Jake's Spring Musical

This one is before the musical...when I was still fitting and creating the long lost beard!! :-)
Gramps SHAVED!

OH NO! I FORGOT my beard!
Gramps

Just had to post a few quick pics from the spring musical tonight....it was a play/musical- Jake was 'Gramps'. Someone moved his beard (yes, he had taken it off to sing before his parts in the play were coming up) and he could not find it before he went on stage for the play - HOWEVER- the show must go on so Gramps SHAVED! Please do not remind me that I spent 3+ hours making it....anyone need a beard for Halloween??
Off to get packing and washing.....need to get that laundr moving....had a great time at lunch today with Beth! Thanks- An hour full of giggles is a great way to break up the chaos and havoc! Oh - bikes and blizzards still make me laugh out loud...THANKS!
Doubt I will post again until I arrive back in MI! Have a great week without me! Be safe!

Just had to share the wealth- not sure if anyone needs anything but - what a deal!!

50% OFF

SCRAPBOOK SUPERSTORE SALE

AT

WWW.SCRAPBOOKSUPERSTORE.COM

USE COUPON CODE SPRINGFEVER

CHAOS

Hey all- we are closing in on that big departure day...and oh are we ever busy EVERY day leading up to that day!
Monday- Koda was supposed to be Hercules in a play tonight at school- but his portion got cancelled! Lack of participation- it was his lucky night- I think he paid kids not to participate cuz he knew his mom was going to make him play nice! OH he's my TWEEN TURKEY!
Tuesday- Bowling
Wednesday- Gun Club
Thursday- Jake's play
Friday- packing up, pizza and off to bed early
Saturday- EARLY risers...leaving between 4am-6am!!
Besides all of the evening chaos...it is the end of the month at work and I am swamped.
Still have a little shopping to do but I am getting things together slowly!

Dear Blogger and Friends...

Please do not boot me from your favorites list. I have been overwhelmed with parenthood of TWEEN boys and an upcoming vacation! From trying to figure out the jigsaw of a 13 year old to creating a 'grandpa costume' and Hercules costume, keeping up with my Grandma and her love for her birds, my tan and oh my so many things have kept me consumed.I love my blog and even more I love to check in to read all of the bogs that belong to my special friends!!
Please be patient with me....missing you all. K

Pages from the weekend

Toledo ZOO - 4-05
Here they are!!
Toledo ZOO

Detroit Tigers Game

Tigers Game

My suprise flowers from the boys.

Jake's 11th birthday breakfast

Euchre King!

Ladies In Training- Red Hat
gathering we attended with my mom

Torn between hunting and love.
Met my DH on NOV 15th- he
sends me flowers or leaves
me gifts when he goes to hunt now.

RED HOT MAMA- My mom
the Red Hat lady!

What a CATCH! My handsome
baby with his first BIG lake catch.

I found this logo on http://www.stylishscrapgear.com/ and instantly thought it is a GREAT! Love it.
They have some cute stuff.
I am going to attempt now to take some digi pics of my layouts I did this past weekend.
Happy Thursday night to you all.

Not all it's CRACKED up to be......

Ok- so you may not be able to really tell what this is....BUT it is my windshield! With a 8-10" crack in it....yep! It happened on my way to the crop up north! I was on I-94 not even to 127 yet and a semi threw up a stone....smack! Now just one more thing for me to get done before my vacation gets here.
I really thought about turning back and going home after this happened BUT then I went on. I had a lot of fun with the Croppin Chics....

Just like Michigan weather.........

Plans change! Hubby has PINK EYE! I knew it last night and started the drops that we had left over from the last kid having it....but it is BAD! He is heading to see the dr this afternoon. Being this crud is so catchy he and the boys will not be traveling north this afternoon with me. I have never seen it so bad that when I put the drops in.....chunks of ewwwwww flowed out! EWWWW
I know the boys will be terribly disappointed BUT we cannot share the crud with my dad or others. If daddy has it...we will all probably catch it...YUCK! Grandpa did not welcome the option to have the boys come without dad, I think in fear they would come bearing PINK gifts!
Well, ladies.........I am hightailing it out of Jack-town ASAP! LOL Tonight might be fun and a laugh that I am leaving them and running....but reality is....I will come home to a disaster and cooties all over....they are not good at wiping and washing! It is TRUE- BOYS DO HAVE COOTIES! But we love them all the same. XXOO hope you feel better soon, honey!

