Thanksgiving in Grand Rapids

 Hubby and I went to Michigan for Thanksgiving to visit Danny and Jess. We ran into Mark and Karen at the airport, different flights, same destination and motive, see our guys!

 We had an easy travel day. Dnny picked us up from the airport and Jess had dinner ready at home.  After dinner we went to Hux's favorite hang out.  Everyone knows his name and the treats are abundant.

On Wednesday we went hunting and gathering for our Thanksgiving dinner. Between the market downtown's bakeries and Nantucket we scored the best pies and rolls ever.

Jeff joined us for dinner and then the Housemans and more friends came for dessert and a game.

Jess and I did some shopping on Black Friday morning.  They live within walking distance to Breton Village.

Friday night we went to Max's South Seas Tiki Bar in downtown. I cannot tell you enough good things about their tiki collection.  One of the best I've seen.  Danny knew a manager and he gave us the full three story tour.

We enjoyed pupus and cocktails and s'mores for dessert.

 There ware many artists involved with Max's and everything is beautifully done.

 Save room for the s'more! Crazy good!

We met up with friends at Z's and had a ball there too.

 It was a fabulous trip, so good to see Danny and Jess settled into their house, enjoying their work and getting to see their friends again.  I didn't take a lot of pictures, my only regret, because I was just taking it all in.  Their hospitality was heart warming and I missed them as soon as we walked into the airport to go home.

This afternoon I am hanging out with some of my favorite first graders, and then leaving right from school with Annie.  It is Trailer Trash Christmas time! I'm giddy! Annie will be all decked out for Christmas. Annie and Christmas are my favorites and when combined, watch out!

Enjoy this December weekend! If only their were eight weekends in December...

I'm Here

 I've been here all along.  It's the blogging that has been missing.  As much as I enjoy blogging, my icloud photos and Blogger are fighting and I feel as though I am caught up in their ugly break up.

I battled through this morning and so let's get caught up.

In August we camped in Naches at our favorite spots with some of our favorite friends.

Sheryl and I boated to Roche Harbor where Shelly met us and we had a fun girls' trip. 

There was gorgeous scenery at Shelly's house on the cape, trips to Roche Resort, Vervue Clicqot with M & M's in bed and a lot of sunshine and yakking.  Nonstop laughing and yakkin' it up.

We went to family camp and celebrated Alex and Serena and Sam and Katie with a couples camping shower.  We had a cast iron cook off and good visiting with family.

 The Mt. Baker Rally in Lynden had a Wild West theme in September.  My friend Annette joined us this year and got to meet some Sisters on the Fly.  She brought her western theme Shasta on her first trip.  Giddy up!

Our besties, Jeremy and Rene' surprised everyone with a pop up wedding.

Hubby and I took a weekend trip to Silver Lake this fall.  It's a favorite camping trip for us, very relaxing.  Annie is snug in the forest and we are snug in our flannel sheets.

Since Steve and Jean were in town we went to Bayview  State Park for some fall camping.  The guys went to town to watch the game and the girls got busy crafting.

 We had Diner en Blanc one evening.  Glamped up the park and had a delicious dinner at a pretty table.

 It was fun to celebrate with Jeremy and Rene' with a small group of friends.

Our family headed to the mountains to celebrate with Alex and Serena at Cabin Creek Lodge.  It was a pretty wedding and a fun family time.  We lunched at the Brick in Roslyn, toured Heritage Distillery and visited Owen Meats in Cle Elum.

 Congratulations to a special couple and sweet Rory!

I've been busy substituting this fall. I run into my friend, Ella on the playground and she always has a hug for me.  Of course, I've had a cold that was flu like that ran for 4+ weeks. Job hazard.

 Hubby and I had an early Thanksgiving dinner with Sam and Katie and Max and Kassie. Sam and Katie haven't set a wedding date yet, they're waiting on some career changes and immigration.  Max and Kassie are busy on the farm and ready for things to slow down this winter.

Hubby and I are spending the holiday with Danny and Jess in Michigan,  So. Excited.

On Saturday, Karen and I got on the Polar Express to go shopping in Seattle.  Terrell, Lindsey and Tory make it fun and the swag bags are amazing!

I have three trees out and ready to decorate.  My goal is to leave for  Michigan with a clean and decorated house.  It's lofty goal but I am going to give it my best. The problem is that when I start decorating I see other projects, last week I painted two tables, reorganized the sitting room and cleaned the trailer.  Annie got cleaned and decorated for Christmas.  She's taking a Christmas trip in December!

Now, we're all caught up and probably bored by now.  

The blog is hard to write with the photo issues and I almost gave up completely.  Some sweet friends miss me though and I do like to document and write so we'll see what is next. 

In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving and I've missed all y'all!

Seven Layer Pumpkin Bars

I made this Fall twist on an old favorite recipe on Saturday to serve alongside dessert. Pumpkin Roll was the star but these bars gave the roll a run for her money. So yummy!

I'm back with a recipe this morning and just like the good old day there are a many. many changes.

Ican'thelpit.

