Paetz Photography

We had our picture taken for the church directory. I am very happy with Paetz Photography. This is the best picture we've had in years. So if you are thinking of a portrait choose Paetz!

Oops!

We had to go back to raise the wreath so the drapes would be higher. SS Peter and Paul uses a projector instead of printed worship aides and some people in the last row couldn't see the words. And of course this past weekend was the weekend where the words changed during the liturgy.

Oops!

Dark Shadows

I remember coming home after school and watching Dark Shadows with my sister, Jane. The movie due out in May will have Tim Burton directing and Johnny Depp will be Barnabus Collins. I have to say that duo scares me - they are both creepy! Jane we should go to see it together.

Advent

We just finished preparing the worship space for Advent. I wish you could smell the Juniper - the fragrance is amazing.

The simple lines of the draping through the wreath is very beautiful. Even though the material in the picture looks blue St. Pete's uses the traditional purple. Nancy couldn't stop thinking about how it should look - I'm glad she felt so strongly about trying it.

One Shopping Trip

Ashamed to say for the second year in a row I went shopping on Thanksgiving. Couldn't resist a quick run to Michaels - $576 worth of beads for $200! Can't resist such a good deal so I can keep selling the hostess plates and knives for the same price.

I did apologize to the store clerk but she said she was happy to be working because she had Thanksgiving dinner at 1:00 and she would just be sitting at home - made me feel a bit better.

Happy Thanksgiving

Started out the morning making sweet potatoes and apples. Then we went to St. Pete's for a beautiful Thanksgiving liturgy. I am so thankful for our family and friends.

We came home and put the turkey in the oven - first time ever I didn't stuff the turkey. I came across a crockpot stuffing recipe that sounded great so I thought I would try it.

All I have left is the salad and the roasted veggies. Caroline said she was coming early to help so I'll wait for her to do those with me.

Today, Michael's wife arrived in the U.S. It has been almost two years for the visa process. WELCOME HOME KESENIJA SHEA. We are truly thankful you are reunited with Michael.

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe - Food.com - 49609

What an Afternoon!

Robbie came over all day helping his Papa with the ceiling in the basement. Then at 3:00 he stpped and we reviewed his notes for his driving test. I drove him to Center Courts where we reviewed one more time before he went in to take the test. Joanna called to say he passed the test - 100% - yeah. That means he can get his license in nine days when he turns 16!

Then Jane called with David and Sarah on a three way call - they were making cauzone for Thanksgiving! Traditionally an Easter pie in our family but David makes it for Thanksgiving. It was a joy talking to them!

I decided I didn't have room in the refrigerator to cook anymore today so I'll be up early tommorrow.

Thanksgiving Prep

We are having Pat's family here on Thursday and Joanna and Caroline's families here on Friday so I'm getting ready for two dinners.

Yesterday I made pumpkin risotto for Thursday and Friday plus enchiladas for Friday. Today I'm making my sister-in-law Cindy's apples and sweet potatoes and my friend Pam's pumpkin cake for Thursday and Friday.

Robbie is coming over to help his Papa put the ceiling in the basement - hopefully making an area for some people to eat on Thursday. Personally I don't think we will use the area but I'll be happy to have that job done! I've got some decluttering to do in the computer room, a stop at the store for a couple more things, so with those things and the cooking I'll be busy today.

Christmas?

I saw a Facebook post from my friend Barb that said because they were not having family home for Thanksgiving they decided to decorate for Christmas.

So today we called and said we were coming for a Christmas drink. We had such an enjoyable visit with Barb and Dave. Remembering when our kids were little and such good friends.Our camping trips as well as the visits to their home over the years.

Good friends - good memories - good visit!

Holiday in the Heart of the City

Sheala, Caroline, Ayva, Pat and I went to Holiday in the Heart of the City. It was perfect weather for walking. We started at the zoo. The white wolf even walked right up to the windows to see Ayva.

I got to see my friend Heather and her family walking into the zoo - her daughter Liv was brave enough to ride the pony. Maybe next year Sophie and Maddie might!

Then we went to the Japanese Tea House and had Sheala and Ayva's names written in Japanese.

Then off to the carriage rides where they got the last ride of the night. The lady said we were too late but we stood there until they filled the carriage and there was room for Caroline, Sheala and Ayva!

