Happy Birthday Mr. Man

Mr. Man had another birthday yesterday (Monday) I surprised him with a lemon brownie with a lemon glaze topping and I took a taste test of the glaze and said out loud to myself, he is going to really love me!

Two things, Mr. Man loves lemon or lime anything and if you know and follow me you will know I can't bake.  But I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked so easy also you use real lemon which I always have on hand so why not?

Yep it's a keeper!  Even I will eat it and I don't eat desserts and I don't eat what I bake but I would love to eat the entire pan!  Oh and he liked it too!

 We don't do much for birthdays other than a nice meal and sometimes a dessert or just ice cream.  

I made Mr. Man one of his favs that I make it's a ham and scallop potato...it's one of my favs too.  And he had gifts to open as well.

In this picture he is showing one of the two gifts from our daughter Candi and her husband Hans, it's a very nice pocket watch.

I have tried several recipes from Pinterest some are great and some I wasted ingredients. But the ones I made and liked I have a board on Pinterest labeled Pinned it & did it!

I am in a baking mood this week.  Today I am making our youngest daughter, Erica my mom's recipe for zucchini bread.  She swears I make it like mom and it's good, I won't eat it because I think It falls short of my mom's.  But since she likes it and I want to bake why not?

Thanks for the visit!

Hugs,
Tania

Surprise Revealed

Our daughter Erica asked us over a month ago to keep this past weekend open for her because she had a surprise for us.

She was very good at keeping the secret, I know because I tried to break her. (wink, wink)  

Sunday morning it was all revealed to us as we drove into a parking lot for Top Golf.  She treated us to two hours of hitting golf balls for fun.  It is a very large state of the arts golf entertainment complex.  It's all computerized, the golf balls are chipped so it will tell you how far you hit the ball and where it landed it in the hole if it did and points are added.

Mickey

At first looks I was very intimidated, not a golfer first off then this complex is huge and we were on the top level!  I'm afraid of heights and there is no barrier but a net if you were to fall off.  I kept worrying about Mickey getting too close but she stayed on the green and also did very well.

Erica

Erica won our first round and surprisingly I won the second.  I say surprisingly because this is the second time that I have hit a golf ball also I have sore muscles over my rib cage that are pulled from last weekend so I was being very gentle on myself on the way I moved.

Tommy

But winning didn't matter to any of us, we just had a lot of family fun and good apps to eat.

Mr. Man

What a wonderful surprise and we look forward to doing this again.

Me

Thanks for stopping by I know it has been awhile.  (I apologize for the photos, I didn't edit them before blogging.)

Hugs,
Tania

Unplugged

About three or four weeks ago I decided to close my facebook account...for now, maybe forever!   Haven't you ever just wanted to unplug?

The last time I did was 2001.  I was working at GE ITS and part of our dept was being moved to India and the other to Kentucky.  I got laid off, not without an offer of advancement which I didn't take...hind sight is 20/20.  Anyway I was on unemployment and we decided to cut back in some places until I got another job.  I offered to shut off my cell phone.  Which back then wasn't so hard to do since it was fairly new to us, but it was handy.

I love it!  I even said after I got another job I didn't want another cell but Mr. Man said I needed one.  (I'm not a phone person for those that don't know me)

Any way back to facebook, recently I find myself so annoyed with the posts people put on there.  The drama, political opinions, any strong opinions, and family throwing family under the bus..  I like to read the fun and funny stuff am I the only one?  I like to go on fb to see what others are doing with their families, pictures of the family, things like that.  

Since I have been off I have a lot more time!  I also played games on fb, what a time waster!  I do miss things that my closest family and friends are posting like pictures but some are being pretty good about texting me pictures and emails so I don't miss out completely.  

It's been wonderful so far!  I am just shutting down fb.  I am still using my cell since now that is my only phone I no longer have a land line.  I am blogging sometimes as you can see and I have posted pictures to instagram which I am liking much more.

I am taking the summer off and I will think about it again come fall, but I am hoping I really enjoy being disconnected from all that other stuff and don't want to return...at least for now.  Never say never!

Please leave me a comment if you have ever unplugged from something and tell me how it went for you.

Hugs,
Tania

Yard work and More

 It's been busy around here for me.  Many doctor appointments

And working on quilts one of my favorite things to do.

This one is a summer quilt with many colorful flip flops on the front.

And ladies bathing suits on the back.

Erica and Mickey came over one weekend in May to rake for us.  Mr Man and I did help as well.  It took all day Saturday and the morning on Sunday to get the back and front yards raked.  We have some large trees, which took 29 lawn bags an a huge pile of branches to see our lawn once again.

Since then I got sick that Monday with a sinus cold I'm sure is from all the leaves, pollen and dust.  Then I lost my voice which lead to a very quiet Memorial Day weekend.  

Today (5/28/15) I am starting to feel some what myself for the first time in almost two weeks. 

I am looking forward to working in the yard again, not raking but cleaning out flower gardens and planting.

