach. Check out these photos...

Guess the Keep Off the Dune sign only applies to you if you can read!

My niece, The Wild One, and I took a jeep tour of the northern beaches, north of Corolla, in hopes of getting a glimpse of the wild Spanish mustangs. We were successful, as you can see. In all the years of going to the Outer Banks, I can't believe we hadn't done this before. We had a ball! I get excited at home when I see a deer in my neighborhood. Just imagine seeing a wild horse.

More about them another day. Gotta "hit the hay," as my horsey friends would say. It's way past my bedtime.

Thanks for all the book suggestions, too. I'll be letting you know what I ended up with.

Six-Word Saturday: End of Summer?

2009-08-15T08:36:00.004-04:00

Leaving the beach means summer's end?

Brought to you by Cate at Show My Face. And FYI: Voting has opened in the Mommy Blog of the Year Contest. Vote for Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie...Pretty please?

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta: I'd Like to Thank the Academy...

2009-08-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

Wow...I can't believe it! I've made the finals in Project Mommyhood's Mommy Blogger of the Year Contest!

I guess the tales of Uncle Lynn, Aunt Julie and The POPrs Family have some entertainment value, huh? Voting gets underway on August 15th. In the meantime, I'd like to recap my week at the beach. The highlights, of course, centered around the wildlife.

We saw ghost crabs burrowing in the sand during our evening walks on the beach.

We saw majestic pelicans soaring over the ocean. Incoming!

On the other end of the spectrum, we saw birds of a much different feather...

And, of course, we saw lots of wildlife of the human variety!

These shots were brought to you by Candid Carrie and her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. But of course, you already knew that, right?

Mystery Bird

2009-08-13T00:01:00.002-04:00

While walking on the beach yesterday, I saw a queer little bird I'd never seen before. He was black, with a white tummy, and short little red legs. The legs looked like they were not in the right place, like he was about to tip over. He had a long beak, and the bottom part was longer than the top. It had a bright red band on it, at the base.

Later in the day, I took my camera and set out to see if he was still nearby. Sure enough, he was waiting for me in about the same spot. So I took a few shots. People walking by asked what kind of bird he was. Seemed like other beach-goers were seeing him for the first time, too.

Back at the house, I did a little research. Turns out he is a black skimmer. And he looks like this:

The video above shows the black skimmer family. It'll be fun to look for these critters on future beach walks.

Speaking of beach walks, the shelling here is not great, but we seem to find one little treasure every day. Today, it was green beach glass. Yesterday, the skimmer! Back to reality in a few days...Gotta run! So much to do, so little time...

Wordful Wednesday: What Are the Chances?

2009-08-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

Most of you know by now that I'm a quilter. I have always wanted an antique quilt. And an applique quilt, since I don't have the time or talent to make my own, would be my pick. I cut a picture out of a magazine years ago of a family room, with the most wonderful navy and white quilt on the wall. I saved it for years, as the model of the ideal quilt. One I would love to have someday...

Time went on and the little magazine clipping was tucked away and forgotten. Years later, on a very hot summer day, I was going through our little weekly newspaper, The Shopper, scanning the ads: garage sales, pets and household items for sale. Buried in the middle of the last section, was an ad that read:

For sale.
Old magazines, books,
clothing, quilts,
canning jars, postcards etc.
Call 722-xxxx.

Wait a minute. Quilts. Hmmmmmmm. Well, it couldn't hurt to call. So I called the number. A man answered. He sounded elderly. I asked about his ad, and wondered if the quilts were still available. "Oh, honey, you don't want those old things!" We talked for quite a while, and I said I'd really like to come and see them. He gave me directions to the house, and I told him I'd be right over.

When I pulled up to his little house, I could not believe my eyes. He'd hung the quilts on the line. There were three of them. One was a Grandmother's Flower Garden. It was from the '20's, made of tiny little hexagons. Another was a Log Cabin. The blocks are made of strips, in a pattern of dark and light. And in the middle of the two very average quilts, hung this...

My ideal! The quilt from the magazine.

I remember getting goose bumps on a 90-degree summer day. Unbelievable! It was fluttering in the breeze, in all its glory. I got out of the car to meet my host. He was, indeed, an elderly man. We walked over to the line and I asked him if he knew where the quilts originated. He wasn't sure, but thought maybe Pensylvania. He said the one on the right would be the best for picnics. I told him I was kind of fond of the little one in the middle. He thought I was nuts. Why, with the sun shining through it, you could even see the cotton seeds in the batting! And the old gent was right, the quilt was old. Not a bad thing, for someone looking for an antique.

To make a long story short, I bought all three quilts. I tried to take them to an antique shop for him, to see how much money I could get him for them. He wouldn't hear of it. He never dreamed they were worth anything, he just wanted to get rid of them. He was thrilled that I thought "those old rags" were worth keeping.

And I think I paid $85 for all three. The lovely hand-appliqued and quilted Oak Leaf quilt, from the mid 1800's, periodically graces the wall of my family room. And look closely. The dots on the navy fabric are tiny stars. Love it!

