Ahhh... a wedding!

Aren't weddings fun? Being six months away from my own daughter's gala affair, I find myself eagerly awaiting the various weddings we have been invited to this fall. We are of the age where all our friends' children are getting married. It is a fun time of life. Yesterday Bob and I attended the wedding of his secretary's daughter. They were married in Eldon, in a church that their family helped build many years ago. There was a stained glass window with the family name on it. The bride had six attendents and two candlelighters and a flower girl who refused to wear her shoes. The colors were black and white and gold. Very striking and classy. The flowers were long stemmed calla lilies and stargazer lilies. The music was incredible, with two of the finest singers I have heard in a long while. It is amazing how the music can make or break the ceremony. The reception was back in Jefferson City at the Eagles. I didn't think the location was very romantic u

Tag: I am It!

Anne at Momma's Place tagged me and Robyn to tell 7 things about ourselves that no one else knows.... gonna be kinda hard since I have been married for 30 years (we celebrated our 30th on June 18!) but I am going to give it a try! 1. I have a secret ambition to write a children's book. 2. I think I look a little Oriental and it bothers me some because both my mom and dad have blue eyes and I have brown.... 3. I would like to start classes for my PhD but I am too lazy to do so. 4. I love macaroni and tomatoes (just plain elbow macaroni with a can of petite diced tomatoes stirred in and a teaspoon of sugar). 5. I loved teaching and sometimes wish I hadn't gone into administration. 6. I wanted to name my daughter Natalie at one time. 7. I leave my mail in the mailbox overnight. I can tag 7 or less people to play and since Anne tagged Robyn, I think I'll ask SuzyQ to do this one! She is hilarious and I know it will be a fun read!

Thankful Thursday

I saw this on The Open Window and decided to participate this week. There are so many great ideas in this cyber world! How did we get along before computers? So.... my list starts out with.... 1. Computers and the cyber world! I have met so many wonderful people on the web. People I know would not have crossed my path any other way. God bless you! 2. One day on my diet that went well! I was able to reach my goals for my first day: no eating after 8 pm, 6 glasses of water, taking more steps and eating healthy choices, even if I ate too much. 3. Daughters! I feel blessed to have Ashley in my life. She is a constant joy even when she complains about friends who don't show up to go jogging with her. She called me to complain about that. My first thought was, "lucky girl, now you don't have to go run" but that didn't seem to make her feel better... 4. Mommas. I am so lucky to have mine still around! 5. Cats. I take my dear Bustopher for granted.

Dieting? or major life change

Ashley is getting married in six months. I need to lose some weight, ok, a lot of weight in order to look the way I'd like to look in her pictures. I need to lose weight for my health, too. I am taking blood pressure meds and med for my thyroid. I could cut out the blood pressure meds even if I just lost 20 pounds. Why is it so hard to get motivated? Shouldn't my health be motivation enough? On Dr. Phil today he said something that struck me as so true: we wait for the major catastrophe before we do anything about it. My major catastrophe could be a stroke or a heart attack. What am I waiting for?? I have hired a dietician to help me plan and create meals that appeal to me, keep me full and have flexibility enough for me to have a snack when I have the urge. She has helped me tremendously. I have found snacks that will appeal to me whatever the urge and hopefully will help me stay on track. So, I am publicly stating that as of today I have started my major life

It's a Party!

I love my craft closet. I used to be stuck in an unfinished room in the basement and I felt so uninspired. I had a whim to move it a couple of years ago to my computer room closet and I love it. I want to add a tiny ceiling fan or an adorable light fixture then I will be set! We call this the Wall of Fame. I love it because it is so warm and invites people to look without calling attention to ourselves. We have funny things as well as important things on this wall so I think people don't see it as bragging. I love my custom towels. The beach is my favorite place to go to relax, even though I live hundreds of miles to the nearest one. I bring the beach to me by surrounding my tub with shells and words and pictures of the beach. Hope you enjoyed my part of the party! Terri

