Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's House - Retro 1950's

Just LOOK at the tinsel on this tree ... now I see where my mom got her fascination for single strand decorations ... This is my Grandma and Grandpa Klotz ... my dad's parents.  I think I got my "spunk" from Grandma Ollie, as she was a force to be reckoned with and there were no "gray" areas ... it was either black or white ... right or wrong ... nothing in between.  She had a quiet strength and a loving embrace.  I have just a few vague memories of my Grandpa George, who past away when I was about 4. 

It's that magical time of year!

Hard to beleive that we are well into December and the most magical time of the year is just a few weeks away ... here are a few of my favorite things about December.

While I absolutely hate driving in hazardous conditions, I do love to sit and watch it snowing ... from a comfy chair ... with the fireplace roaring ... and a cup of hot cocoa in hand ... there is nothing for beautiful than a blanket of pristine snow covering everything around.



And while we haven't had a REAL christmas tree in many years, one of my favorite holiday smells in fresh pine ... love walking past the trees for sell and just inhaling this amazing aroma ... it conjurs up images of Christmas past.  Although growing up I do remember the infamous aluminum tree with a rotating colored disk ... did any of you have these when you were growing up?

I'm not sure who invented this concept or why it became so popular back in the '60's, but my dad was famous for getting any new "gadget" on the market and this was our holiday tree for several years.  But one of my fondest memories is when we had a real tree and mom would hang tinsel ... one strand at a time, on the branches ... it was amazing when she was done. 



Nobody Doesn't Like Hot Cocoa !!

We are lucky to have the corporate headquarters of Mannheim Steamroller right here in Omaha, Nebraska.  And for MANY years now it has been an annual treat to stop by and pick up a cannister of THIS amazing cocoa.  It contains Vietnamese cinnamon and is the absolute BEST hot chocolate you will EVER taste!  And that endorsement comes from me ... one who KNOWS her hot cocoa!!!

They have an online store here: 

Miss Paisley Turns TWO !!!!

Just doesn't seem possible that it is been almost TWO YEARS since this adorable and amazing little gal came into our lives!   She gets cuter by the minute, if that's possible.  And her antics have us ALL just laughing out loud.  Her mom says that she has had more time outs in her short life than Jonas has had in his full 5-1/2 years ... she is definitely a force to be reckoned with! 

Happy birthday, Sweet P !!!!

Miss Paisley Discovers the Universal Comedic Noise

November Has Arrived

Yep ... it's here ... leaves are on every lawn in the neighborhood ... even on those lawns, like ours, where there are no trees ... funny how that works!!

And with November arriving, you know that Christmas won't be far behind.  I saw this fun craft project on Pinterest and had to share ... looks easy enough!

It Just Doesn't Get Any Better!

This photo of my two precious grandchildren just makes me smile out loud.  Jonas was playing with his toys and Miss Paisley brought over a book for him to read to her.  Too precious for words!

Yep ... Having one of THOSE days !

Autumn ... has arrived !

On Being a Grandmother

Grandma Ollie

I've been blessed in my life to have reached the age to where I have little ones calling me Grandma.  It got me thinking about the memories I have of my Grandma Ollie (my dad's mother).  She is what one would have called a "tough old bird".  There were no gray areas ... only black and white ... wrong and right.  She lived life simply, with each day a series of making meals, cleaning and sewing. She was a fabulous cook and her bread and rolls rivaled any bakery today.  Here's a list of my most favorite memories.

Sewing

Grandma Ollie was an amazing seamstress.  She had an old singer machine that was powered by a large foot pedal plate that was mesmorizing to watch.  She would save me fabric scraps and I would spend HOURS making little outfits for my dolls and she was right there to help me if the thread got tangled up in the machine. I can remember EVERY birthday seeing packages wrapped in white tissue paper and yarn bows and knew that they were clothes that she had made just for me.

Quilting

Grandma had a quilting loom that always had a project on it that she was working on.  Her nimble fingers would literally fly through the material as she worked.  She later had a small business from home making her hand quilts.  I wish I had one of those quilts still, as her workmanship was simply amazing.

