It's A Go!!!!

Yep, my new floors will be installed today!!!!  Yesterday all the prep work was done and this is what my house looks like right now!!

Lovely, isn't it!!!!  But it won't look like this for long because the installers are unbelievable!!!  They arrived at 9:15 AM (two of them) and by 10:30 AM everything was torn out, removed and swept to begin installation of my new hardwood floors!!!!!!!!!

Wow...She's 13???

 Yep, this lovely young lady (my step-granddaughter), KK, is a whopping 13 years old today!!!  Whoop, Whoop!!!!  A smart as a whip, loves neon colors, can't get enough of Ae'ropostale, eats broccoli like it's french fries, fun loving young lady!!!

So today I want to say to her:

Yeah, I've Been A Slack Blogger

Yes, I'll admit it...I've been a slacker this past week but I've had a good reason.  Thanksgiving!!!  I hosted Thanksgiving lunch at my house this year for my family...so that required cleaning and cooking so all would be ready on Thanksgiving Day. (Goodness..I had no chance to take photos...now I am a slacker!!)

Then there was the emptying of the furniture in the living room, dining room and kitchen on Friday because.............I'm getting hardwood floors installed this week!!!!!!!  Whoop, Whoop!!!

Of course there was also the football game at UNC-Chapel Hill between the Tarheels and the Blue Devils on Saturday...first time I'd been to a game at Chapel Hill!!!  Another..Whoop, Whoop!!!

And finally, Sunday we moved out all the furniture in the living room and dining room so all will be ready for those new floors!!!

Hopefully, I won't be such a slacker this week....but then again...once the floors are installed there may be some painting that needs to be done!  I'll try my best to post the changes in my home and some other things...so bear with me this week!!!

Enjoy your Tuesday!!

Miscellany Monday-Round 2

• Whew....another busy weekend completed!!!  Harley Man and I enjoyed participating in the Salisbury H.O.G. Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Bake-Off this past Saturday!!  Even though setting up was during a pretty "chilly" (no pun intended) time of the morning, the day turned out to be a success.  Our friends Vickie and Keith won the trophy for the Chili Cook-Off! Great food, lots of fun and plenty of fellowship was had by all who attended the event!!  Oh...I won the trophy for the Dessert Bake-Off...can you believe that!!!!  What did I make???  Why Red Velvet Cake Balls..of course!!!

• My niece, Merv, is getting ready to be deployed to Afghanistan and we were fortunate to be able to visit with her Saturday afternoon and evening!  Merv came home for a little R&R with her family.  We had a blast!!!  Lots of laughing and picture taking with the family!!!  We all love Merv dearly and will miss her so much!

• Did you watch the NASCAR race Sunday???  Now I am by no means a die hard fan but I must say it was an awesome race!!!!  Kudos to Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards for a hard fought race!!  Way to go, SMOKE!!!  Congratulations on winning the 2011 Championship!!

Photo from Fox Sports

• While visiting with Merv, my wonderful SIL made a yummy dinner and dessert.  Have you tried Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip?  If not, you are missing a delicious treat.  Hopefully, SIL will share her recipe with me and then I'll share it with you!!

Food Friday-#7

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Holiday Parties soon to follow, maybe you are looking for some easy but tasty recipes to make for these special times???  So I dug into my recipe collection and found two favorites to share with you!!  Both recipes make great appetizers to serve to your friends and family...yummmm!!!

Hot Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

2 cans of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup Parmesan Cheese (save 1/4 cup for topping)

Directions:

Mix chopped artichokes, mayonnaise, garlic powder and 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese. 

Place mixture in baking dish and sprinkle 1/4 Parmesan Cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Serve with a variety of crackers or pita chips

 

Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

1/4 cup milk

1 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

3 drops Tabasco Sauce (more if you like it spicy)

1 small onion quartered

1 5 oz. can shrimp, drained

1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, cubed

Directions:

Put all ingredients in blender and process at "blend" until smooth.

Chill.

Serve with crackers, veggies or chips

Seriously Thursday?! Take Eleven

Seriously???!Tornadoes in November???  Goodness, such devastation can happen when a tornado comes through!  My thoughts are with those displaced, injured or affected by last night's tornado in our area and other areas of the South.

Photo from Fox 8

Photo from The Dispatch



Seriously???!Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week???  I mean, Halloween was just the other day...wasn't it????  It is unreal how quickly the weeks pass at this time of the year!!!

Photo from Google

Seriously???!Facebook may have its faults but I am so thankful for it when serious events are taking place because it allows me to quickly find out how my family and friends are doing!! 

Courtsey of Facebook



What made you go Seriously???! this week?

Miscellany Monday

• Harley Man and I went to the Shriner's Oyster Roast and Fish Fry in Salisbury last Friday!!! The menu includes a "high quality array of oysters, shrimp, flounder, clam chowder, oyster stew, French fries, hush puppies, slaw and a variety of beverages.  We had a great time with some of our Harley friends...man can some of them eat oysters!!!

• Prissy and I had some mother-daughter time Saturday.  We went to our favorite hairdresser, Jennifer, for trims and color updates!!!  While we were there, a wedding party converged on the salon and we were entertained by two lovely young ladies, ages 8 and 5, as they were glamed up for the special day!!