Made with Love

This hutch is the oldest thing we own. It was built in the 1700s by a man for his wife, according to a paper we found in one of the drawers. When we bought it the glass was glued into the frame and systematically the glass has fallen out one by one. We never replaced it, liking the look of the doors without the panes. We use it as a bar for the upstairs. All our glassware is in the top section and the liquors are in the bottom. The drawers hold the shakers and other essential bar tools, like colorful umbrellas. The green glass tray was a gum display that was used in Bob's dad's grocery store. The grocery store was in the family for over 100 years. We have a lot of cool items that came from the store when it was sold to Bob's uncle. The dark green glass on the right came from my Grandmother Oliver's house. I thought they were pretty pieces. Terri

Baked Bread

My friend Kristen sent me some apple butter from Massachusetts recently. Is there any thing better than apple butter in September? I decided to make some homemade beer bread to have with my apple butter. Here is the recipe: 3 cups self rising flour (must be self rising!) 1/4 cup sugar 1 (12 ounce) can beer 1/4 to 1/2 cup melted butter Stir together the flour and sugar. Pop open a beer and pour the entire contents into a mixing bowl. Stir quickly and mix quickly for about 30 strokes. The batter will be lumpy and that is fine! Pour into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Pour melted butter over the top of the dough. Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes. Upon removing from the oven, cover with plastic wrap. This will keep the crust soft. I get good results from sifting the flour and sugar together. Enjoy! Terri

A few ABCs....

Mika at Cherry Hill Cottage made these delightful letters for me. You can order them at Cherry Hill Cottage . She can make them from any type of paper and any combination of letters. Her packaging is adorable and she sends them out very quickly. Mika is making some for my friends and sending them for me to Georgia. The little couple to the far left is the topper we had on our wedding cake. I can't believe we have kept that thing for 30 years! The two dishes were found at my grandmothers and the little star angel was given to me by my friend Karlene when we were STARR teachers together. The cute little girl sitting down with a pot of flowers was part of a set of four. I gave two away and took one to work! Terri

Cute, Cute, Cute!

Date Night!

Bob and I drove to Columbia, about 30 miles away, to have dinner and to see a movie. We decided to eat at Hu Hot Mongolian Grill. Have you ever been to one of those? You select the ingredients for your dinner at the raw bar... frozen thin sliced chicken, beef, pork, fish, tofu and every vegetable known to man. There are several kinds of noodles, too. Then you head over to the sauces, 18 different ones, and create your sauce. I use 7 ladles of sauce including lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoison sauce, and others. The fun part is when you take it up to be cooked. There is a huge round stone that is very hot with several cooks around it. The cooks take your bowl of raw food and throw it on this grill. It steams and hisses and cooks while these cooks sing, tease and generally have a good time. You continue to walk around the stone while other people's meals come off the stone. They clean the stone with hot water each time a meal comes off. That is a sight, too! Magic

ADK, A Night With Friends and Good Wine!

I am the president of our local chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa. We are a small group, about 10 of us, who love teaching and influencing our students to be whatever they desire. We meet monthly during the school year at various local restaurants or at our homes. Tonight was meeting night. We met at Native Stone Winery, a private vineyard owned by Dr. Stauffer and his family. I had their son in the fifth grade. He was a delightful student. He stands out because he was a member of my 100% Spelling Club, which meant he did not miss one spelling word for the entire school year! The members of ADK are great friends: Ashley, Linda, Barb, Heather, Laurie, Shirley, Lois, Joyce, Nancy and Charlotte. We have taught with each other and worked together on a variety of projects. These ladies are hard workers and care for one another. Case in point: Lois bought me dinner tonight as she has been unable to catch up with me to take me to lunch (which she has wanted to do since dad died in Marc

Name Game!

