weather

Well....I've written how I am crazy for fuel perks....and now I have to admit that I'm just about as crazy for weather as well.......and not just our weather.....the weather where my mom is in Florida....my Dad in Buffalo and my sister in Vail, Co....or wherever else her travels take her....friends and family who go on vacation--I'm checking your weather!!....I love the weather channel...ch.25 on our cable...especially the local on the 8's...and when the yahoo home page comes on there is a little weather box and you can click on it to see the extended forecast as well.....I just like to dress properly for the most part...I hate to be too hot or too cold....to know when I should water my flowers or wash my van...should I turn the air conditioning off and open the windows?....I think my Dad has always been in tune to the weather because of his line of work....knowing when rain days were coming he'd try to schedule jobs accordingly....he had a "weather cube" he listened to....and do you remember the days when you could call a number and hear the forecast???.....I'd call it a few times a day!...and when I was a flight attendent weather was important for delays and where to pick an overnight ...but invariably almost every phone call to either of my parents includes a little bit about the weather.....no matter where they are.....but I think it is all related to my love of storms......any kind....snow, thunder, ice, hurricanes etc........the feeling of being trapped inside with the elements going crazy is wonderful!!....I watched CNN constantly when the whole Katrina thing was going down.....all my family in Buffalo know I love to be there when there is a big one.....I've been know to drive up just in the hopes of getting caught in one...and I have!...at crazy times...my cousin's 40th birthday party in April....and a freak snowstorm in October a few years ago.......my husband can't understand it ....he could care less.....he waits until every day starts to see what it's like....not me.....I'm already checking the extended forecast for jennifer junipers huge shindig on Sunday.....and it looks like it should be beautiful!!! :).......what a treat!

Are you ready for some football??

It's that time of the year!!!....the Cheifs started football camp Monday July 28 at 6:30 and it has been a huge part of our life ever since!!!!...practice every night....getting dinner ready by 4pm is a challenge on most days...keeping Cubby happy at practice, getting Sissy to and from karate, and me having to fit in my "Y" time in the morning, making sure the practice pants and jersey are washed and ready to go everyday, team pictures, and spending time with our favorite football families!!!....it always seems very daunting when the season starts....how can I do all this until the end of October???!.......but it always works out and it's so much fun!....this year most of our games are at 7pm under the lights, so it was exciting this past Saturday when we played Pine Richland White....our first game of the season.....the programs were on sale, the concession stand was humming, 50/50 raffle was in full swing and the tent with t-shirts and sweatshirts was set up.....the only bummer is that I'm having problems with my camera functioning in the lighting of the field.....gotta work on that.......the game was terrific......it was tied 0-0 at the end, we went into overtime and got a touchdown and extra point to win!!!.....and so the bracelet tradition lives on.......I made a team bracelet for the Warrior season last year....I put it on every Friday and I take it off as soon as I get home after the game....we won every game!!!!....could it be the treat I made myself has something to do with it???.....we'll see......

corn zipper

My family has issues with eating corn on the cob.....and I think I started it....ever since I had my braces in the 8th grade I've been cutting my corn off the cob and eating it with a fork...when the kiddos were little it just made it easier to cut theirs off too...I would have to walk around the table and cut everyone's off....well, a few years ago a friend happened to tell me about how she cooks her corn on the cob....and we've been doing it ever since!!!.....she told me to cut it all off the cob before it's cooked...doing it in a big casserole dish keeps it from going all over .... then saute it with a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet for 6 or 7 minutes....voila!...no mess!.....and even my Dad, the die-hard corn on the cob eater, does it this way now....well on a recent trip here he told me about the corn zipper he had seen in a magazine and thought we would both love it...it's a zippy little tool that is like a razor to shave the corn.....we hopped on ebay that night and found it....I ordered one to try it out and it makes the whole process even easier!!!!....a new treat for the kitchen!