After Caroline said Ayva didn't like the 4th of July fireworks and she didn't want to see the fireworks tonight so we got in the car to leave when Ayva said, "Nana, I want to see the fireworks." So we pulled over and she loved watching them from the car.

A very good night!

Ayva Shmayva Come Play with Nana!

Ayva - look what Nana found for you at the thrift store! There is a set of twins and triplets - one even plays music! All for $10 - what a deal! Come play with me!

Dinner

OK Remember when I said it was my new favorite wine? Lot 49 is SOOOOOO good I made Pat promise never to open a bottle unless he is going to drink half of it!

We shared a bottle over steak and enchiladas - yum.

New Favorite Church Sign

Honk if you love Jesus
Text while you drive if you want to meet him

My New Favorite Wine

We decided to drive up to Traverse City after our night in Grand Rapids. We stopped at all the consignment shops during the early afternoon.

Now we are wine tasting. Our first stop was Peninsula Cellars where we bought a few different kinds of wine. Then on to Chateau Grand Traverse to get some oak barrel fermented Chardonnay that we really like. We love coming to the vineyards at this time because you can take your time with fewer people. The vinter at Chateau Grand Traverse has waited on us several years now - he actually was the person who told me I would love the barrel fermented Chardonnay at room temperature. So I asked him to pick out the last wine for us to taste and it was fabulous. It is only the third year that this wine has been made - it won first place in London for those first two years. It is called Lot 49 Riesling. It also spends some time in oak barrels. It isn't sold in stores but it is worth the trip here - they only have a few cases left. It is yummy.

Power of Prayer

Right after I retired my friend Kim told me she had a mouse in her office. I told her that was because when I worked there EVERY SINGLE MORNING I said a prayer on my way into work to keep the creatures and the critters away.

I just thought maybe I should have been praying for world peace all those years!

Dinner with Liz and Joe

Such a nice night with Liz and Joe! We drove to Grand Rapids for an overnight and my sister Jane's daughter Liz and her boyfriend Joe met us for dinner.

It was so great getting to know Joe and seeing Liz so happy.

Two Shows Today

It's going to be a beautiful day for a drive. Why not drive to Mt. Pleasant or Bay City to attend a craft show? I will be at:

West Intermediate School
440 South Bradley
Mt. Pleasant
9:00 - 3:30

Pat's cousin's daughter, Christie will be selling my dishes and knives along with her jewelry and you can ask her about her unique guitar clocks! She will be at:

In His Presence Ministries
4521 Monitor
Bay City
Doors open at 9:00

Count down to 11/11/11 11:11:11

So do I have anything better to do? Yes - we are having company for dinner so you know I have better things to do - but I thought it would be fun to post something at 11/11/11 11:11:11.

My whole life I have been drawn to look at the clock at 11:11. My Aunt Dorothy's birthday was 11/11 and when she told me she often looked at the clock at 11:11 it spooked me a bit because I did the same thing!

It's funny because I am so predictable that every time I see it I smile, point to the numbers and tell Pat "11:11" - thank God he loves me enough to put up with my craziness!

Okay - I have to watch the clock now so I can go onto FB and post at 11:11 too! (But this will be the official one posted at 11/11/11 11:11:11!)

You gotta love ME!

My Friend Jan

We stopped for a hug and to drop off some food. She looks good but exhausted. May God heal her quickly and completely.

Airplanes to go camping?

Caroline and the kids came over for dinner - Jesse had to work :-(

Javier made a checklist of all the food supplies we would need to go camping - checking off each thing he thought of to bring with us. Then he drew airplanes he said they were to go camping. Grandma Caroline and Grandpa are going to have to bring them camping next year so they understand they don't have to take a plane!

Then they built castles with Papa - what fun!

Wind Farms

We have been driving around Breckenridge, Hemlock and St. Lois today. I bet we've seen 200 windmills. I don't see any of them working yet but they are huge. We just passed a generator being trucked to a new site and it was very big.

I can't wait to see these all working.

Gggrrrr. . . .

I put chicken in the crockpot overnight and now it awakened me with the aroma and my tummy is growling saying "Feed me already!"

Shower for Monique

We had such a great time meeting Azal Bryant Thomas for the first time. The baby shower was very nice and it was so good to see everyone. Got a chance to talk with Kristina (you and Brandon can come to dinner anytime - call me!) A good time was had by all.