Ok so I copied this from Living the Life... Go visit her site, you can link it from the right side... she is funny and so talented... 1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car), Heidi CR-V 2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie), Chocolate Chocolate Chip 3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name), T-Stef 4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal), Black Cat 5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born), Ann Marceline 6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first), Stete 7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink), The Black Margarita 8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers), Raymond Joseph 9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy), Chanel Hershey 10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ), Lou Duane 11. TV

Touches of Fall

I love to decorate for Fall. It is my favorite time of year. Ashley was born in October and my very own birthday is in November. I love the crispness of the air, the cool mornings and warm afternoons. My idea of heaven is perpetual Fall! Here are a few shots around my house as I prepare for fall. I start out in September by putting a few things around the house. In October I add my pumpkins and scarecrows and in November my pilgrims make their way into the house. By Thanksgiving, the house is in full Fall regalia! My mother in law cross stitched the darling pumpkin picture on the top of this post. I found the pattern somewhere and asked her to do it for me and waa laaa.... she had it done nearly over night! I wish I could do cool stuff like that! I hope you enjoy these little scenes. By November, much will be added and changed. I will keep you posted as the decor progresses...

Ashley's internship

My daughter Ashley, who is a senior at Stephens College, completed her internship this summer at Victoria's Bridal, an independent bridal salon here in our city. Ashley had many wonderful opportunities which she "gets" to describe in her internship class this fall. I thought you would enjoy seeing some of her displays that she created for the salon's summer bridal show. I love weddings and I attended this event, both as a spectator and the Mother of the Bride!

Welcome to my Neighborhood!

I decided to participate in this cute event sponsored by The Open Window (you can access her blog on the right). I hope you will love getting to know Jefferson City! We live in our state's capital and love this experience. Here is one of our favorite pictures of the capitol. Here is the entrance into our subdivision. Lakewood was built in the 80s as a premier county residence. The houses around the lake are the oldest, built in the early 80s. Most are ranch style and are being remodeled. My part of the subdivision is about 10 years old. There is an actual lake in Lakewood! This is how we who do not live on the lake can access it. There is a darling shelter where we can have picnics or other get togethers. The following three houses are on my cul de sac. We live on the corner lot of Foxtrail Circle and Lakewood Road. They are all great neighbors! You can see our rose garden in the last photo. You can see our house in the upper right hand corner!

First Tailgate of the Season!

Bob and I have been tailgating at MU games for nearly 30 years. We upped the ante on our tailgating about 10 years ago when we purchased specific equipment, decorations and a tent for our tailgating and created some recipes that appear at each of our tailgates. Ashley brings her college friends, we invite our college friends and we have a great time before the game. About an hour before game time we load up, clean up and walk to the stadium. A good time is had by all. Today, though, Ashley was involved in Bid Day (she's a Kappa Delta!) and one couple had some illness in the family and it just turned out to be Bob and me. That hasn't happened in a great while! So, instead of our usual menu, we decided to grill some Swiss Company brats (apple and cinnamon ones!) and keep the menu simple. We still got out some of our stuff but we just sat out, enjoyed the 60 degree day and sipped on hot chocolate and coffee. Here we are just loving our day!

PTO Movie Night

Many of you know that I am an elementary principal. I love my job! Tonight we are having the first of many Movie Nights as a service to families. The movie is free and the refreshments are cheap... Parents must accompany their children to the movie which I am grateful for. That means I can enjoy the movie, too! Tonight's movie is "Are We Done Yet?" which I understand is a fun, light hearted movie. I have allowed PTO to show PG rated movies. My reasoning is that since parents are accompanying their child, they can make the decision on whether or not the movie is appropriate for them. At school I only allow G movies since our students are a captive audience. I'll eat some popcorn for you tonight!

Happy Birthday Milton Hershey!

Today is Chocolate Day, in honor of Milton Hershey, father to the Hershey empire based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe in order to celebrate this wonderful day. Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 cups butter 4 cups flour 2 tsp. soda 2 cups sugar 5 cups blended oatmeal 24 oz. chocolate chips 2 cups brown sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated) 4 eggs 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. vanilla 3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet or drop by teaspoonful onto the cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crispier cookie. Makes about 10 dozen cookies. Bob, Ashley and I made Pennsylvania our

A GIVEAWAY!