Cooking

There was always a jar of bacon grease or any other grease that she collected as she cooked.  From that jar of grease she created the most amazing cookies ... to this day I've never tasted ANYTHING like grandma's cookies.  Of course, I don't believe anyone makes cookies from bacon grease today.  Heck, not many people actually bake from scratch anymore with baked goods so readily available at the grocery stores.  I remember her hot cross buns sitting on the table EVERY Easter.  And when I had a sleepover at grandma's house, you can bet that for breakfast she would make me cinnamon buns ... which were actually just leftover hamburger or hot dog buns, liberally spread with butter, then topped with brown sugar and cinnamon, and then put under the broiler just until everything melted together.  I remember going over to grandma's house for Sunday dinners and there was always a nice pot roast or fried chicken on the table, along with homemade bread and jams.  Grandma Ollie also taught me how to make fudge from scratch.  The kind you have to cook to a "soft ball stage" and then beat the living daylights out of it until it lost it's gloss and then you HAD to learn to know when it was almost done, as it would harden in almost an instant and you would be left with digging it out of the pan. 

Hair Receiver

You don't see these on anyone's dresser anymore, but my grandma had what I called a hair pot ... a little glass jar with a hole where she would clean her brushes/combs and store the loose hair into this little pot and save it until there was enough to fill a small sachet or pin cushion with.

Cane

My grandma had hip problems for many years and walked with a cane ... eventually she would be wheelchair bound, although this didn't slow her down at all.  I'm now using a cane until I get some knee surgery done ... seems so odd to me to think back on how much pain she must have been in, but somehow she never let it dull her spirit.

Bathtub

Oh, I have such a great memory of this claw foot tub that seemed SO huge to me when I was a child.  And of course, grandma made sure I had plenty of bubbles in the tub when bathtime rolled around.

Four Poster Feather Bed

I'm sure it was because I was a young child, but grandma's bed seemed SO tall ... I had to use a step stool just to be able to hurl myself onto the top mattress.  I lost my grandfather very early as I don't have many memories of him. Most of my early memories seem to be of just grandma and me. 

I am hoping that I leave my grandchildren with loving memories of their time spent with Grandma Cat, and that they will both know how very much they are loved and what JOY they have brought into my life.

Lost Recipes

I'm still sorting through old cookbooks and recipes and came across these, which I made so many years ago and am not sure how they fell off the radar, as both are very scrumptious.

The following recipe is for a very moist, dense coffee cake.  Made with graham crackers, it has a very unique and delicate flavor.  Great for morning coffee break!

GRAHAM CRACKER COFFEE CAKE

1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. backing powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups craham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cupt light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanille
1 cup butter milk
1 cup chopped walnuts

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt; mix with graham cracker crumbs; set aside.  Cream together putter and sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla, beating until fluffy.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating just to blend. Stir in walnuts and spread into greasted 9-inch square baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until top springs back.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with butter.


And here's a recipe shared by a coworker many years back for a treat called Ice Cream Candy Bars.

BOTTOM CRUST:  about 25 crushed oreo cookies and 1 stick melted butter ... press into bottom of 13x9 pan.

Layer #2:  1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream.  Let soften then slice and spread into pan

Layer #3:  1 can spanish peanuts

Layer #4:  Melt 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 can evaporated milk (more or less), and 3 cups powdered sugar.  Bring to boil until it thickens (similar to a white sauce consistency).  Let cool completely and spread over other layers.  FREEZE until firm.  To serve, let stand for about 1/2 hour for ease in slicing.

Snap This!

My son took this STUNNING photo from their Colorado back yard ... LOVE the weathered wood in the background and the bloom is absolutely lovely!



Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee

Years ago, my mother-in-law, Kay, made some really delicious and EASY treats during the holiday season.  She always called them "Lady Fingers".  You start with a Sara Lee Pound Cake ... and while it is still FROZEN, you cut the slices into one inch "fingers".  Then make a simple frosting from a box of powdered sugar and some milk.  To that add about 2 Tablespoons of creamy peanut butter (unless you're feeling like a daredevil, then go ahead and use chunky peanut butter).  Mix and then spread the frosting on each lady finger and then roll into shredded coconut.  Place on wire rack and allow the frosting to "harden" to the frozen cake.  You will be AMAZED at how delicious these little coconut bars are and I'm sure they will be come a family favorite!

1

On the road again ... just can't wait to get on the road again ...

Tomorrow I'm heading to Des Moines to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend of mine ... she's gonna be doing the driving (have I ever mentioned that there are a few drawbacks with LEASING a vehicle ... one being that when you near your alloted miles, you are limited in where you can go and how far you can travel and still have enough miles to get you to the end of your lease).  We're heading out mid morning for the TWO HOUR drive to Des Moines, and then we'll be stopping at a few scrapbook stores.  Here's one of the places we'll be stopping at: 

http://www.heirloomsbydesign.com/

After a leisurely morning of shopping, we'll head to Iowa Machine Shed for lunch ... my favorites? Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, Creamed Chicken and Biscuits, Shepherd’s Pie, or their thick center-cut roasted bone-in chop, stuffed with a warm apple raisin dressing and glazed with an apple whiskey sauce. Indescribably delicious!!  Am I making you hungry yet?  Of course, they also tease you with homemade bread rolls, AMAZING awardwinning soups, and by all means save room for a piece of their many pie selections.  You can visit their website here: http://www.machineshed.com/des-moines/des-moines-menus



We'll probably also make a few more stops after lunch before we head out of town and back home ... there's a place that makes homemade granola that's pretty delicious, and a place that makes some amazing sour dough bread as well.  

