Today is...

Remember the Summer Day--- We have a pictorial story for you today. We started the summer with a hospital visit.

Being with friends old and new.

Baby J

Many meals from the grill.

Flower Power!

Farmer's market fun.

Sales, sales, sales.

The newest addition to our

family--Miss Emily!

The family reunion--most of us are

here in this picture. Ken's Dad is one

of five and this is his wild bunch.

Sister Cindy, her family and Ken's

youngest brother were not able to

make the reunion.

The boy's birthday!!!!

***********************

As I look through these and all the

other summer pictures we have

taken, I realize how busy we have

been. I am ready for the changes

Fall brings and hopefully a lot of

the things we have had to deal with

over the past few months will settle

themselves down and we can get on

with other fun stuff. I hope that you

summer was and continues to be all

that you have expected!!

~Keep on Dreaming!

So Easy

Sunday Savor *************** Sunday's will be bringing you an easy recipe. So pull up a chair and relax. ************************** Today's recipe: Italian Sausage Skillet Lasagna ***From my kitchen*** 2 grilled Italian sausages cut into chunks 2 C. noodles 1 C. spaghetti sauce -your choice ***add more if you want it "saucier" Mozzerella cheese--amount is up to you I used about 1 1/2 C. **Cook noodles according to the package drain. **Mix with the spaghetti sauce **Add the sausage chunks In a skillet, place the above items and mix together then sprinkle with the cheese leave on low and cover until cheese sets or melts. Enjoy!!

~Keep on Dreaming~

Happen'ns

This is Mr. Ken and I

TODAY.

***********************

1-We ran errands this morning.

2-We had lunch at on of our

favorite Mexican restaurants.

3-Tried to get our cars washed at

fund raiser but the line was too long.

4-Went to the hardware

store to pick up items for

Ken to clean in the garage.

5-I worked in the yard and

cleaned out old plants so I

could plant some mums. :)

***********************

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

~Keep on Dreaming~

For Me

Taking the day for myself.

Be back soon!

=================

~Keep on Dreaming~

Looking Heavenward

This evening we will be

having a Full Moon!!!!

***********************

~~~Tonight's moon will

be in Pisces, which is the

sign of dreams, illusions

and a spiritual connection

within.

~~~The August full moon

is sometimes called "the

sturgeon moon" or "the

green corn moon" accord-

ing to Native American

tradition.

~~~This will be the most

distant moon and therefore

the smallest of the year.

~~~In a full moon, the

moon is opposite the sun

in the sky from our vantage

point.

Enjoy!!!

~Keep on Dreaming~

On the Side

Sunday Savor ************** Sunday's will be bringing you an EASY recipe to enjoy. So pull up a chair and relax. ***************************** Today's recipe: Easy Mac and Cheese--- From the Kitchen of Mel ~~2 C of macaroni (your choice) ~~Any seasoning you like (I use a no salt seasoning mix-amount is up to you) ~~1 1/2 C of milk (more if you like soupy mac) ~~2 T of butter ~~1 T of dried parsley Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. Return to pan -- add milk and butter. Stir together to get the consistency you like. Add the cheese--let it melt and the stir together again. Make sure you watch the cheese melt so as not to burn. If you need to add more milk or butter do so at this time. Stir in the parsley. Turn off the heat and let set for a couple of minutes. Serve with your favorite main dish or vegetable. ******************************** This is more of an "approximately" recipe-depends on your likes and dislikes.

~Keep on Dreaming~

Just Thinking...

"Slow down and everything you are

chasing will come around and catch

you."~~~~John De Paola

" The bad news is time flies. The

good news is you're the pilot."

~~~Michael Althsuler

"Half our time is spent trying to

find something to do with the

time we have rushed through

life trying to save."~~~~Will Rogers

"Spring passes and one remembers

one's innocence

Summer passes and one remembers

one's exuberance

Autum passes and one remembers

one's reverence

Winter passes and one remembers

one's perseverance."

~~~Yoko Ono, Season of Glass

"You will never find time for anything.