This incredible story is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday. You should stop by and see her today!

Crabby at the Beach

2009-08-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

This little guy is a ghost crab. He blends in really well with the sand. It's fun to go out on a the beach at night with flashlights and look for these guys. They scuttle into their holes when they see you coming. And THESE guys...

are what we had for dinner. DELICIOUS! Enjoy your week. I'll take care of things at the beach! By the way, the reading is going great. Thanks for all the suggestions you gave me in my Great Everybody Wins Poprs Giveaway!

I'd already read My Sister's Keeper, thank you very much. And I loved it, too. Didn't see the ending coming, either. I have another Jody Piccoult book, but forgot it at home.

More about books later. And hey, all you winners, remember to let us know how the Poprs went over! Enjoy!

A Wonderful Bird is The Pelican

2009-08-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

A wonderful bird is the pelican.

His mouth can hold more than his belly can.

He can hold in his beak,

Enough food for a week.

I'm damned if I know how the hell he can!

Dr. Thomas Caceci

I'm off to see the pelicans! They are my favorite birds. Probably because they remind me of the beach. They are only associated with good times. And the poem makes me laugh!

Weekly Winners: Bloomin' Beautiful!

2009-08-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

These clematis are so pretty, I am considering taking out two climbing roses in favor of them. The roses are wonderful when they blossom, don't get me wrong, but that's only about a week.

I find myself asking "what have you done for me lately?"

I could add a few blue morning glorys and have a wall of blossoms all summer long! And no mildew or fungus or any of the other rose problems.

Think when I get back from this vacation, that'll be the plan!

These shots taken with my Canon Rebel XTI digital camera. Weekly Winners brought to you by Lotus at SarcasticMom.

Six-Word Saturday: Smelling So Sweet!

2009-08-08T00:01:00.002-04:00

I am participating in Six -Word Saturday. Stop by and visit Cate at ShowMyFace for more fun. Tell her Aunt Julie sent you!

Take time to smell

the roses!

Have a great weekend.

Calling All Winners!

2009-08-07T00:01:00.001-04:00

Wanted to tie up some "loose ends" before I start my Big Beach Bash. I've heard from most of the winners in my Everybody Wins POPrs Giveaway...the rest of you need to give me a holler!

If you're one of those fabulous readers who recommended a great beach read for Aunt Julie, please make sure you send me your contact info. Just shoot me an e-mail: veggiemom@poprs.com, and your prize will be on its way.

Looking forward to sending you some beach reports from North Carolina's beautiful Outer Banks...stay tuned!

This update is brought to you by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. So, there!

Minute Rice is my new best friend!

2009-08-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

Yep. Good old-fashioned Minute Rice.

Not the latest mascara or face cream, not some fancy car. Not even the woman at Macy's who swore I couldn't be the mother of a 27-year-old!

You see, College Boy's room is a disaster. Has been all summer. He is working long, hot days at a very physical job. Out of the house by 6:30, seldom home before 10:00 at night. He makes good money, in overtime, but he doesn't make his bed. Or pick up dirty clothes. Or take out the dirty dishes and empty Gatorade bottles from the room. He told me to just shut the door, and not worry about it...but he really has no time to do his laundry either.

So I did all of the above, including several loads of laundry. Stripped the bed, hung out the sheets. And instead of hearing "Oh man, Mom, you're the BEST" I heard...

"What the @#%*& happened to my iPod?" "Why is my room so CLEAN?"
Turns out, his iPod Touch ($300 plus his music, movies...) was in the pocket of some shorts. And went into the wash. Then, was either hung on the line or dried in the dryer.

You could see the water inside it. The pictures were all wavy. If I had just shut the door and not worried about it like he asked... Yeah, right. When pigs fly.

His girlfriend suggested we put it in a ziploc bag full of rice, and maybe the rice would absorb the water. It was the best, the only idea we had. Short of buying a new iPod. So that's what we did.

And it WORKED! By the next morning, the iPod is as good as new. Good save!

Wish we would have tried it with the cell phone that took a dunk in a glass of beer. "Since when do college boys pour beer into glasses?" I asked, thinking that was pretty upscale. "Beer pong," was the answer. So much for upscale.

This wasn't the first phone to take an unscheduled plunge. There was one in a swimming pool in Florida and one in the lake. Both were retrieved, both were ruined. Or maybe not.

But I'm satisfied that this time, a box of rice saved me a bunch of money.

Hope you never have to try it, but you never know. Rice might work for you, too.

Wordful Wednesday: Topsy Turvy Tomato Tragedy

2009-08-05T02:18:00.011-04:00

As many of you know by now, I was "experimenting" with Topsy Turvy Tomatoes. Well, turns out I am the Tomato Torturer. Plants that come home with me are marching toward certain death. You can almost hear them at the garden center, saying "Take him! He's much nicer than I am..." Pleading to be spared.

It's not that I don't try. I plant them with the best of intentions. Water them. Pinch off the suckers. Fertilize. Hope.