Add to this great adventure a great friend and companion that makes me laugh ... ALL THE TIME ... and it'll be one full day of mental therapy that I can embrace and enjoy!

Recipe from Heloise

I had a clipping from a newspaper article asking about Herloise's recipe for angel biscuits.  Here it is ...





Heloise's Angel Biscuits


1 package (2 1/4 tsp) dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup buttermilk

Disolve the yeast in warm water, setting aside. Mix the dry ingredients in the order given, cutting in the shortening as you normally do for biscuits or pie dough.  Stir in the buttermilk and the yeast mixture. Blend thoroughly and the dough is ready to  refrigerate or roll out into biscuits.

Next, roll the dough out and cut with a biscuit cutter, placing the biscuits in a greased pan.

Let the dough rise slightly before baking in a 400-degree F oven for about 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned and done.

If the dough is cold, you'll need to let it set a little longer to rise.

Source: Hints from Heloise, 1982

Jolly Roger's

My folks used to winter in San Diego many years ago, and one of their favorite restaurants was Jolly Roger's.  I found their "melt in your mouth" orange bread recipe.  It's good plain, or toasted, or even as a base for french toast (try coconut syrup on top). 

4 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Zest of 2 small oranges
1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup white corn syrup
4 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons orange extract
Few drops yellow food color
Few drops orange food color
Juice of 2 oranges
Evaporated milk

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Mix well. Combine orange zest and soda in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add to flour mixture. Mix well.

Combine oil, corn syrup, eggs, orange extract, yellow and orange food color in another large bowl. Combine orange juice with evaporated milk to make 2 1/2 cups and add to orange mixture. Mix well until blended.

Slowly add liquid mixture to flour mixture. Mix well until blended. Pour into 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour, or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Cranberry Crackers

Many years ago, I loved attending local cooking classes.  This was one of the recipes that my family actually enjoyed. My dad just couldn't stop eating it.

Cranberry Crackers

1 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1-1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 tsp. orange juice
2 Tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
Salt water crackers or whole wheat crackers



Stir together first 6 ingredients; chill 2 to 3 hours.

Stir together cream cheese and orange juice; stir in walnuts.

Spread on crackers and top with cranberry mixture.

Serve immediately.

Makes 16 appetizers.

Aleve ... my new best friend

It's been a while since I posted ...

It's been a rough couple of weeks … lost two days from work last week … come to find out I have SEVERE arthritis in BOTH knees … bone on bone … candidate for knee replacement … went home last Tuesday from work in pain … woke up on Wednesday with category 10 pain in my left knee – couldn’t stand, let alone walk on it … had to get a cane from my folks just to get to the bathroom and back (I know  … TMI).  Then went to the doctor who sent me to an ortho specialist and had xrays taken and come to find out I have NO cartilage in either kneecap … the doc said I must have a very high pain tolerance as the conditions of my knees should have been really bad the last several years … I told him I’ve had knee pain, but nothing too severe and I just figured it was old age setting up shop … so this will be something I’ll be dealing with in the months ahead … not sure I’m ready to go under the knife quite yet … depends on how often the knees “flare up” and how much pain I can tolerate.


Getting old sure ain’t for sissies !!!!

* * * *

Still going through my recipe collection and putting it on my blog (for all eternity)

Here's a quick recipe - one of my daughter's favorite appetizer spreads.  Salmon!!

1 cucumber, chopped finely
1 14 oz can salmon (drained and deboned)
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Mix all ingredients and chill for at least one hour.  Serve with cucumber slices and crackers.

Garden Potato Stew (My Recipe)

I started out one afternoon MANY years ago making a basic potato soup recipe and my husband brought in a basket of fresh vegetables from our neighbor's garden.  So to my base soup, I added a bit of this and that and before I knew what had happened, I had this tasty creation.  My friend owned a rural restaurant and said it is one of the best potato stews she has ever tasted.



