Bread Pudding

I really don't care for bread pudding. But my husband loves it and this recipe proved to be great for him.

8 cinnamon roles (I use Rhodes cinnamon rolls, I cook them, then save one for myself and break the other seven up into small pieces into a greased crock pot.)
4 eggs
2 cups milk (I use skim)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter, or margarine
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter, or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place bread cubes in greased slow cooker.
2. Beat together eggs and milk. Stir in sugar, butter, and raisins. Pour over bread and stir.
3. Cover and cook on High 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook 3-4 hours.
4. Make sauce just before pudding is done baking. Begin by melting butter in saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add water, sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until thickened.
5. Serve sauce over warm bread pudding.



Fun Garden Sandwich
Garden Fresh Cucumber
Rye Bread
8 ounce package of Cream Cheese with dried ranch dressing added.
I also will add tomato slices.
I could eat this every day, especially when the veggies are fresh.

Beef Taquitos

2 (12 ounce) cans Roast Beef (I used left over roast beef from Sunday Dinner)
1 package of Fajita Seasonings
25 lightly Fried Corn Tortillas (We prefer Flour tortillas so that is what I used)
Quick fry the tortillas I use pam in a non stick fry pan and just warm the tortillas. If you don't fry the tortillas first, they will split and not hold together. In a fry pan warm the beef with the seasoning until the beef is shredded and hot. Remove from stove. Spoon in a small amount of beef mixture into each tortilla. These should be small in diameter. Roll and hold together with a toothpick. Fry the taquitos in hot oil until they are crisp and warmed through.
I make sure the tortillas are sprayed with pam and then I bake them in the over at 400 degress for 15 minutes. It gets rid of the problem of hot oil and children and is way less calories. They turned out just as crisp.

When I use left over roast beef I have cooked the roast in a dutch oven covered in dry lipton onion soup mix at 250 degress for about 8 hours. Twenty minutes before I serve the roast I pour a beef broth over the roast. This consists of hot water and beef boullion. This flavors the roast a little more and lets it sit in the juice and makes it very moist. The meat is tender and juicy and perfect for left over sandwhiches or taquitos.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

If you are still getting strawberries at a good price. This is a fun and different recipe to try.

Pastry for a single-crust pie (9 inches) (If you don't make your own, you can buy one or I use Krusteaz Pie Crust Mix, it makes me feel like I make professional pie crust and it never fails)
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute (use 2 eggs if you don't have egg substitute)
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup reduced sugar strawberry preserves (or strawberry jam)
Fat-Free whipped topping, optional (I used cool whip)
Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate; transfer pastry to plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Prick bottom and sides of crust with fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese , egg substitute or eggs, honey and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the crust. Bake 15-18 minutes longer or until the center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Arrange strawberries over filling. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in preserves. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Spoon or brush, over the strawberries. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Garnish with whipped topping if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
This recipe looks a lot harder than it is. It just takes steps. But the second time you make it will be a breeze.

Smoky Beef 'n' Beans

This is a must recipe for the summer. I haven't found a baked bean recipe to beat this one. I can't use canned baked beans because they don't compare. Plus, beans are so healthy it's a win, win, combination.

1 pound ground beef (I never put this in because I don't need the extra calories, but it would make the beans a meal)
1 cup chopped onion
12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I use the real bacon bits I buy at Costco and use about two or three tablespoons, it saves the mess of cooking the bacon)
2 cans pork and beans (16 ounces each)
1 can kidney beans (16 ounce, drained and rinsed)
1 can butter beans (16 ounce, drained)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke, (I think this makes the flavor terrific)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a skillet, cook the beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings. I have also cooked this on the stove, once it started to boil, I immediately turned it down and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes.

On the picture is also steak. It is marinated in the best rub I have yet to find. It is called Spade L Ranch Beef Marinade and Seasoning. I can only find it in front of the fresh fish counter in Albertsons in Washington State. I swear by it.

The Pasta salad is whole wheat pasta with a yellow pepper, green onions, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green olives, baby corn, black olives, tomatoes, and it is dressed with Olive Garden Salad dressing. You could use the veggie spirili pasta, I like the whole wheat as it is less calories for weight gain.

