And Now The Dance Begins

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!

Arizona 51, Pack 45

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!

Welcoming Brett

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!

We LOVE Our Green Bay Packers

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!

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

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!

Six-Word Saturday: Brett Favre Teams Up with Uncle Lynn!

I have two entries in Six-Word Saturday today. First, I'd like to congratulate the winner of the POPrs Give It Away Now Giveaway:

The Winner Is...Stacy's Random Thoughts!

Stacy wins a box of POPrs ~ all eight flavors ~ that fun and nutritious seasoning, which encourages you to Eat Your Veggies! Please e-mail me, Stacy, at veggiemom@poprs.com, with your contact info, and Uncle Lynn will get your prize right out to ya!

And now, to the matter at hand, and the title of this post.

No, he didn't. But if Brett Favre had teamed up with my BIL, that would have been a million times better than the rash decision he was considering. I couldn't imagine Football Season starting so early this year, but here is my Second Series of Six Words, brought to you by Cate at Show My Face:

What were you thinking, Brett Favre?

You heard from me when Brett became a Jet. And again, when the Packers lost. And lost again. And then lost several more times. We even brought you the Cheesehead Pope, for cryin' out loud!

But rumor had it the other day that Brett was thinking about talking to the dreaded Minnesota Vikings.

*sigh*

The rumors turned out to be untrue. Unless everything changes again tomorrow, as it often does with Mr. Favre. It's getting increasingly difficult to like the guy. And I used to be such a fan!

Moker said he wouldn't watch Brett if he became a Viking. No offense to my Minnesota Bloggy Brethren, but that's how intense the Packer-Viking rivalry is.

The Wild One, meanwhile, tried to angle the other day for a Number 4 Vikings Jersey with Brett's name on the back, although she says she remains a loyal Packers Fan.

With no Vikings in his future, I hope Brett retires ~ for good ~ to his farm down in Mississippi this year. That way I won't have to choose. Or loose any more money to the NFL Pro Shop ~ that kid of mine has expensive taste!

Spring is in the Air!

Another of Veggie Mom's contributions to the Random Complexity Writing Challenge. 347 words.

After hibernating, lo these many months, the toesies have come out to play.

Yup, went to the local nail salon yesterday afternoon and got the "full treatment." Some say that March Madness means that Spring is in the Air. I say the fun colors and skin-bearing daring of a pedicure signals the advent of the prettiest season.

My toes have a history, if you want to know the truth. I've always been known as the Girl with the Crusty Feet. My husband and children are blessed with skin so soft, it could have been transplanted directly from a baby's butt. Me, not so lucky!

I started getting pedicures as a way to smooth out those heels and spruce up those piggies. I have always had a hankerin' for going barefoot, so might at well play up the fact that my toes had disrobed, right?

Then, as the years flew by, it got to be a habit. No, I don't go to the salon every week...in fact, my feet pretty much hibernate, as far as glamor is concerned, during the winter months.

But when Spring has Sprung, when those crocuses and daffodils make a show of pushing up through the crusty top layer of the frozen tundra, it's time to take my crusty old feet in for a tune-up.

I indulged in a little "Spring Cleaning" yesterday. Yes, I got the heels scraped (and scraped and scraped..."How long has it been, Miss?" the technician queried), my nails cut and the obligatory dollop of Broadway Red enamel brushed across ten toenails.

But I also basked in a Sea Salt Scrub. Just had to exfoliate after all those months in thermal socks and sneakers!

I've assumed the pose above before~first, when Hot Tub Lizzy mandated we wear plaid on Election Day, and then again in December, when lamenting the Green Bay Packers' perturbingly pathetic season. Showing my piggies off again today, in honor of the advent of Spring.

Spring, indeed, is in the Air. But don't tell Bucky Badger~he's gone home to hibernate 'til basketball season starts again next November.

Pretty Cheesy

The Pop'rs Family was again crying in their Beer Cheese Soup on Sunday, as their once Proud Green Bay Packers took themselves out of the Playoffs~and effectively out of our hearts~for the season. We pretty much had to punt at Aunt Julie's Packer Party, as Our Team lost to the Lowly Jacksonville Jaguars.

"The jig's up, the season's effectively over and the Green Bay Packers have been dismissed from relevancy for 2008," writes Bob McGinn of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "They can't beat anyone, not even the Jacksonville Jaguars with maybe 45,000 semi-interested souls watching at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium."

The Pack needed Divine Intervention to help them on Sunday. Guess the lovely couple above wasn't enough! And looks like we'll be following the New York Jets for the rest of the season. Just remember~Brett's a Jet!