If you want time you must make it."

~~~Charles Buxton

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor,

summer an oil painting and autumn a

mosaic of them all." ~~~Stanley Horowitz

*******************************************

~Keep on Dreaming

Where Did The Summer Go?

Yes, it is THAT time of the year!

I entered the public school system

in 1968--Kindergarten and finished

my school career in 1984 with a

college degree. I'll tell you things

have changed a lot!

For today's stimulating trivia, I

thought I would share some school

observations, remember that I work

in the public school system.

***************************************

THEN------------------------- NOW

1/2 day Kndg. ------------ Some have full day

Rest time in Kndg.--------No such thing

Cookies and Milk----------Nutritious snacks

Lots of parent help--------Both parents work

Recess was for fun---------Limited time outside

Holiday parties------------ Interferes with learning

Less Special Ed.------------ More Special Ed.

Less diversified------------- More diversified

Less behaviors-------------- More behaviors

Chalkboards----------------- Whiteboards

Chalk -------------------------Dry erase markers

Card catalog -----------------Internet

Encyclopedias ---------------Internet

Limited computers ---------Computers in class

Breakfast at home ----------Breakfast at school

Home after school---------- After School care

*************************************************

The cost for school when I was young

involed supplies and new clothes. There

may have been more but my parents

dealt with that. High school cast a bit

more BUT nothing like today and of

course college was on it's own plain

when it came to those costs and it still

is today.

One of the things that blows my mind is

how little schools and children's education

is thought of these days. NOONE wants to

fund anything where schools are concerned

and school administrations are all wound

up about testing and good scores so they

get that gov't funding. Today's classes are

run on getting ready for test time. Whatever

happened to those days wher teachers got

to actually teach and help their students

learn? It's no wonder we have sooooo many

children and young adults who are having

tough times in the real world.

I'll get off my soap box but it really TICKS

me that Education is so low on the Gov't

totem pole!!!!

~Keep on Dreaming~

One Tomatoe, Two Tomatoe

Sunday Savor ***************** Sunday's will bring you a recipe to enjoy! So pull up a chair and relax! ***************** Today's recipe is good for the abundant amount of tomatoes that we are getting now. ***************** FRESH TOMATOE SAUCE From the kitchen of BHG and Melinda *Fifteen lbs. of tomatoes (this will yield approx. 2 quarts of sauce) *Chop tomatoes *Cook down until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon *Portion and freeze *Add seasonings when you use the sauce ***************** Good uses for this sauce-- Pasta Chili Salsa Soup ******************

For this side dish, I used the

sauce after I made it--I put my

spices in at the time of cooking.

Served over shell pasta.

Of course, this can be made to

suit your needs. I cook the amount

of tomatoes I happen to have and

spice accordingly or freeze for later.

~Keep on Dreaming~

Super Saturday Sales

Fill a box for $5 and that is what we did: Mr. Ken and all of his " techy stuff." This was part of the box sale. Cool Christmas goodies---love the snowman. More goodies--the muffin tins will be used as a candle holder (green) and a drawer organizer (tan.) I have put the glass boel to use as another candle holder. Have yet to do anything with the LARGE green bowl. Suggestions??? Aren't these cute? They are place- card holders. From Crate and Barrel. They are waiting for Halloween. Misc. goodies--sewing patterns, cross stitch patterns books and some really cute wedding wrapping paper. A plaid table runner, white fabric, and a black and white scarf. I didn't realize till we got home that the plaid fabric was already a runner. I needed some white for a lining--whoohoo and the scarf will go on my black purse. EVERYTHING you have seen came out of the box except the roll of wrapping paper. **************************************** Goodwill finds: this may be a repeat-- if so sorry. The silver napkin holder is now holding scrapbook paper in the "new and improved " sewing room. The flower teacup is there too. Today we stopped at a couple of sales. At one I found several bags of pony beads. $1. Great for school crafts!

We hit a church sale also and they

were having a special--fill a bag

for $7.

AND that's what I did!!!!!