Almond Chicken Casserole

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken Broth (You can use the soup can for a measure, I just used 1 can 14 1/2 ounce can of Chicken Broth).
4 Cups Cooked and Cubed Chicken
2 Cups Water Chestnuts, Drained
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Cups Mayonnaise
2 Cups Celery
1 small Onion, Chopped
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Rice, Cooked
1/2 Cup Butter (I did not use this as I just used Bread Crumbs)
1 1/2 Cups Crushed Buttery Crackers (again I just used Bread Crumbs.
1 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Cup Colby Cheese, Shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan over medium heat, stir together soup, broth, chicken, chestnuts, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Stir in celery, onion, salt, and rice. Combine well; pour into a buttered (I used spray Pam) casserole dish. Melt butter; mix with crushed crackers or bread crumbs. Sprinkle crackers or bread crumbs over casserole. Sprinkle with almonds and shredded cheese. Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes.

I haven't made a casserole in years. But I couldn't think of what to have for dinner. I had all of the ingredients for this and it was a hit. Even the grandchildren ate it and enjoyed it. I served it with cooked fresh asparagus and fruit salad which added a little more color to the plate and it was a great dinner.

Pretty Authentic Greek Salad

2 English Cucumbers ( I think any cucumber will work)

7 tomatoes

1 can black olives

1 green pepper Julienned

1 red onion Julienned

2 teaspoons Mediterranean Oregano ( I have used regular Oregano, the Mediterranean is a little stronger in flavor)

1/2 Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 Cup Feta Cheese

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Just mix everything together and enjoy. This amount makes a very large salad. You can cut back to any size you want. It has become one of my favorite salads. I made certain to plant cucumbers so I could eat it all summer long. It is so healthy. My cooking class ladies also loved this salad. I am hoping the picture shows how pretty it can look. It tastes as good as it looks

Snickers Salad

4-6 Snickers Candy Bars, Frozen (I only used 4)
4-6 Granny Smith Apples ( I used 3 large Fuji)
1 (8-oz) Cool Whip
1 (3-0z) package Instant Vanilla Pudding made according to directions

Core apples and cut into bite size pieces. Keep the apples cut small, it just seems to work better for all ages. You can use any apples you like, the Granny Smith are tart with the sweet candy and they stay crisp. Smash the frozen candy bars into bite size pieces while still in the wrapper. (I didn't have much success with this so I put the candy into a plastic sandwich bag and it worked great.) Mix the pudding and Cool Whip together by hand. Fold in the apples and Candy bars. Chill in refrigerator for best results.

Finally a salad for kids. I justified it for Braden's 6th birthday as the broccoli salad and others weren't as taste friendly as this one. I figure you have apples, milk, and a smile which is all that is required for healthy eating. It went over better with the adults. The kids liked it they just didn't care as much as the adults. But it's always fun to try anything to make them think you are the coolest Nanna in the world.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

4 Cups fresh strawberries, divided

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed Milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tub Cool Whipped topping, Thawed, divided

8 Oreo Sandwich cookies, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Line 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of strawberries in large bowl. Stir in condensed milk, juice and 2 cups of the Cool Whip; pour into pan. Top with combined chopped cookies and butter; press into mixture. Cover. Freeze at least 6 hours. To serve invert onto plate. Remove foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Top with remaining strawberries, sliced. Makes 12 servings. (I put mine into an aluminum bread pan so I could just throw it away and didn't have to line anything.)

I served this tonight at our Empty Nester's Family Home Evening. We had a couple who had just returned from a European Mission where they established the Especially For Youth programs and Out Reach programs for Young Single Adults. They leave in July to be Mission President and wife of the Sweden Mission. You can imagine how incredible these people are. They are Larry and Sally Anderson. It was a great evening. We had 22 people in attendance and yes, the dessert was a hit. I am not certain how the picture will turn out. But we will try. It takes about 20 minutes to make, then let the freezer do the work. It's perfect right now while strawberries are in season. And despite the picture, it looks absolutely magnificent when you serve it.

Cafe' Rio Burritos

I just made this for Sunday Dinner. It was so delicious I can't wait for left overs. I tried to take a picture, but it really wasn't attractive, which didn't make it appetizing. But try it anyway, it is the best.

Rice

1 Cup rice (again, I mix 1/2 cup white rice with 1/2 cup brown rice)
2 cups chicken broth (or two cups water to 2 tablespoons dry bullion)
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 can diced green chilies
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
* salt to taste
* zest of lime (which is just grated lime peelings on the smallest grate)
(*optional)

I heat a little bit of olive oil then add the garlic, onion and dry rice. After it is heated through I add the broth, green chilies, and lime juice. Bring it to a boil then cover and let it sit for 15 minutes. Add the cilantro at the end.