"It's a Rebuilding Year"

Susie, over at Susie's Homemade, is a Green Back Packers Fan, just like those of us over here in The Pop'rs Family. She says there's no reason to be too upset about The Pack's recent losses. Her mantra? "It's a Rebuilding Year."

Time to take solace in The Packers' storied past, and its quirky fans, who are parodied in the recent Packers Pro Shop commercials running in our area. This one features the Crazy Packers Fan and Wide Receiver Donald Driver, Number 80. I swear, these commercials make some of us laugh instead of cry in our Leinies! Oh, and more about our Family Connection to the Leinenkugels Brewery in an upcoming post!

Not a lot of Happy Campers at Sunday's Packer Party. But I guess if you're not gonna have a winning team, you should have Cool Gear. Or at least funny commercials about that gear.

The Other Debate is Much More Heated!

While most of you were watching The Great Debate last night, a Debate of Another Color--actually, two colors, Green and Gold--was going on the Northeastern Wisconsin.

Time Warner Cable subscribers trying to tune in to the Green Bay Packers on the local Fox affiliate have been left in the dark. A dispute between the Green Bay TV station and Time Warner left 150,000 people without their Beloved Packers. Something about money. Isn't it always about money?

The cable company has been handing out free antennas to customers like Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn. "Lots of drama here!" Aunt Julie says. "Time Warner actually is providing customers with free antennas, and has provided free hors d'œuvres at several local bars during last week's game, for fans who were forced to watch at a place other than home."

Julie Eliz says fans are pretty steamed. College Girl went over to a frat to watch the game. The Wild One, who was feeling under the weather, tried to listen to the game on the radio, but kept falling asleep. So she hit the hay early, instead. Anger and disappointment abound.

What's a Girl Gonna Do Without Her Packers?

Welcome, SITStas! Don't Let This Photo Get Your Goat!

Don't have to tell ya, Bloggy Friends, that I almost fell outta my chair when Heather asked if little ol' Veggie Mom would like to be the Featured Blogger today. Would I? As we say in the Upper Midwest, You Betcha!

Aunt Julie, natch, snapped this photo of Uncle Lynn and the boys, marveling at the goats on the roof at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay. This is a classic Door County, Wisconsin shot. BTW, a "butik" is pronounced sorta like "boutique," and, I'm told, means "gift shop" in Swedish. Stop by sometime for Swedish Meatballs or Swedish Pancakes--both delish!

For now, come on in, and make yourself comfy; we've cooked up some of our best dishes from Aunt Julie's Recipe Week, just for you! We were a tad sad, ya know, 'cause our Beloved Green Bay Packers got nipped by those nasty Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, but you SITStas have cheered us right up. Brett the Jet was idle yesterday; we'll have to catch up with him next weekend.

So, settle in and have a look around; and please do let us know what ya think! We're So Glad You're Here. And, don't forget to Eat Your Veggies!

*Recipe Week*, Day #7: Pepperoni Bread and a Packer Party!

We want to end *Recipe Week* today with a great send-off for our cherished Green Bay Packers. They're playing the Cowboys tonite--*Boo! Hiss!!*--and Aunt Julie has a Packer Party planned!

BTW, that's Aunt Julie, Patty, and Joe pictured above at a Green Bay home game at storied Lambeau Field. Do ya think they're having fun? The game must've been a nail-biter--look at the guy over Julie Eliz's left shoulder!

Before we leave you with our Final Recipe of the Week, we'd like to clue you in to Big Doings 'round Eat Your Veggies! this week. Seems that Your Very Own Veggie Mom is about to celebrate her 100th post, come next Saturday! In honor of This Auspicious Occasion, Uncle Lynn has authorized me to host Another Great New Pop'rs Giveaway, starting Monday! We'll have more details tomorrow, so please stop by to chat!!

So, on to the Grande Finale of *Recipe Week*! We've told you how much we love The Green Bay Packers. We've told you how much we love QB Brett Favre, although He's a Jet now. *Sigh!* We've told you how We Love Those Packers soooooooooooo much that The Wild One has immortalized the Green & Gold in ceramic. Martha Stewart Would. Be. Proud! And, we've told you about Joe and Patty and Aunt Julie's Weekly Packer Parties.

Well, the Packers are 2 and 0, as of right this very second. We need to get Geared Up to Beat Those 'Boys, and give Our Team some Good Karma, right? So, what better way to round out *Recipe Week* and give The Pack some luck than with Aunt Julie's Pepperoni Bread? Here, then, is a Packer Party Favorite!

