It Was aGreat Thanksgiving!

It was a great Thanksgiving!  Of course, nobody wanted to be in the picture, but it was great just the same!  David and Marcia joined us,  My mom couldn't make it because she wasn't feeling well. (She was fine the next day). And of course, LAUREN WAS HOME!! YAY!!

The turkey turned out just fine, but I overcooked (translate: blackened) the autumn veggies.  Oh well, you can't win 'em all....

We started a jigsaw puzzle that David said he could finish in about an hour...its still on the coffee table.

Then, later we played Wits and Wagers, then Pictionary (always good for a laugh).  It was a fun day for all.

It also was a year ago that David's congestive heart failure started its downward spiral.  The LVAD was put in in February and the heart transplant was done in June!  What a year!  So much to be thankful for...

And Lauren...What can I say?  She is a wonderful daughter, a beautiful young woman, and a smart kid!  How did we do that?!?  We are so very proud of her.  Can't wait till Christmas!! 

Lauren's Home!!

YAHOO!! Lauren's home!  She arrived this afternoon.  I was just rolling up the cinnamon rolls!

She looks great and likes the rolls!  She also liked the scarf and hat (even though they itch a little).

AND, she missed Cooper ...

I was busy today getting ready for tomorrow.  Made some yummy meringue cookies.  They were in the newspaper this morning.  I had some lemon curd from Trader Joe's for the center.  They were quite tasty. But I got tired of making the little nests.  So I mixed pecans and chocolate chips in with the rest of the  meringue. 

I got the autumn veggies chopped, the green bean casserole mixed, and the pumpkin rolls made.  Last night I made the orange jello carrot pineapple salad.  We are going TRADITIONAL this year!
I hope the turkey turns out o.k.  Roasting a turkey has never been my strong suit.  I'm up at 6a.m. tomorrow to accomplish the challenge!

Have a great Thanksgiving! 

Gourmet At My House

Yesterday was Gourmet at my house.  Our group was smaller than usual because 2 members couldn't make it.  The deal is, if it is at your house, you plan the menu and purchase the ingredients.  When everyone arrives, they prepare the meal.  And then we eat, of course.

We had mushroom Wellingtons, Orange/Almond Salad, Maple glazed autumn vegetables, and poached pears with cinnamon ice cream  and chocolate ganache.  It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself! Check the recipe page for the Orange-Almond salad.

This last Friday I went to Dubuque with Miss Jackie for a quilt retreat at the Shalom Center.  It used to be a Catholic girls school many years ago and then the nuns convent.  The nuns still live there but it is also available for people to rent the rooms for events.  Its a charming setting in Dubuque (between the Catholic cemetery on one side and the Lutheran on the other). I didn't get a lot of quilting done, but I got started on a project and took my knitting and worked on that, also. On Saturday I met Lauren and her friend Julia in Monroe Wi.( about an hour from Dubuque ). We had lunch and roamed around.  It was a lovely town with THE BEST CHOCOLATE SHOP!  Chocolate Temptations was the name...absolutely worth the trip!!
Jackie and I came home on Sunday afternoon.

Saying 'good-bye' to Lauren and Julia...:- (  But, we'll see her next week for Thanksgiving!: -)

New Picture

I've been searching for the perfect picture for a spot in  my living room.  I found a great picture at Ben Franklin's in Iowa City, but it was over $2000.00!!!  So I opted NOT to get it.  A few weeks ago, I found a print at ReVisit, a second hand shop in North Liberty.  I liked it, but it wasn't as large as I hoped for.  But, what the heck, $65.00 vs. $2000.00.  Guess which one won the match?

So, I got it framed at Hudson River Frame Company on Gilbert Street in Iowa City.  Nick really does lovely work (and his boy Cole and my Lauren went to Willowwind!).

Its a Monet print, and I love the colors, but I don't think its bug enough.  Maybe, I should hang more pictures.  Any thoughts?

I

Happy Birthday, MOM!!

Here's my mother at our house yesterday.  We helped her celebrate her 92nd birthday!  It was just Bob and me.  I Skyped Lauren and she wished grandma a happy birthday from school.  Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

Bob's still not feeling up to par.  He's not contagious but just doesn't feel his old self  yet.  I'm hoping I don't get this nasty thing, I have a quilt retreat to go to next weekend!! 

How 'bout those Hawks!!?!  Have a great Sunday!