Chicken - (or I'm sure you could do Beef or Pork the same way)

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
* 1 Tablespoon chili powder (optional, I have never used it)
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
Chicken (1 small bottle is enough for up to 5 pounds)

Crock pot everything on high for 4 hours, then stir up the chicken and shred it (it will fall apart at this point), and cook on low for another hour. Watch your moisture level, you may need to add a little water. This is by far the easiest recipe for Cafe Rio style chicken that I have found.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Sour Cream
Dry Buttermilk mix
Ranch Dressing
Tomatillos, quartered
cilantro
garlic
lime juice
green onions (with ends)

Don't bother with fresh buttermilk. If you use it your dressing will only be good for about a week in the fridge. You can always use mayo instead of sour cream if you want.

This recipe was eyeballed. Put about 6 ounces of sour cream, 4 tablespoons of butter milk mix, 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, 4 tomatillos, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, 5 0r 6 green onions, and probably a tablespoon of both garlic and lime juice. Blend it all up, then adjust the flavor to taste, (more buttermilk mix for a creamier dressing, etc.) Don't underestimate the amount of liquid in the tomatillos. It will be quite runny at first, but should set up nicely in the fridge and become thicker.

Black Beans

Canned black beans
Sazon Goya
** Sazon Goya should be in the Latino section, in a small orange box. We buy the one that has Coriander and Annatto don't be alarmed that it turns your beans a shade of orange.

I have made dried beans dozens of times, and they turn out amazingly well, but it really isn't worth the effort, (the hours of soaking and cooking). Add one packet of Sazon Goya to 1 cup of beans, and increase as the amount of beans you use increases. It is easiest way to make beans. (Sazon Goya is excellent with re fried beans as well). I could only find this spice in two stores in my area, one was Wall Mart which means it should be every where. The other was Fiesta Foods which is mostly Latino.

Put the above ingredients in a tortilla and enjoy. When I taught this in my cooking class it was a huge hit. A lot of families in my ward are having great meals.

Carrot Rice Pilaf

This rice is a great change from potatoes. It's quick and has a wonderful flavor.

2 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup long grain rice
Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Melt butter in pan and saute' onions until tender. Add grated carrots and saute' briefly. Add rice and stir until well mixed in pan. Pour in Chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil and add lemon pepper to taste. You might want to add the lemon pepper after the rice is cooked. It will work as well. And you can make certain you have the right amount of lemon pepper. It's hard to taste it before the rice is cooked. Turn down the heat. Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Yield 5-6 1/2 cup servings

Two Great Soups

Hamburger Soup

The name doesn't sound great but this is the best comfort soup ever. I have never served it that it wasn't loved.

1/2 pound of ground beef (I use as little as possible, probably 1/4 pound or less, just to flavor it)

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup Shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon parsley

4 tablespoons butter

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups potatoes diced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups Velveeta cheese (I use the light Velveeta)

1 1/2 cups of milk (I use skim milk)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup Sour Cream

Brown meat, saute' onion with meat, add basil, carrots, celery, parsley, 1 tablespoon butter, add broth, potatoes, beef, and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, in separate saucepan, melt remaining butter and add flour, stir until bubbly, add milk. Put in soup, cook until soup thickens slightly. Stir in Velveeta cheese that has been cut into small chunks. Just before serving add sour cream.

Don't add the cheese to early it can curdle. Add it early enough to melt and be warm and then do the sour cream at the last minute.

Tortellini Soup

2 Tablespoons Oil

1 medium onion

1 package sausage ( I use the apple 3 cheese sausage from Costco it's pretty low fat or also Turkey kielbasa)

2 cloves garlic

1 package fresh tortellini (found in the refrigerator section in your grocery store)

1 can 28 ounce diced tomatoes

1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup water

2 tablespoons parsley

1 tablespoon basil

1 tablespoon oregano

1 stalk celery diced

2 carrots chopped

1 zucchini chopped

Combine and saute' oil, onion, sausage and garlic. When browned and onions are caramelized, add tortellini, diced tomatoes, apple juice, water, parsley, basil oregano, celery, carrots and zucchini.

Bring to boil, then simmer for 1/2 hour until vegetables are tender.

I use this same recipe to add every vegetable under the sun, such as asparagus, artichokes, green olives, etc. I double the broth, put in whole wheat linguine, and make a sort of vegetable spaghetti that is great. Sometimes I add tomatoes soup or tomato sauce with the above broth. It is so healthy and delicious it is amazing.

Blogging with a new purpose

I have struggled with what to say on my blog. My daughter in law Sarah suggested that I share some of the recipes I use in the cooking class that I teach. That simple suggestion made me so happy (thanks Sarah). I love to cook, and I love my cooking class. We teach each other and learn easy family friendly recipes that are healthy and tasty. So here are two recipes that have been tried and tested and worked with the 10 women who attend my enrichment cooking class.