I've tried several different locations in the yard, looking for the place with just the right amount of sunshine. I've amended the soil. I've planted in pots and in half whiskey barrels. I 've doused them with Miracle Grow for Tomatoes. Bought young plants and plants that already have little green tomatoes on them. I've sought advice from experts.

This year, in my never-ending quest for the perfect home-grown tomato, I've spared no expense. I spent lots of $$ on the project. Huge 8 X 8 cedar timbers with copper tops, wrought iron hooks, and the infomercial-touted suspended planters. I planted them with fertilizer-enhanced, moisture-controlled soil. Placed them in a sunny locale. Watered daily.

And this is the result...

Our pal Jerry, who supplies us with his home-grown delights, diagnosed the problem as blossom end rot. Too much water. Too much love. Too funny! To him, that is.

They hang on the "Tomato Gallows" (thanks, kids), blow in the wind, and wilt. So I water them. Every day. It's a vicious cycle of wilt and water. The more they wilt, the more I water.

He's seen the struggles. It cracks him up. Thinks all you have to do is buy some plants and plant 'em. Yeah, right. Says his grow like weeds, and not to worry. They'll have enough in his garden to eat their fill, can salsa, and still be able to feed my BLT cravings.

Good! 'Cause I love home-grown tomatoes! I just can't home-grow 'em.

BTW, this tragedy is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday. Well, she sponsors this weekly gathering. Today, I'm supplying the drama.

Wastin' away again in Margaritaville

2009-08-03T23:00:00.010-04:00

Well, it's about 10:00 on a Monday night, and I've had too many of these ...

...to write anything coherent any more tonight!

Hey, that's pretty good. Bedtime here has been 9:30 most nights!

My son will be going back to college in a few weeks, right after my beach trip, so we took him and his very nice girlfriend to dinner at a new Mexican restaurant in town.

Our waitress was Ayrica, our old babysitter. We haven't seen her for years, so there was a lot of catching up to do. "Oh my God! Ayrica! When did you move back?" "How's your mom?" "and Travis. What is he doing now?" "Remember the block parties we used to have?"

"Try the peach margarita. They're my favorite..." and pretty soon, it's late, we're stuffed and all caught up. Now I just need someone to tuck me in!

Why is it that everytime I eat out, on the walk to the car, I have buyer's (eater's) remorse?

I'd rather have the cash back, and the belly full of Tex-Mex wouldn't keep me up, either. Not to mention the margaritas! Peach were good, mango even better. But we had fun, and I can always turn over that leaf from yesterday again tomorrow! See yesterday's post about Jamie Lee Curtis and me.

Dieting reminds me of the old line about quitting smoking. "Quitting smoking is easy. I do it just about every day." And one my Dad used to say. "A hundred years from now, it won't matter."

And of course, there's a country music lyric that fits...

"I gave up smokin', drinkin' and women last night. And it was the worst fifteen minutes of my life."

See you in the morning. I'll make coffee.

It's not Saturday, but my six words are...

2009-08-03T00:01:00.002-04:00

JAMIE LEE CURTIS IS MY HERO!

Have you ever walked by the mirror after a shower and wondered when you became your mother...

It's disturbing.

Yes, the hair has been greying. I do have bifocal contacts and reading glasses. The TV is turned up so loud, the kids ask US to turn it down. I go upstairs with a purpose but cannot remember what the reason is when I get there. I go to bed at 9:30. A knee has been replaced. I was oblivious.

But THIS is the final straw.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Mother. Wish I could be more like her. Then, my wish came true.

I have a soft, old lady body. This is news to me. If Uncle Lynn knows what's good for him, he'll say it's news to him, too.

The first sign (I wasn't paying any attention to the signs) was that I stopped tucking my shirts into my jeans. This summer, I've opted for capris over shorts 10:1. My bras are tight. I have back fat! Really! Oh my God! My feet are even a size bigger.

I came across this photo of Jamie Lee Curtis in my desk today. I remembered seeing her on Oprah, talking about how she didn't recognize herself after a recent photo shoot. It seems the photo had been airbrushed, to restore her bod to its former glory. So she got pissed. And had another photo shoot and insisted that the pics be printed as they really were. Like the one we see here. So that all of the women her age (my age) could see that what's happening to them, happens to everyone. Even Jamie Lee (perfect) Curtis.

I'm not quite at the point of acceptance that Jamie Lee is. Hardly! I told my husband that this time away is going to be used as a time of self-reflection. A time to eat healthy. A time to give up the traditional Bucket of Rocks (Rolling Rock, the "pale ale" from Latrobe, PA) on the beach. A time to ponder the second half of my life. Then I realized...

I'm beginning the second half of my life only if I live to be 104! Crap! I've been in the second half of my life for a long time. Oblivious again. AND...

I'm going to the damn beach! Crap.

WW: We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties

2009-08-02T07:16:00.010-04:00

Thanks to all of you who suggested books for my upcoming beach vacation. A decision has not been made nor any books purchased as of this writing. In the middle (beginning) of compiling my list of winners...YIKES...computer hell! So hang in there. In the meantime, enjoy these photos. They are guaranteed to lower your blood pressure. Just what I need!