Packing

for a weekend of scrappin! I am no where near ready!! UGH. The weekend long crop is in the same town where my dad lives....so I am packing myself and my scrappin goods....and the boys and Steve! They guys are all going to stay the weekend with Grandpa.
Ladies, have a great weekend....enjoy the sunshine....hoping it really does shine though!!
Better scoot and get packin.....leaving work at 4 tomorrow -no lunch.

Keeping Grandma Warm

I made a fleece blanket for Steve's Grandma for her birthday. They are the snuggliest cuddliest gifts you could give. And oh my so darn simple. No sewing involved- just cutting and tying knots! I made a queen size fleece double sided blanket in one afternoon. His grandma is always cold and napping often- this was the one thing that popped in my mind when I thought about her upcoming birthday. She loved it !! Thinking I may get started on a few more here sometime soon.
Watching for fleece to go on sale!

Michaels deals/ Joanns too

OK- I did it. Steve said he wanted my toolbox ! He looked at the ads with me on Sunday and sent me on my way to get a crop station! $40.00 at Michaels. I love it. It allows me to use the other Crop N Style totes I have...the paper taker and sticker binder(that one is full of non metal embellishments- some stickers) they stack nicely on top of this one for travels.
It took me all afternoon to unpack and repack.
They also have all of their 12x12 papers 50% off....
Joanns has their tote for just 19.99 but it is smaller....BUT they have their brand of embellishments 50% off.

your favorite scrapbookin snack?

Help! What is your favorite snack when you're attending a crop?

Yes, I am running away with my friends from high school....Michelle in Spring Lake. It is a weekend crop at the Holiday Inn. This crop has a safari theme.
Thanks ladies for your help.

Why we love Coca~Cola

Gum in your Hair!: "Just take the gum coated hair and dip in a small bowl that has some Coca Cola in it. Let sit for just a few minutes and the gum will wipe right off." Thanks Linda!

To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan; wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy

To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, And run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.

Pour a can on your oil spills in the drive way, it will loosen them up and hose it down.

AND WE DRINK THIS STUFF!

ICE-Y roads

No school for the Barton boys today. Mother Nature laid a shiny, slippery blanket down for us last night. The boys only had a half day with conferences today so they will not miss much. Steve and I had decided at 530am that we were not toting them out on these roads for a simple half day where they have very little learning due to the short day ( we drive them to school- no buses). At 545 Paragon Charter Academy came across the screen- CLOSED conferences will be held as scheduled.
This gives me an extra hour this morning to myself ( or so I thought) to do some household chores, etc. No lunches to pack, no backpacks to fill, yadda yadda.....got the Big guy off to work and now I have until 730 to get ME ready! However, my ME time has ended because 2 out of 3 boys are up...and YES the PS2 is already blasting! UGH!
Everyone allow yourself a little extra time this morning - The BIG DOG says the roads are no fun! (Today is one day he may wish he had not changed to the POPUS (external hospital delivery) job! He will be delivering supplies today in the BIG cube truck.
God bless you all and may He watch and guide your travels. Be safe my friends.

my ultimate favorite dip recipe

Buffalo Chicken Dip

"This tangy, creamy dip tastes just like buffalo chicken wings. It's best served hot with crackers and Celery sticks. Everyone loves the results!"

INGREDIENTS:
2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks® Red Hot®
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces
1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers
1-2 bags of Fritos Scoops

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers. Fritos Scoops work the best for scooping up this yummy dip!

Celebrity Steve

What a great trip this was !!

Steve had a great time and really came home with some awesome memories.

He is in the backrow- 2nd from left!

Unfortunately, this was the day he and I came down with the flu. I was at home in bed sicker than a dog, Grandma Cassie and PaPa Steve went with Steve to the state capital. Steve got sick in the gift shop at the end of the trip- Grandma and Pa Pa brought him home....and it really hit! This photo is on the www.senate.michigan.gov website.