Vegetable Salsa

I add the following vegetables chopped fine. You can add any vegetable you desire. This recipe can be easily personalized to fit your families likes.

Green Pepper

Red Pepper

Green Onions

Black Olives

Avocado

Tomatoes

If you like it hot you can add jalapenos.

1 can of either black beans, pinto beans or black eyed peas rinsed and drained.

Salt to taste

Lime juice to taste

Touch of red wine vinegar (we discussed this allot as we make it as a family and decided it needed to stay)

Cilantro

Green chile's

Any of the above ingredients can be deleted. This is a very mild salsa. It is healthy, non fat, and no points for the weight watchers. This may not be a salsa at all, but it's great with chips.

Bow Tie Chicken Pasta

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1/4 inch strips

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

1 small sweet red pepper, julienned (which means cut into small strips)

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas thawed

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend (I use season salt)

1 Cup bow tie pasta cooked and drained

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese. (This is different from the powdery Parmesan in the green can)

In a large nonstick skillet, saute' chicken in oil for 3-5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In same skillet, stir-fry red pepper and zucchini, onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.

Add peas and seasonings; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add pasta and tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4

If you have any questions about these recipes let me know and I will try to help you with them.

They both look beautiful and are delicious. I will try to do pictures in the future.

Golf Anyone?

I have really stepped out on a limb. I have a set of petite ladies golf clubs arriving any day now. I purchased them on e-bay. This is probably trivial to everyone else, but it is major to me.
I never thought I would be chasing a little white ball around some grassy area, so that's a big deal. The other major deal is that I now have purchased something on e-bay and I have a pay pal account. I also did all of this by myself.
Contrary to what you may all believe, golfing has become a necessity. Three grandsons and a son and son in law all golf. I need to be able to hang out with those little guys at least and chase some balls around with them.
My first day, I used Brad's clubs and tried hitting a bucket of balls. What a joke. It's a very hard game to play. I can putt O.K. and I can barely chip, but hitting on the range is major stress. Braden makes me laugh allot and that helps ease the embarrassment.
No, I will not be participating in any major tournaments. I will just be using it as exercise, a way to release frustration, and the enjoyment of being outside, and with little boys whom I love.

To Brown or not to Brown

The latest thing I'm working on is a spray tanning machine. Julie and I think it would be a great addition for these old bodies. If we just use it ourselves we could have it paid for in 3 months or less as spray tanning here is $25.00 a time. Plus we might offer it to others for $10.00 a time and pay ourselves back. In case you all think I am getting to worldly. I am still visiting the sick, attending the temple, and trying hard to do what is right. I just want to look good doing it. I think it is a cheap fountain of youth. Anyway let me know what you think.

Where I have Been

A lot has happened since my last blog. I just want to catch everyone up on my life as well as remind myself of what I have been doing.
We sold the store. It's amazing. We sold our business to an employee who has worked for us for at least eight years. She loves to scrapbook and has four daughters who do it with her. How perfect. She knows all about the store and has extra skills to make this business work. We are grateful to have a business we spent 11 years of our life with go to someone who can only improve upon it.
Shortly after the sale of our store Howard's mother passed away. Though we will miss her, we are relieved that she is no longer suffering. We had a wonderful celebration of her life. All of our children and grandchildren were together for a week. It was great to interact together and with all of the aunts, uncles and cousins who were home for grandma's funeral. We had a chance to plan future get togethers and young little cousins could get acquainted.
Two weeks later Howard and I found ourselves in New York City with Josh, Sarah, Olivia and Brody. What an incredible week. We really loved this City and especially because we had a fantastic tour guide in Sarah. We can see why she really wanted us to come and share this week with her. It was a fantastic experience. We learned so much, visited many wonderful sites and enjoyed seeing it all with Josh, Sarah, Livie and Brody.
So the long and short of it is that even though I am not working, I have been so busy I haven't noticed much free time.
As soon as I get copies of pictures from Sarah, I will post further blogs with more information about our wonderful trip to New York.

How much fun can this be? 6 inches of snow, 1 inch of ice underneath, and church cancelled. It's great to enjoy the day without guilt. I am certain the pioneers would have made it the three blocks to church. But I am going to assume that Latter Day Saints are not built the same as the older models in the 1800's. You know how it is. Older, sturdier, less plastic, solid, etc. Anyway this has been a great day. I promise not to make a habit of missing church, but I'm going to enjoy the this fun guilt-free day.