And remember, if you suggested a book, and lots of you did, you're a winner!

So attention, all winners...send an e-mail to me at VeggieMom@Poprs.com including your mailing address.

Prizes will be on their way to you asap. Then, I'm off to the book store. Thanks mucho.

This message brought to you courtesy of Weekly Winners. For more, please visit Lotus at Sarcastic Mom.

Happy Birthday Rowdy! He's One Today

2009-08-01T00:01:00.004-04:00

Before we get to today's post, today's the last day for my Great New POPrs Giveaway. Everyone who recommends a beach book for Aunt Julie is a winner!

I am participating in Six-word Saturday. Stop by and see Cate at Show My Face. Tell her Aunt Julie sent you.

We found LOVE

on the Internet!

Our 16 1/2-year-old Springer, Trouble, died last fall. We were NOT looking for a puppy! One night I was fooling around on the Web and found a photo of the most adorable puppy. I called the breeder and opened the conversation with, "Is your Web site up to date?" He said "Excuse me?" "Your Web site. Is it up to date? Are the puppies you list as available really available?"

Well, yes they were. We live in Wisconsin (as you know, Brett Favre and all) and the breeder was in Minnesota. How far could it be? So I asked where in Minnesota they were located. His answer: "Do you know where Canada is?" Turns out it was a 10-hour drive, one way! But he offered to meet us half-way, so early the next morning, we were on our way.

Today is Rowdy's 1st birthday. Who says you can't find love on the Internet? We did.

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta...at the Beach

2009-07-31T00:10:00.004-04:00

Have a great weekend, everyone. Thanks for the reading suggestions for the beach. My POPrs Giveaway is open through tomorrow, and everyone's a winner! The countdown begins today with a Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!

In honor of Candid Carrie, here are some favorite beach shots!

College Girl & Soccer Boy

College Boy & The Wild One, way back when

Uncle Lynn & Soccer Boy

One more thing. All of you nice bloggy buddies who recommended a beach read for my upcoming vacation, be sure to send your contact info...including a phone contact...to veggiemom@poprs.com . I want to get your prizes out to you ASAP! And don't forget to let me know what you think of POPrs when you've tried 'em!

Pancakes-With a Secret Ingredient

2009-07-30T00:01:00.003-04:00

Before we get to today's post, please click here for my Great New POPrs Giveaway. Everyone who recommends a beach book for Aunt Julie is a winner!

I got this recipe from Katie, my new neighbor. She's a young Mom, with two little kids. Her son, Joey, is the cutest little boy ever. He helps her make these pancakes every Saturday.

The recipe is from Joey's Grandma. And come to find out that Grandma and Uncle Lynn's mom were close friends! Small world. Katie is interested in getting her kids to eat well, and these pancakes have a little something extra in them. Soccer Boy gives them two thumbs up!

Joey's Grandma's Pancakes

1 1/2 cup oatmeal (quick)

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

Let the batter sit 5-10 minutes before making pancakes.

To make your own buttermilk:

use 1 Tbsp. vinegar for every 1 cup of milk.
Stir well and let sit 5 minutes.

And since blueberries are at their peak now, put some fresh blueberries in the batter too!

For perfect pancakes, flip them when they are full of bubbles on the top. And only flip once.

ENJOY!

Brett Favre-It ain't over 'til it's over...

2009-07-29T00:01:00.005-04:00

Before we get to today's post, please click here for my Great New POPrs Giveaway. Everyone who recommends a beach book for Aunt Julie is a winner!

It appears that this...

is how Green Bay Packer fans will remember Brett Favre.

And that this

is his new uniform. No purple. No black and blue. Just shades. And that grin. Smokin'!

Good for Packer fans. Good for Brett. And really, really good for Deanna!

We love ya, man!

Only His Hairdresser Knows For Sure!

2009-07-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

Before we get to today's post, please click here for my Great New POPrs Giveaway. Everyone who recommends a beach book for Aunt Julie is a winner!

As many of you know, I'm a Cheesehead. Yeah, from the Frozen Tundra. Home of the first team EVER to win a Super Bowl. That would be the Green Bay Packers. And we love Brett Favre. Most of us. Many of us. Some of us? Well, there was a time when we ALL did.

So when there's breaking Brett Favre news, we're on it. And I'm here to tell you about it.

As soon as Brett Favre figures it out. And Heaven only knows when that'll be!

But one thing we do know...he has a sense of humor. He is reportedly making a TV ad for Sears, in which he agonizes over which widescreen TV to purchase. And the salesman says something about him having difficulty making a decision and he says "Yeah. Don't you hate that?"

Pretty funny! But here is one image I just don't want to see...

...Brett Favre in a Minnesota Vikings' uniform. And the Vikings play the Packers at Lambeau Field this year. Isn't it ironic?

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY? And EVERYBODY WINS!

2009-07-27T00:01:00.006-04:00

This Giveaway is Closed. Thanks for playing!

I have a small problem, and I need YOUR help to solve it! You see, I'm off to the beach in two weeks and need a couple of really good books. So I came up with this great idea...