I Hate to Drive

Yesterday I did the driving. We went to an estate sale in Bay City. Detours, BCC getting out of school just as I drove by, sun in my eyes when I was already tired, stop signs on busy roads. . . . I am so blessed that Pat loves to drive as much as I hate to drive!

And the final insult? Walking into the estate sale and seeing the stack of beautiful glass dishes on the checkout table being purchased by an antique dealer from the Antique Warehouse!

Our New Tree!

Our new Red Maple is being put into the ground today. I so missed our Sugar Maple since we had it removed. These guys from Bell Landscaping really had to work to remove the old roots from that good old tree!

I love looking out my kitchen window and having a beautiful 15 foot tree that looks at home in our yard even on its first day.

I'm So Proud!

Click here to see my talented grandson, Robbie win first place-in all his glory!

Halloween and Papa's Birthday

We had everyone over to celebrate Pat's birthday. We don't like having anyone driving on Halloween so the kids dressed up tonight and went out the front door to the back to trick or treat. Such fun!

Break

That is break as in a rest - not as in breaking dishes! We bought some great dishes in New Jersey and I wrapped a couple hundred knives on our trip so I want to get these prepped for upcoming shows.

I have a couple more hours to work on these and need to be done before Patrick comes back from his parents.

I do think I am set for all the shows and a large order from my friend Tom. So after these are done today I'll just be selling!

Don't forget the upcoming shows - listed on the sidebar on the right!

Home Sweet Home

We are home. It was a very long drive yesterday. We had planned on two 7 hour days but the snowstorm blew that plan to pieces.

On Saturday we drove 150 miles in 4 hours so yesterday we had 950 to drive! It took 14 hours with short stops for gas, breakfast and dinner. It amazes me to think we were in Massachusetts yesterday!

It feels good to be home!

Beautiful Drive in Sunshine

We woke up to 2 feet of snow - a record for Lee, Massachusetts (the old record was one inch!)

What a nice day today has turned into - sunshine, blue skies, just a scattering of snow surrounding the fall colors still on the trees.

We are in Pennsylvania now - don't miss Massachusetts at all!

Should be home tonight.

Snow, snow go away!

Yikes - we are trying to get to Albany which looks like it may not be snowing yet.

Memorial for Elise

I am so pleased we were able to attend the memorial for Elise. It was held at the Unitarian Church in Swampscott, MA. It was a beautiful service.

So many of her friends - colleagues, clients, and neighbors were there. Elise was a friend and mentor to all. I am sure, her husband, Roger felt surrounded by love.

Whether it was someone reading from her high school yearbook inscriptions or coworkers telling how she mentored them or clients telling how she was such a good friend - the theme was the same - Elise was loved by many and every single person felt loved by her.

A reading from Patricia Lynn Reilly was read that so encompassed how her friends saw Elise:

Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is a woman, a woman who honors her experience and tells her stories, one who refuses to carry the sins of others within her soul.

Imagine a woman who believes she is good, a woman who trusts and respects herself, who listens to her needs and desires, and meets them with tenderness and grace.

Imagine a woman who has acknowledged the past's influence on the present, a woman who has walked through her past who has healed into her present.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life, a woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf, who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and to her wisest voice.

Imagine a woman who finds the Divine in herself, a woman who imagines the Divine in her image and likeness, who designs her own spirituality, and allows it to inform her life.

Elise was very humble and saw herself as a work in progress. Everyone I talked to after the service felt as if Elise cared very much about each and every one of them.

It was such a blessing to spend time with her friends remembering her life.

We are on our way home trying to outrun the winter storm predicting 6-8'' of wet heavy snow! Say prayers for a safe drive.

Revere MA

We are in MA now and there is a winter storm advisory, snow scattered on the ground and it is COLD! We are here to attend a memorial service for my cousin, Elise. Say a prayer the weather holds for the service and our trip home.

Only Kim!

Looking for Halloween ideas - would you be able to go down your basement and find a brand new tuxedo shirt and bow tie? Okay let's say you had one in your basement could you walk downstairs and know exactly where it was? Only Kim!

Making Aunt Kathy Rolls with my Grand Niece

We made dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls after school today - we had such fun. I love sharing my love of baking and cooking.

This trip has been so much fun - days filled with family, love, memories, stories, laughter and fun.