Hugs,
Tania

What's On Your Counter

This is what's on my counter...Mr. Man takes an apple a day to work.  I love having apples on the counter because I am more likely to grab one for a snack and we like the green apples with a zing.

Also Halo's in the grocers now, they are so easy to peel even my 5 year old grand daughter can do it.

Then I have my citrus fruits.  Two oranges are for an orange pound cake in the near future, limes and some of those apples will go into my green juice and the lemons I use those on everything, fish, chicken but almost every day in place of salad dressing!

Also it's really colorful and pretty don't you think?

Hugs,
Tania

Wordless Wednesday

I Forgot My Password!

It has been so long since I blogged I forgot my password!  That has never happened!

I have been reading blogs but have not posted anything in a while and it was a nice break.  But also I didn't have too much news.

I have been quilting quite a bit.  The quilt top in the picture above I recently quilted and bind.  I made this quilt top three years ago.  It was a couple of months after my mom had passed and also my quilt retreat.  They had a mystery quilting project for us to do and all I knew was to buy a jelly roll (yes quilters like to name precuts after sweet food items) I wanted something happy since I was feeling so sad.  I never buy bright color fabric so this was totally out of my comfort zone.

Today it is finished and on the back of my couch.  I also made another eye spy quilt which will go up on my Etsy shop as well as a neutral I put together but still needs to be quilted.

I also finished a block of the month I did about 4 years ago when I worked at the quilt shop.  This one will go to Candi for her big 30.  If and when she reads this she will know she is getting a quilt but not which one...

She would have gotten it if it was any other birthday, or day it just happens to be done around this birthday.  (wink, wink)

We really haven't had much news.  Our truck has been in a couple of times.  When your truck is13 year old who has traveled the USA more than any other domestic vehicle it may need some maintenance once in a while.  But I tell ya my Ford Escape runs just as well if not better today then when we bought it brand new!  

Mr. Man asked me about 8 years ago if I wanted to trade it in for a new Ford Escape. I said no way she runs great and I don't like car payments, well as you tell I'm not good with change either, that is really my issue.  

I like tried and true and live by it.  I don't need anything fancy ever as long as it works I don't need anything more.  

As you know in my past blogs I have been fancying a Buick Encore.  Well recently I told Mr. Man ya know when we are ready I think I want another Ford Escape.  I'm not crazy about the new body shape but I do like how well it has held up for me.

Anyway, I took a good spill a couple of weeks ago.  I could hardly move for two days afterwards.  I sure felt my age when I fell.  Which is kinda scary now for me since I was diagnosed with osteoporosis this fall.

I had a physical after the fall and the doc looked over my chest/breast bone and he thinks I may have fractured it but without an xray we don't know for sure.  I asked him if I had an xray and saw it was fractured is there anything we can do about it?  He said no then I said I don't see the point.   I have chest xrays due to meds every couple of years so I will have them check it then.

Like I said not much news here.  But I am hoping to blog a bit more again.

Thanks for the visit!
Hugs,
Tania

MIA

I guess I took a little unplanned break from blogland.  I think this has been my longest time between posts ever! ?

Well you really haven't missed much.  Valentines day came and went, pretty uneventful.  We did our usual seafood dinner which is always a treat...even tho' we do it often really but we make it more special on Valentines Day.

I have had some pretty bad flares from my rheumatoid arthritis, in my hands.  I'm sure it's due to weather and a lot of prep for my then upcoming quilt retreat.  

Our weather has been so strange this winter, warm, cold, rain, snow and ice.

This past weekend I went to my annual quilt retreat up in the north Georgia mountains, Hiawassee to be exact.  It was kind of sketchy this year as there was snow, ice and mountain driving.  Which some took the interstate and I did not.  I took the mountains. 
I'm a Minnesota girl I can drive it right?  I mean we don't have mountains in MN but we do get snow and ice.  Which it is dangerous to have those conditions in the mountains, but I gotta tell ya it's one of my favorite things about this weekend is driving through the mountains, alone and taking in the pure beauty!

The higher I got the foggier it got or should I say clouder...it was clouds actually I was driving into.

It was our 5th year of our quilt retreat and I have been to all 5!  Jennie our fearless leader out did herself!  She does a wonderful job making a fun and different experience each year.  She works hard all year on this and it shows.

Our theme this year was at the movies.  We had many prizes, games,  a dance and song show and awards, along with a surprise speaker!

 We each received a the smaller popcorn bucket with treats at check in...I don't know about you but I still get so excited to get the little things!

 I just had to show you that I am famous as well...see my name on the clap board?  Janet and I usually take photos for our group and post them on our snapfish account.

 One of the many games we play.

 I had gotten a flare up in my right hand on Friday night so I just sat, visited and gave my opinion on quilt lay outs, like the one Ana is working on.

 Some of the quilt goodies to purchase from our surprise speaker.

 Our surprise speaker is Jennifer Jangles.  She has the cutest things!  Love her fun colors, they are so happy!