We'll have another Great New Popr's Giveaway!

For EVERYONE who suggests a really good beach read, I'll send you, as thanks, a 10-pack of magic-popping, color-changing crystals.

This stuff is so cool, and GOOD for you, too! The POPrs crystals are red, and when stirred into yogurt (or applesauce) it turns the food blue. And then start to pop. POPrs make eating fun. And tickly. And nutritious, all at once!

As many of you already know, Uncle Lynn makes this stuff. This is a new product, with limited marketplace release. And I'd just love to give you some. But to win, you need to recommend a good beach read. In the comments section of this post, the rest of the week through Saturday, August 1.

And if you would be so kind, after you've tried your POPrs, please let us know what you think of the color-changing variety. Be creative. Come up with new ways to use them. Let your kids in on the fun. Then let us know what you think.

And HELP ME FIND A GREAT BEACH BOOK! But please, no James Patterson. I used to like him, and still would read an Alex Cross book, but his other books have gotten too predictable.

And maybe before the trip, I can suggest a book or two to you. Do we have a deal? The contest will run from now through next Saturday, August 1, at 11:59 EST. Winners will be announced Monday, August 3.

But wait...I can announce the winners all this week...

Because IF YOU RECOMMEND A BOOK, YOU WIN!

Wait 'til Uncle Lynn hears about this one! I'll just have to remind him who he always tells the kids the boss is...Yikes.

All Dogs Go To Heaven...2

2009-07-26T00:01:00.002-04:00

I am participating in Weekly Winners, brought to you by Lotus over at Sarcastic Mom.

These photos were shot with the film version of the Canon Rebel. Back when I could grow delphiniums! They are my favorites, and one of the most persnickety perennials.

Meet Trouble. Or Trouble Elizabeth, as he was known when he misbehaved. He was our first Springer Spaniel. He was liver and white, and the cutest little "speckled pup" you ever did see. He was the best $50 we ever spent. He came from a litter of 14 puppies. It took forever to choose him, but I'm sure we found the very best of the bunch.

Uncle Lynn would take Trouble out to run in the morning in the winter, and then let him into the boys' rooms to jump on their beds and wake them up. He was very bouncy and had a very cold nose, just what little boys needed to urge them out of the sack!

One morning, I was in bed with coffee and heard the most terrible screaming. I ran downstairs, and it was Trouble. He'd jumped off the foot of the bed and his leg got stuck between the mattress and footboard. He'd broken his leg! Trouble became our second dog who received top-notch medical care at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. So much for being a $50 dog!

We were about to take a trip to Florida, and Trouble had to come along, so he could have physical therapy 3 times a day. But that didn't stop him from swimming after a pelican in the Intercoastal Waterway. We all ran after him, yelling for him to come back. And when the pelican finally flew off, Trouble turned around. I don't know how many boats narrowly missed hitting his little brown head, bobbing in the water! We were terrified there was going to be an accident, right in front of the kids! But he lived to have many more adventures.

Trouble loved to go out on the boat. Here's a shot of him, with his ears blowing in the wind. Hey, spotters are supposed to watch the kids when they are tubing!

Trouble sat down on a step like people sit. He'd back up to the step and sit down, with his little doggy butt on the step and his front legs on the sidewalk, like this...

Trouble was a bird and bunny chasing machine. He couldn't help it. That was his job. He was wired to chase birds and bunnies like a fish is wired to swim. It's what he did. All the time. He couldn't help it. The door would open, and out he'd squeeze. There were days when I had to chase him two or three times! I was afraid to turn the corner, afraid he'd been hit by a car.

So we had an invisible fence installed. I doubted it would keep Trouble home. I was sure he'd make the decision one day that it would be worth it, and run. But he never did. Turns out Springers are softies. You cannot imagine the sense of relief when finally, at about 10 years of age, we could sit on the deck and have Trouble just wandering safely in the yard. Don't know how we got along without it for so many years. I know it saved his life. He could even watch a deer walk down the street, and not follow it. He would stand at the end of the yard, and hold a quivering point until the deer was out of sight!

Trouble was a dog of many nicknames. One of the last was Captain Underpants. He was dubbed this because he, shall we say "dripped" a little bit in the last year-and-a-half of his life. So I found a denim wrap at the pet store, and he wore it without complaint. He was still healthy and alert and interested and happy. He just dripped. And we could not teach our kids that pets are disposable when it gets a little inconvenient. Soccer Boy had just read the Captain Underpants book series, and the name stuck.

We learned a lot from Trubbie. That dogs are people too. That dogs can be great friends, and won't ever laugh at you or tell your secrets. And that when you get a puppy, you get a friend for life. And you owe him your best. And when he died last October, we planted an Autumn Blaze maple tree in his honor in the front yard. Bet there won't be a dry eye when the leaves change.

Christmas in July!

2009-07-25T05:50:00.011-04:00

I'm participating in Cate's Six Word Saturday. Stop and see her when you can.

Time to celebrate

Christmas in July!