• KK had an early birthday celebration with her middle school friends on Sunday!  It was breezy and cold but that didn't stop them from having fun at the park.  Have you ever seen a M&M throwing contest??? lol!!

Food Friday #6

My step-granddaughter, KK, loves broccoli....not just a little...she will order broccoli over any other side be it fries, chips, etc.  So I've been going through some of my old recipes to find a way to fix broccoli for Thanksgiving. I found a family favorite which I plan to make for her this year.  Maybe you have a broccoli lover at your house too, if so I'll share the recipe with you!!


Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, chopped broccoli
1/2 cup mushroom soup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon fresh onion
1/2 cup grated sharp cheese
1 beaten egg
1 cup Ritz crackers, crumbled
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine


Directions:
Cook broccoli for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Drain and then steam broccoli over boiling water 10 minutes
Mix soup, mayonnaise, onion, cheese, egg with broccoli
Mix crumbled Ritz crackers and butter/margarine together.
Sprinkle crumbled Ritz crackers over the top
Place in small casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Seriously Thursday?! Take 10

Seriously???!Tomorrow is Veterans Day. I'd like to take this time to thank all those who have served our country in the United States Armed Forces protecting the freedoms we all experience today. I'd also like to thank all those currently serving  our country in the United States Armed Forces for their dedication and love for our country. If you've not read the Veterans Day Proclamation, please take time to go here and read it: Veterans Day Proclamation. We are proud to honor all of you!!!!

Photo from www.va.gov

Seriously???!I am so glad Harley Man decided to get a second opinion on the washing machine!!!!! It's back up and running as I type!! Doesn't take much to make me smile these days!! :)

 

Seriously???!I do not like when people tell lies!!  Remember the repairman who came to diagnose what was wrong with my washing machine and only spent 10 minutes (for $85.00) to make a diagnosis the transmission was going out on the washing machine???  Remember Harley Man took that same machine for a diagnosis elsewhere..well, the verdict from that repairman was a block needing repair which cost $60.00 (thank goodness) not the transmission!!  Anyway, Harley Man went back to the original business (which I will not name because that's how I roll) to discuss what repairs actually had to be done on our washing machine and to let them know we wanted our $85.00 back (because the repairman was incorrect and didn't do a complete inspection of the washing machine). Here's where the lies come in...the repairman (who I stood right next to and watched the whole time) had the nerve to say he saw fluid coming out of the machine and he'd pulled the machine out and looked under it, took off the back, etc!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh no he didn't??????????  When Harley Man told me this, my blood began to boil (it takes quite alot to make me that way) because I saw exactly what he did and that sure as heck wasn't true!!!!  I may have blonde highlights in my hair but I am not dumb or blind!!  Harley Man had me type up exactly what the repairman did on his diagnosis visit and is going back with my account of what happened!!!  Geez people, when you do something...own up to it!!!!  Don't lie about it...especially when I was right beside you watching what you were doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo from Google

Seriously???!I love the smell of cinnamon!!!!!  No matter what time of year it is...I'd pick cinnamon air fresheners over any other scent! While at Wal-Mart, I was looking around for some Thanksgiving decorations for my dining room table and what to my wandering eyes did I spot.....cinnamon pine cones!!! Oh my goodness...they smell divine!!  So I purchased a bag to use as table decorations!!!  Yep, for Thanksgiving! My house smells awesome!!!  Call me crazy, I don't care...I love the smell!! I'll be going back after Thanksgiving to purchase several more bags for Christmas!!

Seriously???!I have decided it's time to purge and get rid of lots of stuff I don't really need. It's a mammoth task to undertake but I must do it!!!  One of my goals for next year is to live in an uncluttered environment!!  Less is more, right????  Right!!!  I can do this, I can do this!!!! :)

Photo from Google

Seriously???!What made you go Seriously?! this week????

What Do You Want To Know Wednesday? Week 5

It's time for What Do You Want To Know Wednesday????

If you would like to submit questions...these can be questions about me or whatever question you are dying to ask! On Wednesdays...I will answer one or two of your questions or find the answer to your question...lol!! Just remember to keep the questions "family friendly", nothing inappropriate please!!!

This week I have a question asked by Sue from Natalies Book Club!  She asked:

      "I'm curious how you got involved running the judges' room for the KCBS cook off you were at, and what you learned. My hubby is a bbq guy."

Well Sue, my friend Gary was the Event Coordinator for Biker Blues and BBQ and he asked me to be the Judges Room Coordinator.  My job involved setting up the room and making sure the judges had everything needed to make their job easier.  So I made sure they had supplies: napkins, crackers, grapes, water, comfortable table set ups, pencils...etc. during the judging process.  I also had to provide takeout cartons for the meat samples and trays.  We also had to set up the grazing table for visitors allowed into the judging room. 

I didn't do any of the judging...you have to be certified by KCBS which means taking a training class.  I did learn there are various levels of judges and they continually train and go to classes to become Master KCBS judges requiring lots of additional time on their part.  I also learned meat presentations must be perfect...cooked throughly, displayed in takeout containers, only use parsley or lettuce as garnish, have at least 6 pieces of meat per judging table...and much more.  It is such a professional judging and the judges take their responsibility seriously!!!  Of course, I wasn't allowed to ask questions during the judging nor take photos!! (I borrrowed a few photos from the professional photographers)

I can't wait to do it again in 2012!!!  I hope to learn much more my second year!!