Being able to see the girls off to school and talking with them about their schoolday has been such a blessing to us.

Spending time with family is so wonderful.

Great Serve!

We are having such a good time being Aunt ME and Uncle Pat. Today we got to see a tennis match.

Surprise!

They pulled it off! Our niece didn't have a clue that her husband and two daughters had been planning a surprise birthday party since July.

Her parents, Jim and Cindy, and Pat and I traveled to New Jersey to be a part of the surprise. It was such a nice party. They can be proud their daughters planned such a wonderful day. The cakes and decorations were spectacular. Their sweet friendly personalities made everyone feel so welcome - it was so nice to be here with them.

Now I don't know about you but how would you like to find four extra guests coming home with you after a party with no warning? In this family it was just another night to have fun. We all sat around talking and telling stories till well past my bedtime. Now we will enjoy their compay for a few days.

This is amazing - my niece Kelly on the silks!

Watch "Kelly Shea middle school performance.MOV" on YouTube

Having a chance to catch up with our niece, Kelly has been so nice. She has such a varied and interesting life. It was fun spending the day with her and sitting all evening on the couch chatting with her and Kim remembering their childhood stories from different perspectives - it reminded me of Joanna and Caroline and my brothers and sisters doing the same thing!

Goodwill Fun

Cindy and I made a new friend at Goodwill - Brother Dear stayed at the hotel - Pat drove us and took pictures!

Trip Out East

We are on our way to a memorial service in Massachusetts for my cousin, Elise.

These pictures do not show the Allegehny Mountains as we are seeing them - it is a cloudy day but the colors are beautiful.

New Show!

I am so happy to announce that I will be at the Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission's Holly Day Fair held at Andersen Enrichment Center on Wednesday, December 7th from 10-4 pm.

I was asked last year but I had a conflict with another show - this year I am available on that day and will be present to sell my hostess sets of dishes and knives.

I cannot wait - I have always wanted to be in this show. So many of you have asked where my shows are for the rest of the season. Watch for updates listed on the right hand margin of this blog - here is what I have scheduled

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

November 12, 2011 9-3 pm
In His Presence Ministries, 4521 Monitor Rd, Bay City

November 12, 2011
Mt. Pleasant West Intermediate

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

December 2, 3 and 4, 2011
Grandy Farm - 25th Annual Show
8075 Gratiot

December 3 and 4, 2011
Clarkston High School

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

December 7th - Wednesday
Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission
Andersen Enrichment Center
10-4 pm

Stuffed Zuccini

Yum! I made stuffed zuccini for dinner. I have to take a vegetable dish to a meeting at church tomorrow so I made everything this morning so I could figure out the cooking time.

I cut the zuccini in half and spooned out the vegetables and put the "boats" in a pan all lined up.

I cooked hot Italian turkey sausage, onions and the zuccini that I spooned out. Then let it cool. Then I mixed an egg into the cooled mixture and spooned it all back into each of the zuccini. I topped each with tomato sauce and provolone cheese. Then I refrigerated it and tonight baked it at 350 for an hour.

We really liked it.

Pumpkin Farm

We had such fun at the pumpkin farm. Jesse, Caroline, Javier,Ayva, Joanna, Sheala, Papa and I all spent the afternoon in the sun. Face paintings, horse rides, making ropes, taking pictures. It was a great time had by all!

Not as bad as I thought!

We went shopping for a new suit for Pat. Let's just say it only happence once a decade! We stopped at a few stores but ended up at JC Penney. A good sale made it semi okay according to him!

I think he looked really handsome!

A Visit with Lillie and Anna

We had such fun going to Lillie's swim meet. It brought back memories of Joanna and Caroline in high school swimming meets. Mary's parents were there and it was nice to see them.

We had a good chance to chat with Anna, learning she chose to play the flute in band this year and today got to play a duet with her private music teacher. She has a Geography test tomorrow on countries.

After the meet we went to their house to have pizza. Lillie really had fun swimming and it was their last home swim meet. She also told us she is going to play her trumpet at Carnegie Hall in January with her band. I told her how few people get this opportunity and Mary asked Lillie how she was chosen and she said, "Hard work!" She also has a Geometry test tomorrow.

We missed Bruce because he had to work. But it was a fabulous evening. Hope they have good tests tomorrow!