Speckled eggs, three red buckets, a red

tin, candle holders, Pick up Sticks, an

egg shaped Santa, a plant holder, bubble

gum machine and a caddy for markers at school.

The gum machine will start holding

buttons that I will not use. For decoration

only.

Gooseberry cookbooks--Merry Mixes.

Books and two dolls for school.

Plates, vases and candle holders to make

those stands that EVERYONE is making.

There is a mystery with the three plates

though.

They are made by: Royal Albert

Bone China England--Lavender

Rose.

BUT!!!! There is a hole in the

middle of each plate!

Who knows why???? I'll just

have to cover the hole when they

are used.

That bag held a lot!

****************************************

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!!!

~Keep on Dreaming~

Craziness!!!! Part 2

Update on Mr Ken--(see

yesterday)

After being at the hospital ALL

day after beign told approx. 3hrs.

I'm happy to say that Ken is home

and doing GREAT! He even was

able to sit in a restaurant and

have some dinner. Which was good

since he was STARVING!!

The Dr. reported that they were

able to get most everything on

BOTH side with some small

fragments that would/should

pass naturally.

At this time he SHOULD NOT have

to have the other procedure --going

through the back. Right nowhe's

sitting up and goofing around on

his computer. He is scheduled to go

back for a follow up in three weeks!

Thanks for all of your thoughts and

prayers they helped and we really

appreciate them.

My training went well and I passed the test afterwards!!!! It was a little

hard getting back in the swing of

going to work after being off for the

summer. More training tomorrow

and getting our room put together

for the little darlings on Monday.

Woo hoo!!!

~Keep on Dreaming~

Craziness!!!!

This post is early as you will see

why:

Thursday--

6:10 am

******************

Wake up

Bathe

Dress

Ice Tea

Hair/ Makeup

******************

7:00 am

******************

Breakfast

Gather belongings

Visit with Ken

******************

7:20 ish am

******************

Leave for a training session

that will go all morning

******************

8:00 am

******************

M in Mandatory am training

for school

******************

Ken will be getting ready for

outpatient surgery today. His

Dad will pick him up at 10:30

am. He is to be at the hospital

for check in at 11:00 for surgery

at 1:00 pm.

After I finish my training then I

will drive to the hospital and see

what's going on.

***I will keep you posted as to

how the surgery went.

We will be on "school schedule"

beginning Friday so posts will in

the late afternoons or evenings.

~Keep on Dreaming~

Chillin'

Since it has been sooo HOT for a lot of us this Summer, I thought we'd take a moment and cool down--you know "chill out." The origins of ICE CREAM go back to about 60 AD. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in NYC in 1776.

Haagen Dazs was created in 1959 by

Polish born New York businessman

Reuben Mattus. The Danish sound-

ing name was also invented by him

and the ice cream had a map of

Scandinavia on the carton.

***********************************

In 1843, New England housewife

Nancy Johnson invented the hand

cranked ice cream churn. She

patented the invention but lacked

the funding to make and market it

herself so she sold the patent for

$200 to a Philidelphia kitchen

wholesaler.

~~French ice cream is enriched

with egg yolks.

~~More ice cream is sold on

Sunday's than any other day

of the week.

~~Vanilla is the top flavor in the

US followed by chocolate, vanilla/

chocolate, fruit and cookies and

cream.

~~Favorite topping is CHOCOLATE

~~The world's first soft serve ice

cream machine was in an Olympia,

Washington Dairy Queen.

~~At one time it was against the law

to serve ice cream on cherry pie in

Kansas.

Top five ice cream producing

states: CA, IN, OH, IL and MI.

Here we have Mr. Ken in "Mel's

Diner" in Piegon Forge Tenn.

He is going to "try" their ginormous

banana split! Yes, folks he ate it

ALL!!! I saw it with my own two eyes.

**************************************

The biggest ice cream sundae ever

made, was 12 feet high, made with

4,667 gallons of ice cream and

7,000 lbs. of toppings. 1985 CA

Take a page from this puppy's

book and ENJOY!!

*******************************

All images EXCEPT Mr. Ken

are from Google Images.

~Keep on Dreaming~

*******************************

***Reader alert***

Blogger has a mind of it's own today

(most days) and is doing stuff in my

post ie: single and double spacing

wherever and whenever it wants to.

Please excuse this post!!!

Thanks!!!