fuelperks

It is inevitable that I should write about fuelperks......as anyone who knows me....I am fuelperk CRAZY!!!!!!!!.....my family is officially sick of me relating everything we eat, buy or do around how we can manage to get fuelperks!.......I think about them almost every day.....when I drive by the gas stations and keep track of the cost of a gallon of gas....it makes me think of how many cents off a gallon I have and how much more I need to get a free tank...I went so far as to get a red five gallon tank to take with me when I get my free tank because you are entitiled to thirty gallons of free gas when you fill up and my van only ever takes about 17...so I am leaving at least ten gallons behind every time.....well, not any more.....now I have plenty for the lawnmower too! and I think nothing of announcing to all of my family and friends that they should stop and get gift cards for their purchases as well.....I always manage to bark the question, "Did you get your fuelperks for that?" when someone mentions a new t.v. or home improvement project they just did.....I immediatley think...Best Buy and Home Depot gift cards.....I want everyone to be getting their full amount of fuelperks too.....and especially when it's DOUBLE FUELPERKS!!!.......20 cents off a gallon!......it kills me when my husband and kids come home with purchases from Dicks and I KNOW they didn't get the fuelperks.....and even my very treasured laptop....when they gave it to me for Mothers Day...right after I said thank you and you shouldn't have ... my very next words were "Tell me you got fuelperks for this, right?"......well, they didn't and I think of it almost every time I turn it on!.....I may need expensive therapy if I keep this up!!!!

Farm Stand

Another fabulous trip home to Buffalo....855 Luther Rd....East Aurora to be exact!!!....terrific weather, awesome chicken wings, Mighty Taco, Bison chip dip and lots of fun activities......quads, fishing, rafts on the pond, a trip to Build A Bear Workshop (where best friends are made!) for Gigi's fourth birthday, filling up the numerous bird feeders, a trip to the Hobby shop and we got my Dad up and running on Craigslist to clear the clutter in his garage and basement.....what a success!!!.....he sold almost everything in one day!...Mission style dining room set, sideboard, coffee and end tables, recliner and ottoman and lots of tv's!!....I think he was suprised to see how easy it was.....next is the Harley parts and accessory stash!!....growing up, at the end of my street was a lady, Mrs. Kester, who grew gladiolas and sold them on the honor system out of buckets....my mom would send me up to pick some out....she'd always have fresh flowers of some kind....and on our way home yesterday we passed this farm stand on Michael Rd....I've never stopped before yesterday, but I saw their glads and turned around to go get some...my mom gave me a pretty, tall vase for glads years ago and I haven't used it in forever....you don't see them so much in this area....I've watched this stand expand over the years, it started out with just bird and bat houses...then slowly adding produce and parking signs!!......I always like to stop at farm stands...to look around and pick out some fresh treats to bring home....they reflect the past ,when times were simpler....and I am envious of the results of the array of produce, knowing I could never create that kind of beauty.....thankfully there are people who can!!!

english muffin pizzas

I remember making these when I was a kid....I think I saw how to do it on the t.v. show Zoom....but I had forgotten about them until recently.....a friend mentioned that they were on a roll with them in their house....the other night as I was getting ready for bed they popped into my mind because I'm trying to think of some things for dinner for the next few nights that I can make without going to the store...we're leaving on Friday and I want to use up what I have....I remembered I had 3 or 4 english muffins, the can of sauce, and some leftover mozzarella from the manicotti I made Sunday....and bit of stick pepperoni........we love our pepperoni ground up in the food processer, just like at one of our favorite pizza places....Sir Pizza......(that's the bowl full of stuff that looks like dog food in the picture above....:).......well, I assembled the ingredients and the kiddos got busy........my sister in law got me a Pampered Chef baking stone for my birthday.....I'm new to stones and it still freaks me out that you can't use soap and it doesn't look like it's totally clean......but it worked great, because it made the bottoms pretty crispy........they turned out wonderful and everyone agreed they wanted them again!