Public Enemies

2009-07-24T00:01:00.002-04:00

We're back from our short stay in the beautiful North Woods of Wisconsin. We had a great dinner at the Little Bohemia Lodge, the sight of the infamous gunfight between John Dillinger and his gang and the FBI.

We drove past the Lodge on the main highway on the way to the cabin, so when we hopped in the car to go to dinner, I teased Uncle Lynn for hooking up the GPS. Men and their gadgets!

We followed the directions until it had us turn left AWAY from where we thought the Lodge was.

"Let's just follow it" Lynn said, so we wove through the woods, between small lakes and tall trees for miles. One of us commented that it would make more sense to have a hide-out back in the woods than on Highway 51, so we kept following the Garmin. Finally, we looked up the address to the Lodge, and found ourselves at the end of what seemed to be a long driveway. By then, I was willing to follow its directions and go down the road to my dinner! But Lynn said it must be someone's house, so we went back through the woods to the highway and found the Lodge.

When we had ordered a drink in the bar.

Lynn told the bartender that we took the "long way " to find the Lodge. "Let me guess," he said. "You have a GPS!" Turns out that the previous owner worked from a home office, and had his home address as the mailing address for the Lodge. Despite numerous phone appeals, the GPS folks have not made this change. Imagine the traffic in the woods during the making of the film Public Ememies this summer! All those women trying to get a glimpse of Johnny Depp!

The gangsters were having dinner in the private dining room at the end of the main Lodge. The original windows have been preserved, complete with bullet holes.

There are also bullet holes in the wall, directly across from those windows.

The food was great, and not expensive. We had a little adventure finding the place. If you want to learn more about the Little Bohemia Lodge and it's history, go to http://www.littlebohemialodge.com/. It's very interesting. And when you see the film Public Enemies, which now I HAVE to see, you will have some background. And if you go there, forget the fancy GPS. It's right on highway 51! (must not have been so well traveled in the 1920's)

Candid Carrie, who's also from Wisconsin, brought you this travelogue as part of her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta.

You're Gonna Miss This...

2009-07-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

I don't know what kind of music you prefer. I'm not even sure what I like best. Guess the most honest answer to that question would be oldies. Maybe I'm trying to relive my youth, maybe not. But a close second would be country. As the (country) song goes: " 'cause they're songs about life."

A while back, I was shopping at Sam's Club. I was busily shuffling the goodies from the cart to the back of the SUV, and looked up to see a young Mom. She was parked next to me, and had her hands full with three little kids, two of whom were screaming. The third was reaching for something and about tipped out of the cart. She looked at me and said, in her most desperate voice "I wish I was YOUR age!"

When the shock of that comment wore off (how could she tell I hadn't just left MY 3 screaming kids at a sitter's?) I just smiled back and said something lame, and went home and spent the next 30 minutes looking in the mirror. Not really, though I was a little hurt!

I wish I had said something to that hassled Mom to help put everything in perspective. Something that a Mom of MY AGE, in her wisdom, would have learned to help someone of HER age. Something like Trace Adkins would have, had he been at Sam's that day. Something like this...

Wordful Wednesday: The Cornflake Monster

2009-07-22T00:01:00.004-04:00

When we left off, we were talking about family vacations. I was telling you about ours, at the beach in North Carolina. I told you stories, but saved this one for last.

One night after dinner, when the kids were a lot younger and the first time we were at the beach, Uncle Moker took Uncle Lynn aside and told him he was going to tell the kids a story, and to just "play along." Lynn was supposed to operate the lights, and turn them off when he got the signal. So Uncle Lynn agreed, and launched into an elaborate story about the trolls that lived under the bridges over the dune, which lead to the beach.

Mr. Pops had a rapt audience. He explained how children should not dawdle when crossing the dunes, and to be sure to hold hands and to NEVER go across the bridges alone in the dark. Lynn was giving Uncle Moker enough time to get ready, and when the story was long enough, and scary enough, the signal came, the lights went down and THIS...

jumped out of the dark!

The little ones were crying and holding their mamas. Even the big ones weren't acting all that big. It took quite a while for them to settle down.

Even the oldest of the cousins still asks for a reappearance of Cornflake Monster. Soccer Boy missed it, since he hadn't come into the world yet. Should have had a repeat performance years ago. Don't think the Cornflake Monster would have the same effect on a 13-year-old. He's waaaaaaay too cool now!

Until it gets dark.

Well, this is the first year in a very long time that we aren't having Beach Week. My two oldest boys have full-time jobs now and have not earned vacation time. College Boy is working 60 or more hours a week, so he won't have to work during the school year. And the girls have their obligations, too.

Maybe they'll sneak a week in, maybe not. Summer is fading fast. The kids have mostly grown up. Soon there will be careers, weddings, and families of their own. No matter how many more beach weeks we have together, or whether there are no more, one thing is certain...

...I wouldn't have missed it for the world! This memory brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.

Family Summer Vacation

2009-07-21T00:01:00.005-04:00

The POPrs Cousins in Duck, NC-1999

The summer after my Mom died, I received a phone call that changed my life. It was from my oldest brother, Moker. He invited my family to vacation with his, in North Carolina, at the Outer Banks. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and it's a short hop to the beach. We don't, and it isn't. But...