Two to three large boxes of chicken broth
8 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 head cabbage sliced thin
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, cut into coins
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small head broccoli, chopped
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 2 tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
3 heaping tbsp. granulated chicken bouillion


1 pound bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
1 cup sour cream
1 quart half n half
instant potato flakes (to thicken)

Bring chicken stock to boil in a very large stock pot, adding all veggies and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer slowly for approximately 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are very tender.  Add bacon pieces during last 10 minutes of cooking time. (NOTE: add additional chicken stock as needed during cooking process to keep vegetables covered).  When soup is done take off heat and just before serving add dill, sour cream and half n. half.  To thicken soup, add instant potatoe flakes (1/2 cup at a time) until soup is the consistency you like.  Top with scallions, bacon and/or shredded cheddar cheese.  Enjoy with a loaf of crusty bread.

Summertime and Family Picnics

The arrival of summer always brings to mind memories of family picnics.  Back when I was a kid (in the 1950-60's), not a summer went by without several of these get togethers, usually at Benson Park, Peony Park or Elmwood Park.  My mother had six siblings, so you can imagine once they all had families, the number of cousins that started to appear! 
 



My Uncle Paul was a MASTER at cooking chicken on the grill ... there was no one better.  And my Aunt Lil could fry fresh fish better than any restaurant fish dinner I've ever had.  And it wouldn't be a picnic without my Grandma Ellie's doughnut holes (our eyes would light up at the sight of that large brown paper bag with grease spots!)

And there would always be a baseball game where adults and kids would pair up into two teams and spend the afternoon cheering each other on.  

It seems, though, that when my Aunt Marg passed away some 20 years ago that our picnic gatherings pretty much ceased. It's funny how just one person can bind an entire family unit together. She was the organizer, the Matriarch of the family ... I'm sure every family has one.  And I miss her SO MUCH!

A few years ago my sister, Gloria, wanted to try to pull our extended families back together and we now have monthly dinners where it's "come if you can" and we've attempted to bring together the next generation of cousins (2nd and 3rd) so that they will also have a sense of family connection.  This weekend we're having the party at our house ... sort of a potluck picnic, where the kids can run, play tetherball and water games and the grownups and grill hot dogs and tell old family stories around the food ladened tables.  While there won't be the "numbers" we used to have in the old days, there's still  a group of us and want to embrace those family traditions and memories.

Seven Layer Supper

There are TONS of recipes out there for this simple hamburger casserole dish ... you can modify it to include your favorite veggies (making it an 8, 9 or even 10 layer casserole as shown below), but here's the basic layering recipe.

In a large greased casserole dish (or crockpot), layer ingredients in the following order.

2 cups sliced raw potatoes
2 cups chopped celery
1-1/2 pounds raw hamburger
1 cup sliced or chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 can mexicorn (drained)
1 can (drained) small peas
1 large can chopped tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Bake at 350 for 2 hours ... or in crockpot on low for 6 hours.

Loose Meat

It's like a hamburger, but it has no patty.  It's like a Sloppy Joe, but it's not seasoned the same.  It's a whatchamacallit:  a loose-meat sandwich served on a hamburger bun.  Here in Omaha, B.G. Tasty Foods has sold them for over 60 years.  In Iowa they call them Maid Rite sandwiches.

Here's a version you can make at home.




5 pounds finely ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
3 heaping teaspoons creamy horseradish
3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
5 teaspoons salt
1 tsp. monosodium glutamate (Accent is one brand name)
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup finely chopped or ground onion
1 cup water

Place meat in large saucepan and add all remaining ingredients.  Cook over very low heat (around 20 minutes), stirring constantly.  Meat will be in very fine pieces.  Let simmer about 1-1/2 hours adding water to mixture if it becomes too dry.  Serve on hamburger buns with pickles, mustard and/or ketchup.  YUM!

Andrea's Cole Slaw Recipe

We had a TON of really great cooks in our family when I was growing up.  My Aunt Lil (far right) was the queen of fried fish, popcorn balls and apple pan pie.  A very close second was my cousin, Andrea (center) who was equally as famous for her brownies and cole slaw.  Here's her cole slaw recipe:

1 medium head cabbage - shredded

2 carrots - grated

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar

DRESSING:

1 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. prepared mustard

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup salad oil

1 cup sugar

Combine dressing ingredients and boil three minutes.  Add to cabbage mixture, cover and let stand overnight in the fridge.  This salad will keep crisp for a VERY long time.