Today, Howard woke up and said "It is going to be a great day," I ask him how he knew that, and he replied that any day where you wake up, your family is safe and well and you can accomplish something is a great day. I obviously need to borrow from his optimism and enthusiasm. But in the eternal scheme of things isn't that the most important. Family, friends, the gospel, health and hope. All the other things we worry about are really insignificant. I am reminded of that when there is a disaster or something. It's to bad that is what it takes to make me appreciate the small things. So I must say it's going to be a great day. I have a great family, choice friends, the gospel, health and lots of hope.

Living our lives can be like running a business

In the process of trying to sell my business, I have been amazed at the lessons I have learned and sometimes I cannot believe how much like real, life running a business is. It seems to me no matter what decision we make, good or bad, it has an impact on someone else around us. We make mistakes, and as we try to recover from those mistakes, we learn to reassess our wants, our priorities, and our needs.
I really need to sell my business, however, as I pray for that outcome, I always remind Heavenly Father that I really want healthy happy children, and grandchildren. I really would prefer that my children stay active in the church and are blessed with strong testimonies. I really want to be able to serve and find the joy in giving to others. So however things turn out with my business, it seems less crucial than the other things that take priority for eternity. So I am not certain Heavenly Father can answer my prayer of selling my business when he knows my priorities. Someone else could argue that he can grant all of these blessings and that we don't have to prioritize. That could also be true, however, my insecurities cause me to list in order the things that I need him to bless me with the most.
The bottom line right now is that I know all will be well in the end. Sometimes enduring to the end is the answer, though difficult, it is the best for us. We may liquidate and have less money, but we can learn to swallow our pride and face the challenges head on. And as Grandma Moon always says, "The scriptures tell us , it came to pass, not it came to stay."

This is the last day in Tallahassee. Though I am so homesick for Howard and cannot wait to see him I will miss this wonderful family and beautiful children. We look so forward to the day when they are back in the west and closer for us to visit.
I attached a new picture of Brody that Josh calls his Chairman Mao uniform. He actually looks like he is a comrade
He is a delightful sweet and gently baby. Olivia is gradually warming up to him and is approaching slowly. She will be an awesome big sister as she is not aggressive and demanding.
This as been a fun ten days. We will see Josh and Sarah in March as we visit New York together and what fun to see how little Brody has changed.

Brody Has arrived

Tuesday January 15th, at 12:56 pm, Brody Christopher Rew arrived on the seen. He weighed in at 9 pounds 3 ounces. He is 20 and 1/2 inches long. He is the cutest chubby cheeked little guy ever. I just want to hold him and kiss him all day long. Sarah had seven hours of labor, an epidural in time and things went swimmingly. We waited five long days thinking he was never coming, though we new better, he just needed that time to put on a few extra pounds.

Olivia isn't really interested yet, but when he comes home from the hospital we think it will be loads of fun to watch her interact with her new little brother. They almost share the same birthday. Olivia was born January 17th.

It is fun to be a grandmother and see these beautiful grandchildren born into loving homes with caring parents who make family a priority. There is no greater blessing than to know all of your grandchildren are loved, cared for, taught well, and blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.

The white streaks you see in the water are the Manatee's I told you about earlier in the blog. They came much closer to the boat and also closer to the surface. We ran out of room on the camera and could not get better pictures than this. They are beautiful, gentle creatures. It was such an opportunity for me to see them, as they are possibly becoming extinct. They have been working hard to save them. Such a fun day.

Isaw several gators, however this was one of the biggest that we could photograph. I have seen them in zoos, but in their natural habitat it is really nice. People actually swim in a lagoon that is at a certain point in the river. It is near a large hotel and close to the boat launch. Even so, I don't think I would swim knowing that that gators are somewhere down river.

We are still waiting for baby boy Rew. So we're entertaining ourselves with a visit to Wakula Springs. We took a boat ride and saw beautiful trees, birds, gators and best of all Manatee's. The Manatee's came very close to the boat and it was incredible. The trees are only seen in the south and I had seen them in pictures but never live. It was great. Livie stated that she saw Nemo and sharks. We are doubting it, but are willing to take her word for it. I am adding a few more pictures to show you how great the tour was. Florida is beautiful and so fun to visit. The weather is great. I am so thankful for these experiences.

The Love of my Life

I'm a Blogger!

Here I am in sunny Tallahassee, Florida, learning how to blog. We hope to be announcing a new baby boy soon and while we're waiting I'm starting to blog. Just sold the business, I now have a life and I will be sharing with everyone who cares.
I'm trying to figure out what to do with my new found freedom. If any of you want to list suggestions as to what I can do, I am open to anything. I'm thinking, learning to golf. exercising, actually starting to write some and make little children's books for my grandchildren. Of course travel is always beckoning. So I am becoming a whole new person, with a fun new life. Keep posted to see what's new.