Aunt Julie's Packer Party Pepperoni Bread

Soften 1 loaf of frozen bread dough according to package directions.
Roll out to a rectangle. Brush with beaten egg and 1 Tbsp water. Sprinkle with garlic salt, parsley flakes, crushed red pepper, oregano, and basil in any combination you like. Layer with sandwich pepperoni slices and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Roll up from long end. Coil into glass pie plate. Brush again with egg and water. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and parsley or basil.
Bake 35-40 min. at 375 degrees. Serve with pizza sauce.

Veggie Mom, signing off. Hope you enjoyed *Recipe Week*!

A Packer Party, and Some Positive Vibes

Aunt Julie, Uncle Lynn, and All The Pop'rs Cousins started a wonderful Fall Tradition a few years back, holding Packer Parties in their Family Room. They even get all festive and decorate for the occasion, as Aunt Julie's photo, above, illustrates.

The Gang, of course, worships at the proverbial alter of The Green Bay Packers during football seasons.

"We have friends, Joe and Patty, who are our parents' ages, who have had season tickets for ages," Aunt Julie explains. "They have four seats together, and another set of two."

Julie says the Family Room Tradition actually started at a home game at Lambeau Field. "We were once invited to a game, years ago, and had a ball. We drove to Lambeau in Vanna White, of course. We cooked out behind the stadium, listened to the pregame on the radio, and really got immersed in the atmosphere."

Of course, nothing could ruin this Festive Occasion, except for a food shortage. "I was supposed to bring the brats and the small Weber grill," Auntie J. remembers. "When the fire was just right, we looked through the cooler for the brats…I had forgotten them on the kitchen counter! Joe and Patty's daughter, Chris, and I RAN to a grocery store a few blocks away. We were running against the crowd, like salmon swimming upstream, and had to listen to fans tell us to turn around, the stadium was 'that way'."

"Long story short," Julie says, "we bought Klements precooked brats, RAN back to our tailgate spot, threw them on the grill, chugged a bottle of beer each, grabbed a brat on the way to the stadium, and made it there for kick off! "

Julie and Lynn, of course, wanted to do something to repay Joe and Patty for the great time. "We had them over to watch an away game on our big screen TV.," Julie says. "Packer Parties turned into a regular tradition. Weather permitting, we grill. In playoff years, we grill at halftime, and after the victory, throw discarded Christmas trees in the fire pit out on our patio."

Aunt Julie wants to remind all you Brett Favre Fans that The Jets are playing New England today. Might even have a chance, considering Tom Brady's season-ending injury, and all. Yes, Aaron Rodgers played well last week against The Vikings, and Brett even praised him for his play. But some of us are still gonna follow The Jets this season.

Even Aunt Julie remains on the Brett Favre Bandwagon. "Hey, didn’t Brett have a great game against Miami?" We can see it now...a photo of Brett as a Jet as part of the shrine on her mantle!

Go, Pack!

The season starts tonight, Sports Fans, with Aaron Rogers' debut, as The Green Bay Packers face their arch-rivals at Lambeau Field.

Aaron's got a lot riding on this, folks. His predecessor, Brett Favre, had a pretty good Coming Out Party down in 100-degree Miami yesterday!

We're all Packers Fans around here, don'tcha know. Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn always put on a Packers' Party in their Family Room. We all gather 'round the boob tube and partake in a delightful repast, usually consisting of brats, beer and other Yummy Football Food. It's sorta like Tailgating in front of the TV.

The Wild One, she of Great Brett Enthusiasm, is Rooting for Rogers to win tonight. "The way I see it," she says, "Brett's already made his name in history. Anything he can add to that legend, even if he plays for the New York Jets, is just icing on the cake. Aaron's a good QB. He needs to focus, and he'll get the job done!" Fingers crossed, just in case!

BTW, The Wild One is an artist. Pictured above are two coffee mugs she did in her 3-D Art Class last year. Brett's on the left, and his favorite Packer receiver, Donald Driver, is on the right. This classy art adorns our fireplace mantle. We'll have to put these breakables away tonight, though, in case things go downhill and Moker starts throwing things!

On, Wisconsin!

Thanks to Debbie over at Blog Around the World for the great chance to showcase my Guest-Blogger and Hubby, Moker, and all the Wonders of The Badger State. I've responded to everyone's comments, except for the couple of you whose blogs weren't accessible. I've had So. Much. Fun visiting everyone and blog-chatting the last couple of days!

