It's Just The Beginning

....and by that I mean, it's just the beginning of a ton of pictures!!!

This is the group of Math Ed majors:

And this is the group of goofy Math Ed majors:

We took the pictures below back in March when we went to visit Alyssa for the day, thus the bare trees :)

This was where Alyssa spent many days/hours over the last four years!

Awww :)

That's Some Dryer!

I used the restroom today while I was shopping at the Giant in Coplay. This is what I call some mega-hand dryer!! You can see by the pics of my hands how forceful that air was coming out of the dryer :)

**and yes, I'm weird for taking pics of something like this....and no, no one saw me doing it :)

Reunion :)

This morning was the start of what should be a phenomenal weekend (we're going to some graduation tomorrow). I had breakfast with a group of people I worked with in the intensive care unit at The Allentown Hospital back in the early '80's. We started out as colleagues back then, but quickly became close friends. As the years went on, and we moved on, we met other people and unfortunately lost track of many of those friendships. It was so fun today, as one by one another person arrived and we struggled to remember a name, or what their kids' names were, or realize how they still looked the same as they did 25-30 years ago....or....looked totally different.

Apparently approximately 30 people were expected, unfortunately only about 15 people made it. Plans are being made to hold another breakfast this fall, hoping that more people are able to attend. It was fun sitting there as everyone seemed to come up with someone else's name to invite that no one else had thought of!

For those of you who may see this and worked with us,

Left to right, sitting:

Barb, Rosemary, Gina, Jet, Shirley

Left to right, standing:

Renee, Michele, Joanie, Linda, Leanne, Vicki, Linda, Mary, Mercedes

This was just a portion of our group that hung out together and did many things outside of work. We all worked night shift together in the ICU. I remember many a mornings at the local bar eating omelettes, drinking beer and playing pool :)

And this is Mary....Mary was in our wedding :)

Cutie Patootie!

How cute is this little one?!?! This is Josslyn, my BFF's little girl...she is also my god-child :)

Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe goes way back to when the kids were in nursery school at Hope Lutheran in Cherryville. They made these one day in school, then came home with the recipe. We have made them ever since :) They are very easy to make and are delicious! Plus making them always brings back fond memories of those days when Alyssa and Adam were much younger :)

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup water

2 eggs

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add sugar and stir well. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the pumpkin, oil and water. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the flour is moistened. Spray muffin tins with a non stick cooking spray. Fill tins 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from tin and cool on a rack.

Really??

I think it's great that a crazed terrorist is gone, but really?!? Was this truly sincere or do Penn State students take any opportunity to riot!?!?!?! This is what State College looked like last night after the news broke that Osama Bin Laden had been killed:

**pictures courtesy of The Daily Collegian Online

Bushes Be Gone!

Kurt planted bushes many years ago....over time they have become way overgrown. He has been talking about pulling them out for several years now, but it's never happened. Today Adam got it in his crawl that he needed to get rid of them. As I write this, he pulled out two bushes. Knowing Adam, the excitement has worn off, and unless I bug him or Kurt, the remaining three will just sit there for another several years! I'll keep you posted!

It's Not The End.....

It's Just the Beginning......

Today was Alyssa's last day of student teaching. I can hardly believe it. It seems like just yesterday she was packing her bags to leave for college! This is Alyssa with her mentor teacher, Mrs. B. :)

Mrs. B. got her this gorgeous Vera Bradley laptop case. She must know that Alyssa has a preference for pink :)

She also made a cake for in the faculty room:

I got Alyssa and Sierra, her roommate, a gift card for The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate the end of teaching and living together. They used it this evening. This is the list of all the cheesecake flavors they have:

This was Sierra's entree:

And Alyssa's:

Alyssa and her chocolate mousse cheesecake for dessert:

Sierra's in love, I think :)

They went to the Duquesne Incline after dinner and took some pics with neat backgrounds:

While back home here, Kurt and Adam are ready to leave on their road trip tomorrow afternoon to bring Alyssa and her stuff home :)

It's My Birthday :)

Macy Moose says she got the bestest birthday present ever!! She is obsessed with palms and they go bye-bye when the Christmas decorations come out :( A brand new supply came home today from church :)

Spring Has Sprung :)

Cream of Potato Soup

Recipe compliments of Jamie :)

1 and 1/2 cups each of chopped onions and celery:

8 potatoes, diced:

Saute onions and celery in 6 Tbsp. butter:

Add potatoes and 4 cups water, cook potatoes til done:

Add 2 1/3 cups milk mixed with 4 Tbsp. flour and add to soup mixture:

Add 1 lb. velveeta cheese, cut into pieces:

Optional-add one bag frozen or one head, fresh broccoli florets:

Enjoy!!

The soup was delicious...we all enjoyed it! I did end up adding one small can of chicken broth just before I served it, as it had gotten very thick (there went the vegetarian soup...LOL!) This made enough for two meals for the three of us, plus I had a small container left over for my lunch tomorrow :)