ebay

Ebay......I love it and hate it!!!!!.......I am the very first to say that I have no skills on the computer what so ever.....but ebay is one of them!!!!......my husband set up the account several years ago (hence the silly name of ekim96 ....his name backwards!!!).....and started selling stuff.......I browsed around a bit and saw that the possibities were endless!!!....I'd have him help me list some things here and there....and when Cubby was a baby and taking two naps a day,I started getting into it....selling all of the wonderful baby gap and hartstrings clothes he was growing out of .....I got busy and closed up shop....and then last year I got into it full blast!!!.....I wanted christmas shopping money and this was the best part time job I could think of!!!.....I didn't need baby sitting....and I could work in the middle of the night if I wanted too!!!......so I got a little routine down....on Wednesdays when I do my cleaning I rustle up my inventory....Fridays I take the pictures and load them into the computer and then Sundays I do my listing......even my Mom has helped me out immensely by sending all of her cast offs to me from Florida.....gorgeous things.....many with tags still on them!!!!....I keep a notebook of where I send things.....so far I'm up to 34 different states and 7 countries world wide!!!.....for the most part I love getting things out the door and clearing the clutter.....and getting money for stuff that don't fit or the kids don't play with.....I love my "mad money"....( however I need help on changing the password to my paypal account....my family keeps raiding it!!!).....but when I get those crabby customers who feel the need to leave negative feedback to the world without contacting me first so I can try and help to work it out .....I take it very much to heart!!!......then I say I'm quitting ebay!!!.....but a few days later I'm on there looking for something .....and I start all over again!!!.....my husband got me my laptop so I can do my ebay in our guest room.....I love it!!!!!......as you can see from the collection on the bed, I had the kids go through their closets last week and we are overloaded with inventory!!!!......lots of treats to be sold!!!...I look at almost everything in my house as rental property!!!....anything has the potential to be sold!!!...I am fanatical about saving the original box and manual too...comes in handy when I list it......so when some asks me if I work....I usually say I'm retired from the airlines.....and now I sell crap on ebay!!!......I know my parents are still cringing from the lack of use I have put to my very expensive college education.....but I do think I will do something with it someday!!!!

aprons

I saw these aprons on a blog called blissfull living a while back and I just fell in love with them!!!!......I love aprons!!!.....I don't wear one very often.....but it's just something that I would hate to think could be become extinct so I want to do my part to keep them alive.....my mom sent me an adorable one from a really cute boutique from her hometown in Delray Beach and I wore it all day while I cooked Mother's Day brunch......anyway......I saw this really cute fabric over the summer and the thought of that apron was still nagging at me.....and when I had gotten in touch with my dear friend in Ebensburg for our annual reunion, I knew I had to make them for us!!!!!....she is the only one I know that truly does wear an apron every day!!!..I only had a picture from a blog to go on...but I found a pattern looked extremely similar, I added the pockets and I am just thrilled with the results!!!.......today was my visit out to Ebensburg and I treasure it every year......I feel like it's my very own personal holiday!!!......and as you can see......we are both delighted with our new treats!!!

love what you do....

.....do what you love. A friend has this printed on a t-shirt and I've been thinking about it for a few days now.......it is so simple......and it should be so easy.......but in a nut shell I think that's why I am so stressed out these days.........I love to do so many things and I truly don't have enough time to do them!!!......things that should be enjoyable and relaxing.....are constantly calling me.....and the days and weeks have been going by and I just can't seem to fit anything in.......scrapbooking is the big thing thing that I would love to spend a weekend, or even an evening doing ....and during the summer months I just can't get to my craft room......I have a few subscriptions to some favorite magazines and I'd love to sit for an hour or two on the patio and flip through them.....nope!.......go to lunch with a dear friend whose birthday present I've had since APRIL!!!!......but she's just as busy as me!!!......don't get me wrong...I'm not sitting on the couch eating bon-bons.....I am doing a lot......going to the Y is a true priority and I won't let that go......and having fun with the kiddos during summer vacay....all the yard work since my husband shattered his ankle...watering the flowers....keeping up with this blog....selling crap on ebay .....cleaning/laundry/going to the store etc....and now that football has started I'm at the field for two hours every night....but at least I'm cranking out knitting some mittens while I'm sitting there!!!...I just keep staying up later and later......trying to fit some "Pam time" in when the house is quiet......I will always try to love what I do, and do what I love....life is too short not too!!!!

a giant cupcake!

I finally had an opportunity to try out my giant cupcake cake pan......we all got together down at the river to go boating yesterday......it was a get together because my dear niece will be heading off to college in a few weeks....and it's much easier for all 27 of us to say goodbye to her all at once!!!!........I got this cake pan on ebay at the beginning of the summer and have been wanting to test it out for weeks.....well, it didn't go so great.....but now that I've done it once, I think I have the hang of it......it doesn't look like it.....but it's about the size of a big honeydew melon!!!....and just a little FYI......if you plan on taking it 25 minutes away, frost it when you get there!!!!.......I had to hold the plate with the cupcake on it on my lap for the ride, holding the top of the cupcake cake with my forefinger and thumb so it wouldn't shift the whole way!!!....and if anyone would like to borrow the cake pan let me know!!!!