Don't forget, everyone, to enter The Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. It runs through September 5th. Remember: You can't win if you don't enter!

As Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, correctly pointed out, Moker left out a couple of key points yesterday. To recap:

• Moker, along with Aunt Julie and the rest of their family, hails from Chippewa Falls, WI. CF is the home to Leinenkugel's Beer--Grab a Leinie's today! This Northwest Wisconsin burg claims to have the "purest & softest water in the world, from the Big Eddy Springs" just outside of town.
• Chippewa Falls is also famous On the Big Screen. CF was the movie hometown of Diane Keaton in that 1970s classic, "Annie Hall." And who could forget that Leonardo DiCaprio's character hailed from Chippewa Falls in "Titanic"?
• Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn now live in Neenah, WI, home of the Rockets, and Lynn's hometown. It's also where Kimberly-Clark was born, on the shores of Lake Winnebago in Northeastern Wisconsin. Many of the "Paper Baron" mansions still line the lake, including the manse of the woman who once controlled the corporation, and who referred to herself as "The Kotex Queen." Seriously!
• Pop'rs are made in Uncle Lynn's plant, up the highway in Wrightstown, WI, near Green Bay. And remember: The Only Place you can buy Pop'rs is online from Uncle Lynn. Click here to find out how!
• Yup, All The Pop'rs Cousins are Green Bay Packers Fans! There's still a little bit of debate about the consequences of Brett Becoming a Jet, but All Six of the PC will be wearing the Green and Gold this season!
• Moker also forgot to mention that College Girl will be a senior at Lawrence University in lovely Appleton, WI, this year. Her little sis', The Wild One, will be a freshman. We Love Larry U.! Goooooooooooo, Vikings!

Brett's a Winner, and You. Can. Be. Too!

Looks like the Green Bay Packers, the best team in football, BTW, have come to their senses and welcomed NFL MVP Brett Favre back to the fold. To say that Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn are ecstatic would be putting it mildly. These die-hard Packer Fans have been on the waiting list for season tickets since they got married. In all those years, they've moved up 22,000 spots, give or take a seat or two. And they still have about 2,500 places to go!

As The Pop'r Family grew, Auntie J. and Uncle Lynn added their boys to the season ticket waiting list. But those guys have a pretty long way to go. The youngest, Soccer Boy, is now 30,866th on the waiting list. At this rate, Soccer Boy will be pretty darn old and Brett will be retired for real before the lad gets a seat at Lambeau Field!

But let's not let the real news get lost in all of this NFL chatter! Uncle Lynn has authorized me to run another Great Pop'rs Giveaway. And it couldn't be easier to win!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. You probably already know that my family will be joining The Pop'r Family for a little VAY-cay at the beach later this week. Well, we like to read. A lot. Please leave me a comment recommending a good beach read. That's all ya gotta do, and You. Too. Can. Be. A. Winner!

The Great Pop'rs Giveaway runs from today through Monday, August 11, at 8 p.m. EST. We will pick Two Grand Prize Winners by random drawing at that time. What do you win? Why, and entire box of Pop'rs--all eight flavors!--that delightful seasoning that's not only fun, but good for you, too!

Of course, we're adding a few extra incentives for you, too! For each comment you leave on one of my posts this week, I'll give you an extra entry in the contest. How sweet is that?

Now, before I get away today, I'd like to Share the Comment Love with five of my Bloggy Friends out there. These ladies are doing some really great stuff on their blogs, and you should take a look!

• Megan, who presides at Reed's Home for Our Savior, recently blogged about urgent needs for our troops in the Middle East. Please drop by Megan's blog to see how you can help!
• Does Anybody Hear Me? over at Don't Get Married...You Won't Like It! picked up the Saturday Six *Meme*. Check out her answers--they're a hoot-and-a-half!
• Melissa B., who scribbles away at The Scholastic Scribe, is running her first contest ever! She just returned from Asbury Park, NJ, and is giving away AP souvenirs from the home of Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and The Jersey Sound. Melissa B.'s got three prizes, so visit her today!
• Shannon, the boss at Eight Crazy, is doing a Countdown to The Olympics, with a giveaway on Friday!
• And last but not least, Angela, who resides at Memoirs of a Chaotic Mommy, has figured out a way for all of you Lovely Bloggers out there to Yearbook Yourself, with five different and very "attractive" hairstyles. It's so funny--you should try it!

Well, that's all, folks! Hope to hear from you soon, and don't forget to enter The Great Pop'rs Giveaway!