This brother is 7 years older than I am. When I was 9, he was driving. Every Saturday morning, he had to take me to my swimming lessons at the YMCA, in the neighboring town. I used to charge his friends a nickel to talk to him on the phone. I'd hang up if they didn't promise to pay the next time they were over. I was a PEST.

When he went off to college, I was only 11. I guess you could say we weren't tight. So when he called so many years later and extended the invitation for the beach vacation, I felt like Sally Field when she won the Oscar, and she got up on stage and said "You like me! You really like me!" We went.

And have been going ever since.

Soccer Boy in his Speedo (sorry)

We have stories. Memories. The time we went to the restaurant and realized, in the middle of dinner, that we were one child short (he was downstairs back at the beach house, asleep). The time I was pregnant with Soccer Boy and refused to get back in the car after a rest stop in Milwaukee, 90 minutes from home, with 16 hours more to drive. The time we went crabbing and Uncle Moker got bit when he was showing the kids the "right way" to take a crab out of the net. He shook his hand violently, and the crab hung on. Blood flew all over. The kids may have learned a few new words that day!

Reading on the beach. Getting sun poisoning, and an itch so bad it just could not be soothed. Having ice cream on the Boardwalk on a hot summer night. Then going home to walk the beach with flashlights and look for ghost crabs. Boogie boarding. Eating crab. Eating more crab. Buying T-shirts to wear 'til they wore out and we went back the following summer to restock. Sitting on the beach with a bucket of Rocks (Rolling Rock, from Latrobe, PA, for the uninitiated).

Floating in an inner tube and watching dolphins, then realizing I was too far from shore and unable to get back in alone. Being towed back to shore by a cute young college boy in a yellow kayak. The walk I had on the beach with my oldest just last summer, when he confided in me that maybe getting married in the fall might not be a good idea.

And Cornflake Monster. But you have to wait until tomorrow to hear about that!

Loony Tunes?

2009-07-20T00:01:00.011-04:00

No, not Looney. Loony.

Uncle Lynn and I woke up and looked around the other day. The two oldest boys had just moved out, and are now sharing an apartment. College Boy is in Chicago for a few days. And we just dropped the youngest off at camp. We were alone! With dogs, but otherwise, alone.

So we found a cabin in the North Wisconsin Woods that welcomes dogs, and we are off. Hope the weather is good. We are going to the Loon capital of the world. Mercer, WI.

Have you ever heard the cry of a loon? Sooooooooo wonderful. These are what we'll be looking for...

And this...

...is NOT what we want to find!

Though it would be kinda cool.

Will let you know how the time away goes! Will Rowdy be a good houseguest? Will he swim after loons? Can he sit still in a canoe? Can I sleep in a cabin with Snore Boy all night? Will we get out of there...

...ALIVE?

Still the One...

2009-07-19T00:01:00.007-04:00

Today is our 29th wedding anniversary!

Five months and five days after we met, at a bar called "Houligans" in Eau Claire, WI. Five months and five days, you say? It's not even a family record! But it was quick. I kept waiting for someone to ask me what I was doing. Certainly, I reasoned, if it was a bad idea, SOMEONE would say SOMETHING. But no one did. And we got married.

My family loved Uncle Lynn from the beginning. My mom's four sisters tried to think of who it was that he reminded them of. Finally, one summed it up by saying, "he's like an old shoe. It's like we've known him forever." Heads nodded. He was in.

Maybe because he did the hard work. He got up at 4 in the morning to go fishing with Uncle Lewie. Lewie was the crusty old guy who usually took threatened to take the niece's boyfriends hunting. That way, he explained, if the family didn't like the guy, there could always be a "hunting accident."

But hunting season was a long way off. So fishing it was. I guess Lewie though Lynn could always fall on a slippery rock and hit his head...But no, my favorite uncle and my future husband became buddies, though Lynn never really got into early morning fishing.

I've known brides who are all about the wedding...the dress...the cake...the flowers..the food...the rehearsal dinner...and obsess about it for months. We weren't like that.

I dress-shopped once, and hated it. I went to a shop where they brought you three dresses and if you didn't like any, they would bring three more. After seeing 6 and not liking any, I said it was going to be in the next three. Why? Because one of them will be better than the other two, and I didn't want to shop all day! That may be how I got a long-sleeved, high-necked dress for a wedding in July! But I would have married Lynn in a pillow case in the backyard, so it didn't matter.

On our wedding day, the groom, his family and most of mine went to my Aunt's house. They played tennis and swam. They had a big party. My two brothers and I went sailing, since Lynn and I couldn't see each other until the ceremony. The wedding was at 7 p.m. At 5:30, I was buying shampoo. It was hot. Lynn almost fainted. And it sprinkled a little, for good luck!

Happy Anniversay, Honey. I'd like to dedicate this next song to you! Music, please.

We've been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again.
But I want you to know, after all these years
You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear.