Six or Seven Layer Pumpkin-Ginger Bars

2 cups gingersnap crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans(My guys don't like nuts in baked goods so I give in to their wishes)

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut ( I prefer 1 cup)

  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the butter and crumbs and then pat into your pan. In another small bowl combine the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk and spices. Stir and then pour over the crust.  sprinkle the coconut, the nuts and chips.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool, cut and serve.

Okay, the recipe above called for an 8 x 8 pan.  I think they would have been way too thick.

I read other similar recipes with the addition of chocolate chips so I used 2/3 cup of all three types of chips. Other versions called for one cup of pumpkin.

*Next time I would use a cup of pumpkin, a bit less cinnamon and no chocolate chips.

The original recipe bake time was 25-35 minutes this was probably accounting for the 8 x 8 pan size. I'd would check them at 20 minutes.

My friend Shelly's family assembles the original 7 Layer Bars before guests arrive and then put them in the oven right before serving dinner.  Spoon the hot gooey goodness over ice cream and serve.  

Yes please!

Summertime Random

It's August. sigh  August can get me down, the light is fading, the geese are squawking, summer is over.  Settle down people...with the school chat and the back to school sales. My flowers start fading and so does moral. 

There is still summer left and I for one, plan to make the most of it. Sleeping in a bit, walking everyday, outings, camping, swimming and playing. September may be imminent but don't rain on my summertime fun talking about and forcing it on me.

Don't misinterpret, I love September, Fall and school.  Just not yet.

It's summertime and the livin' is easy...

I've had leisurely mornings on the patio after my walk. Morning until bedtime, give me the patio.

I read Summer of '69 and Where the Crawdads Sing.  I enjoyed both books and now I'm reading Evvie Drake Starts Over.

I shopped the Nordstrom anniversary sale and Amazon Prime Days from the patio.

I reserved camping sites and flights to Michigan and Hawaii.

I love to be home and July was my time to enjoy house and home.

There is a lot of grilling on our patio this summer. Max and Kassie and Sam and Katie came for breakfast and had to cook their own.  We are loving the pie irons that Danny and Jess gave us for Christmas,

I've gone to one estate sale this entire summer. I know, it's crazy!  When a girl cleans out her attic she hesitates to bring more junk home. The one and only was a winner though and I scored on brand new Xochi and April Cornell linens.  Tags still on and they were  2-3 dollars a stack!

After bringing two loaded Jeep trips to the thrift store, I feel like I can breath in the attic.

I haven't tackled Christmas yet, but it's coming.  Maybe I'll host a private sale at the Stone House in November. What do you think?

The Pie Pals are going on the Vintage Trail Ferndale today so all of my resolve may fly right out the window. A nice try, though.

We finished July in Enumclaw with friends and had more fun than anyone.  Thank you Larry and Shelly for being the best hosts ever! The Bad and Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd concert was great.

I love that when we are together we are always booking more camping reservations and planning the next time we get to see each other.

We have a lot of camping in August and I am going to love our time on the rivers and at the bay.

It is my happy place.

Soak up this next month friends, it'll go fast.  

{stay safe}

Summertime Fun

 We went to George, Washington for the Fourth of July and camped at Max and Kassie's house (one of our favorite campgrounds) with Kassie's family.

We get a lot of cute visitors in our trailer.

 We celebrate on the fourth in downtown George with the Cherry Bomb run, a cherry pie, a parade, a festival and fireworks.  It's a small town with a BiG celebration.

The tolerant camp hosts... Thank you kiddos!

We color, do some crafting, play cards, nap and eat a lot of delicious food.

And we play on the Columbia River.  We play hard.

 Ella and I did some visiting about her starting kindergarten in the fall.

She is going to have to call me Mrs. R. at school and it's hard for her to wrap her head around that idea. I have a lot of fun with Ella and can't wait to see her in school.

No emergency here just some Coastie spreading dye.

Hubby and I went tubing and apparently my upper body strength isn't great at 60. Holy soreness.

The kids left and Kassie took the 'rents on a wine tasting tour.  We visited Jones, Errant Cellars (where Kassie works on the weekends) and then Cave B for lunch.  Hubby and I were happy to see Kassie at home.  She married our farmer, moved to a tiny town and she has jumped in with both feet.  

She knows everyone!

Hubby and I feel blessed to have such a good time with Max's in-laws. Idalia and I both said, we cannot wait for next year.  Max and Kassie probably need the year to recover, cuz we are a lot.

We took the back roads home and are always in awe.  Washington, you are gorgeous!

We are back home for most of July.

 My ferns are happy this year.  This summer is cool and a bit rainy. Not my favorite but it's nice to have the lawns green and the forest fires under control. If I need sun, I'll hitch up find sunshine on the other side of the mountains.

It's not all pretty and relaxing though.  I'm cleaning the attic.  We brought one load to the thrift store and I'm working on the second today.

Hubby is taking out the hitching post.  He doesn't like mowing around it.

It makes me sad. It means we aren't getting another horse.  I think everyone knew I wasn't getting a horse but this made it real. And sad. I think we all remember this ugly cry story.

 Enjoy the sunshine today, the rains are a comin'!