 A very and fun talented group of ladies who put on a little song and dance to the music of Shake it off but with their own lyrics about quilting.  It was great!

The Sassy Stitchers, 5 years strong, a fun loving group of friends!

P. S.  
This group of ladies are so much fun that they took advantage of the snow early Friday morning and made a Sassy Stitcher Snowlady to great us upon arrival.

Hugs,
Tania

My Birthday

 It was my birthday a couple of days ago.  The first thing I did when I woke up was grab my IPad and went to facebook.  I saw several birthday wishes already.  One asked if I was 29 again?  Then asked how old are you?  As I was getting my day going I gave it some thought.  How old am I?  How old would I want to be?  Wow, not what I really wanted to think about but there it was!  It was interesting to me to know where I would reset. What's your reset?

The picture above is a tea cup a friend gave me several years ago, and the flower tea ball Candi gave me for Christmas this year.  It makes it a little more fun to have a cup of tea.

 I have been eating more oatmeal for breakfast. (in my Myrtle Beach bowl)  I have a physical coming up and they say oatmeal lowers your cholesterol.  Not that mine is high that I know of.  But I know my blood pressure was a little high but not enough for like meds just diet change.  I have too much sodium in my diet so I needed to change my sodium intake as well. (per prior appt.)

Well sodium diet went out the widow on Super Bowl Sunday!  Mr. Man and I aren't sports watchers, except I do watch the winter Olympics, so much that I will record what I miss.  But with all the great snack foods that everyone is talking about we just couldn't miss out just because we don't watch sports.

So Sunday after our walk in the park I made this super nacho for lunch.  Mr. Man was happily surprised since I didn't tell him what I was doing in the kitchen.  My man loves a good snack!

I had a nice birthday day.  I went to IHOP and had a free pancake breakfast, then I went to my favorite antique shop to be inspired, on my way home I picked up my free birthday lunch at Moe's.  

Mr. Man planned to take me to Joe's Crab Shack for a steam pot, which is my favorite but I opted for him to make me homemade lasagna since we will do seafood on Valentines day.  He did great!

Thanks for sharing my birthday!

Hugs,
Tania

Our Time With Mickey

I'm a little behind.  Last weekend (January 24 - 25th)  I picked up Mickey on Saturday morning...I was going to pick her up Friday eve but it had rained all day and it was still raining during rush hour on a Friday and opted to wait until morning.  

Mr. Man was working Saturday so it was just little ol' me.  I planned on taking Mic out to lunch after I picked her up and decided to invite Erica as well since I haven't seen her since Christmas either.  This would give us a chance to talk face to face vs text and phone conversations.

We went to The Peachtree Cafe in Roswell, what yummy food they have there and a big menu which is always harder to choose from.  

After lunch I dropped Erica off and Mickey and I headed towards the mall to Toys R Us!

This past Christmas she told me she wanted more clothes for her American Girl doll, well she had changed her mind once she opened the gift.  So we did a return and with that money we went shopping.

She picked out a Hello Kitty guitar.  She does love her instruments. 

After our long search in Toys R Us we headed over to one of my favorite places on earth, Popcorn Haven!  After trying many different flavors we each picked one, well I picked two (smiles) and we enjoyed it on our way home. (she also enjoyed mine)

 When Mickey came in she saw right away the pillow I had made her.  Last month she liked the one I was making for myself and asked if I would make her one.  So we went up to my creative room so she could pick out her yarn.

She loved it (Minnie did too!)and she used it this weekend and then took it home with her.

Sunday morning Mickey entertained us with her new guitar.  We did a video to send to mom as well as many posed pictures.

Along with playing guitar Mr. Man set up my keyboard in our bedroom at Christmas,  that she loves to play so we had many concerts this weekend.

After lunch we surprised Mickey with a trip to the mall to paint pottery.

She had a difficult time picking out the perfect piece but ended up with a valentine cup.

 Then she saw this Jumpstreet Park and wanted to go in and play in the worst way, but we already planned Dave and Buster's so we had her pick and she picked Jumpstreet.

 Unlike other indoor parks you pay by the hour here.  So we paid one hour which ended up to be enough as she jumped and bounced around the entire time and she was pretty worn out at the hour.

 But can't you tell Mickey had fun?!

 Mr. Man said we can still go to Dave and Busters!  He's a push over like me when it comes to her!  First we had an early dinner in the restaurant, then she played again!

 After her Harley ride game she said I will never do that one again!  I think it stressed her out but I was amazed how well she could drive in the lanes and avoid traffic...she did better than I did.

She played a lot of games, it's so neat to see how grown up she is getting.  She can even see over the air hockey table and play with papa now!

Apparently when she got home she crashed, so did me and papa!

Hugs,

Tania

P.S.  I added a page at the top of my blog post titled Park Visits, if you have the time check it out, Mr. Man and I have a new project...After 30 plus years of marriage you still need to spend time together and keep things interesting, this is one of those ways.  I do hope you enjoy it and will continue to follow it. Thanks!