Hamburger Dressing

Years ago, a coworker of mine gave me this "dressing" recipe that he said his family enjoyed every year during the holidays.  It sounded very unusual and I have yet to actually make it.  But it's so unusual that I didn't want to "lose" the recipe, so I'm posting it here in hopes that maybe one of you have had something similar and will share your reviews with me.  I couldn't find anything similar on google, so there's no photo either.  But those of you who cook (and you know who you are - grin) can probably tell how this is going to taste by just looking at the ingredients ... which are ...

Ingredients:

2 pounds hamburger
6 eggs, hard boiled
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
1 stick butter
1/2 can tomato sauce or one chopped tomato
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil eggs; set aside to cool.   In a large skillet, fry hamburger until thoroughly cooked.  Drain.  Saute celery and onion together with 1 stick of butter.  Cooke rice.  Toast bread crumbs in a dry skillet, making sure not to brun crumbs.  In a large skillet, mix all ingredients together and season to taste.  You may want to add 1/2 to 1 cup of poultry stock so dressing won't be too dry.  Sutffing may be used to stuff a large turkey or chicken, or can be put in a casserole dish and heated through in a 350 degree oven.

Happy Father's Day to all the men in my life!

What's a Runza?

If you have never visited Nebraska, then you probably aren't familiar with a Runza. 

Runza is the name of a regional fast food restaurant chain specializing in ethnic cuisine once served by the Volga German immigrants to the United States.

In 1949, Sarah "Sally" Everett and her brother, Alex Brening, opened the first Runza Drive-Inn in Lincoln, Nebraska, and began serving runza sandwiches, a type of pastry filled with ground beef, onion, and cabbage.


Today there are locations throughout Nebraska with two locations in Colorado - Ft. Collins and Loveland; two in Iowa - Council Bluffs and Clarinda, and two in Kansas - Lawrence and Mission.

If you can't get to any of these locations, then here's a recipe that will do it justice.



  2 loaves Rhodes bread dough

1 lb hamburger

1/2 head of cabbage (finely chopped)

1/2 medium onion (finely chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Thaw two loaves of frozen bread dough

While dough thaws, make the filling.

Brown the hamburger and drain, then return to pan.

Add cabbage and onion and cook down.

Salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp pepper recommended).

Let dough rise, then punch down and roll a portion to 1/4" thickness.

Cut into 4" x 8" pieces and add about 1/2 cup meat mixture to each.

Fold dough pieces over and seal the edges, then place seam-side-down on a greased cookie sheet.

Let rise 20-30 minutes, then bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown.

Serve warm.  Can be cooled and then frozen.  To reheat, just microwave for one minute.

Beef Broccoli Wellington

We've made this simple, yet delicious casserole over the years, and it's one of those family comfort foods that is still well received even with today's FOOD TV generation.  Not overly spicy, so the kids love it too.

Ingredients


1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 (6 1/2-oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 (20-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dill weed
2 (8-oz.) tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg, beaten
poppy seed to garnish, if desired

Brown ground beef with onion and mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat; drain. Stir in broccoli and cheese. When cheese is melted, stir in sour cream. Add salt, pepper and dill weed.


Line a lightly greased 13"x9" pan with one tube crescent rolls. Spoon ground beef mixture over rolls; arrange remaining of tube rolls on top. Brush top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seed if desired.

Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20 minutes OR until golden. Cut into squares to serve.  I always add a dollop of sour cream on top before serving.   ENJOY!!!  

Memorial Day Fun with the Family

Saturday morning we had resigned to the fact that our fencing project would not be completed before the holiday.  We left about 10:30 to go and watch my grandson, Jonas, at his swim lesson, and then we had a delightful breakfast with the Troudt family at The Egg and I ... drove back home and as we pulled into our driveway the fencing crew was just leaving.  They had put up the entire fence in just a few hours.  And it was AMAZING !!  Really made our weekend complete.

Monday we had the family over for a potluck.  Sterling cooked up some ribs and threw some dogs on the grill and everyone else brought some delicious side dishes to go with.

Here's a photo of my folks enjoying the gorgeous afternoon ... mother nature was so understanding and kept the rains and thunder boomers at bay until after everyone left.

Sterling made the kids each their own water gun shooting gallery.  He just used a piece of 2x4 and painted it, drilled some holes and inserted some golf tees, and then added some ping pong type lightweight balls. 

As you can see, the kids (Hailey and Jonas) had a BLAST and of course when they weren't shooting off the ping pong balls, they were running around getting all of us wet with their water guns ... I believe Jeremy had as much fun if not more than the kids playing with the water guns!

We also got a tether ball set for the backyard and everyone had a go at this fun sport.  It was a huge hit !

And last, but certainly not least, here's a pic of our dear Miss Paisley in her rockin' summer shades!