Robyn is having a GIVEAWAY for her 25th post at her site at www.happyhouseofhaas.blogspot.com I debated sharing with you because I really want to win. This is me being NICE.

Drawers

I have counted and I have 54 drawers in my house. All of them are messy and junky. So, I have decided to clean and organize one drawer a week until all of them are junk free and organized. This is the kind of thing I can do without getting overwhelmed. Eight of the drawers belong to my daughter, Ashley. I am considering having her clean those but with all that is going on in her life, (wedding and college graduation) I am not sure they would get done before she moves out. I have told my mother my plan, who immediately counted her drawers and proudly noted that she only has 20 drawers. Hers, too, are disorganized and junky and knowing my mom, will have them all cleaned and organized by the end of the week. I guess this is my New Year's Eve resolution four months early. I like having a head start on things. Here's to clean drawers!

Darling Post Office

I pass this incredibly cute post office every day going to work. Isn't it adorable? I have decided to make this my post office. I mail quite a few things and I get annoyed standing in line at my big city post office. Not any more, I am going to go to this quaint post office just outside of town. Can't wait to mail my first package!

Dinner Parties!

Growing up I was often enraptured by the dinner parties I would see on TV. The women would cook beautiful meals dressed in stylish dresses and high heels. Their friends would come over just in time to eat the elegantly prepared meal. The men would go off into another room to sip cognac and smoke cigars while the women chatted in the LR. How the dishes got done, I don't know because you never saw anyone doing them. Bob and I are hosting a dinner party on Sunday for two other couples new to Jefferson City. One is our neighbor across the street and the other is a teacher at his school, along with her husband. Bob is preparing pork loin that is encrusted with herbs from our herb garden, with a fresh mozzarella salad with garden tomatoes, couscous, and a root vegetable medley. I am in charge of dessert. We'll both be in khakis and white shirts, a much more casual affair than the one I described earlier. However, there is cognac and cigars planned for the guys on the cover

What kind of flower are you?

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You? I saw this on Hidden Haven Homestead and had to try it. What kind are you?

Pay It Forward Give Away

I won these delightful tags on Bailiwick Designs blog give away. It was called a Pay It Forward give away. I promised to give a handmade gift to the first three comments on this post. In turn you must promise to give the first three posters on your post a handmade gift. I will give each recipient three handmade cards. My cards are made from recycled cards and I am eager to share them with you. Happy posting! Please check out this delightful blog at: http://bailiwickdesigns.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Happy Labor Day!

I love this holiday! It's only two weeks since school has started but I am already exhausted! This holiday allows me to not to do any big planning but get to be off from a day of work! Bob grilled hamburgers for lunch. I love the taste of burgers on a charcoal grill. Just seems better somehow. We had company... Ashley and Eric! Eric and Bob watched the Cards play while Ashley and I got down to the nitty gritty of planning their ceremony. Wow, what a lot of planning goes into the choosing of scriptures and songs. Later I helped Ashley dye her hair and gave her a manicure and a pedicure for her photo shoot tomorrow. She is posing in a bathtub with lots of bubbles (and a swim suit) and all her bath cocktail products around her. This is for the October Inside Columbia magazine. Hope one and all enjoyed this holiday as much as me!

Aunt Frances' Desk

Bob's great aunt Frances was quite the woman. Widowed in her 20's, she never remarried and kept the family business, oil, going all by herself. Rumored to be worth millions, she left the majority of her assets to the Catholic church. We however, were the lucky ones who were the recipient of her desk, where she corresponded and did her business tasks. Almost better than money itself! I like to use this desk to do my birthday and christmas cards. Right now I have Ashley's Save the Date cards ready to send, all from this lovely desk. Robyn sent me the darling folders, Tammy made the tag that is peeking from the folders, Kerry made the darling calendar, and Sharon made the adorable post it note holder. Linda, my bunco friend, gave me the sweet box to the left of the folders. It is easy to write when you are surrounded by so much love!