You're still the one I want to talk to in bed
Still the one that turns my head
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me laugh
Still the one that's my better half
We're still having fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me strong
Still the one I want to take along
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one. Yes you are.

Changin' our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one that I love to touch
Still the one and I can't get enough
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one

You're still the one who can scratch my itch
Still the one and I wouldn't switch
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me shout
Still the one that I dream about.
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.

Have a GREAT Weekend, and

2009-07-18T00:01:00.003-04:00

Don't Let This...

Happen to You!

I'm taking part in Cate's Six-Word Saturday...stop by, if you can!

Fx4: We Have a Winner AND a Loser!

2009-07-17T00:01:00.003-04:00

See these kiddos? They're enjoying the yummy taste of POPrs on their yogurt. You know, POPrs, created by Uncle Lynn. That fun and good-for-you seasoning that makes your food "sing"!

I had my first POPrs Giveaway this week, and guess what? We have a WINNER!

CONGRATS to Blue Violet, who resides over at A Nut in a Nutshell. She wins a 10-pack of Poprs magic color changing pop'n crystals. These magical crystals, when stirred into yogurt or applesauce, begin to "sing." Fun AND good for you...can't be that!

Hey there, Blue...please send your contact info to veggiemom@poprs.com. We'll make sure Uncle Lynn gets your POPrs Prize in the mail to ya!

The crystals are red, and when stirred into into yogurt, applesauce, or even your morning oatmeal, as Blue Violet suggested, they turn it BLUE! You can feel them pop in your mouth! They are sooooooooo cool. Kids...both young and old...just love them!

Do you remember the photos of my UGLY PATIO the other day? Well, I don't know if you looked close enough at my pictures from that post, but there's a petunia poppin' (get it?) up through the bricks!

I was just wondering...why does this petunia survive, with no attention at all, when the ones I deliberately planted, fertilized, watered and hung on a hook by the mailbox are all dead?

These sad little flowers, plus my glad winner, are brought to you today by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. Have a great weekend!

Let's Throw a Block Party: Part 2

2009-07-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Don't forget my New POPrs Giveaway! Click here for the details...

Stock cars do it.

Thoroughbred horses do it.

Politicians do it.

Little kids with their legs tied together do it.

Even minnows do it...

All you need to stage your own minnow races at your own local block party are two long sections of rain gutters. These can be purchased, but it's easy to find old ones that have been discarded. You can call the local gutter installer and ask him to save the next old ones he tears off. Or, you may just see them on the curb on garbage day.

Once you have the old gutters, seal the ends so they hold water. The hard part is done! You also need contestants. These--the minnows--are easily purchased at a bait shop.

Prop the "racetrack" up on sawhorses, fill it with water and let the fun begin. The neighborhood kids take turns scooping out a minnow from the bucket and placing it in the track, held back by their cupped hand. At the shout of "GO" the minnows are released and they race down the length of the gutter. It's a simple game, but lots of fun. And not just for the kids!

And don't forget the "old-fashioned" form of block party entertainment. Here's a shot of Uncle Lynn and Shark Boy...looks like they MIGHT be in the lead of this wheelbarrow race?

And, of course, there's that old classic, bobbing for donuts on a string. The POPrs Family always loves this game...

Don't forget the other classic yard games, such as tug o'wars and sack races. Your kids will be impressed with how much fun you are! (Especially if you tie your end of the rope around a tree, real sneaky like!)

You can also fill a kiddie pool with sand and let the little ones dig for pennys. Five dollars buys a lot of digging in the sand. We even rented a cotton candy maker for our last neighborhood block party, and a popcorn machine.

Get out in the street and have fun!

Wordful Wednesday: Let's Throw a Block Party

2009-07-15T00:01:00.003-04:00

Don't forget my New POPrs Giveaway...Click here to find out the details!

What a GREAT idea! Someone should get in Block Party Mode...Well, why not you? It's not hard, and you'll have so much fun, it will become an annual event. Here's how to get started.

Enlist help. Another mom or two and you're on your way.

Call the city. You need permission to block off the street, and the fire department needs to know about any barricades. Where we live, city workers delivered the barricades early the morning of the party.

Make flyers. Give people enough notice so they can plan ahead. Games on a Saturday afternoon and grilling at 5-6 p.m. works great. Ask people to bring a dish to share. The planners can provide hot dogs & burgers. Ask everyone to call to rsvp, and ask them what they are able to bring.

Have a list kind of ready-paper plates, condiments, buns, chips, salads, desserts, drinks, etc. And you could even make Summer Block Party Chicken Salad, since you know my recipe and all!

Have the neighborhood kids help with games. If they are part of the planning, you won't believe how much help they will be!

Put enough garbage cans out! And ask your neighbors to bring chairs, too.

Have name tags, and make it a point to speak to as many people as possible. Pull up a chair next to some of the older folks and really get to know them. You'll make someone's day.

Tune in tomorrow for some game ideas. Some you will no doubt have thought of, but I'll bet there is a new idea there for you, too!

And don't forget to comment about why you want to win the 10 pack of POPrs.

These great summer block party ideas are brought to you by Angie, and her Wordful Wednesday.