Tag Archives: family love

Grandma & Grandpa

I need to apologize to my grandma & my MOM!

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I am such a SLACKER!

I think I have it all together…

I DO NOT! HOW? How to do it?

My Grandmother & MY MOM

raised a family, worked at home & outside the home,

and we always had stuff when we wanted it.

AND I NEVER ASKED HOW?

Grandma & Grandpa

My Grandma & Grampa

This is my GMA & GPA…

I miss them both.

They lived on a dairy.

 My GPA taught me about cows, HARD work, & what “silage” tasted like! ICK!

My Gma always wore a dress & heels. She was a petite little thing.

She wore toilet paper around her hair at night, so she would look “good” in the morning.

My Gpa didn’t give us candy.

 When we left his house, he would give us a teaspoonful of brown sugar

, from the jar in Gma’s kitchen.

 Nothing fancy..but it meant EVERYTHING to us!

They owned a peach orchard.

 40 acres of peaches.

I never really thought about it when I was little.

 It was just a “lot of trees”. HOW to keep it all together?

Engangement photo

Mom & Dad’s ENGAGEMENT photo

This is my MOM & Dad ( I just found this engagement pic.) HAHA

59 years

59 years together!

They worked hard.

My dad went to work every day.

 Dressed in his suit & white shirt

( that my mom ironed..I know ..with an iron & ironing board! )

And my mom worked a self-owned business,

was ALWAYS there when we got home from school,

 and helped us with EVERYTHING we ever did ( sports, clubs, school, etc).

And I never asked HOW?

How do you do it ALL?

And now this…

Both my GMA & My MOM canned fruits, made pickles, and baked goodies!

Now I don’t bake ( leave that gene to my sister, Susie).

I have NEVER made pickles..& probably won’t… BUT

I   CAN  FRUIT!   

I CAN FRUIT, A LOT!

I  remember walking into GMA’s garage & seeing shelves FULL of canned goods.

I grabbed bottles of canned fruits from my mom’s shelves in our garage.

Peaches, pears, cherries, etc, etc, etc…  whenever we wanted!

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

It didn’t matter…it was always there.

HOW????

I never asked.

So now… I apologize to GMA & MOM.

I should have asked to help you peel, or slice, or wash, or……..or….or……

But, I cannot take it back.

SO?

I will follow in your steps.

I will teach MY DAUGHTER to can!

And my granddaughters!

I will continue the family tradition.

Only…we will use the recipe on my laptop.

( I know GMA & MOM didn’t do that!)

So here was my day TODAY ( from start to finish ).

canning peaches

Canning Peaches – jars

canning peaches

canning peaches

Wash the jars ( hot water & heated dry) in the dishwasher.

I know, GMA didn’t have a diswasher.

Hands and Hot water!

peaches

fresh peaches

peaches

washing peaches

peaches

blanched peaches

Wash..rinse…BLANCH (  Boil  whole peaches, then put in a pan of ICE WATER!)

Their peels just slide right off!

Slice, Slice, slice!

canning "station"

Hubbies canning station

Too hot to cook inside!

Set up our camp stove OUTSIDE!

Pan on the left is a sugar/water mixture.

Cook the peaches in for a short time, then pour them into jars!

Hubby is sooooo  good at this!

peaches

Peaches in jars

canning peaches

Sliced peaches in jars

peaches

peaches in jars

Then…

Boil in a water bath ( 25 minutes ) to seal.

peaches

seal the cans

 and…

VOILA!

peaches

Canned peaches

peaches

canned peaches

There we go!

11 quarts of fresh canned peaches!

They will be sooo  good this winter!

Daddy gave us more peaches

…so I am thinking of a peach cobbler for dinner!

or maybe…..

I SHOULD MAKE JAM!

Gma made jam……so did MOM…WOW!

This is HOW!

I should THANK them.   🙂

And I did. Gma hears my prayers. Mom gets my phone calls.

TELL THEM THANK YOU!

It gives me warm fuzzies. 🙂  Happy heart.

Here are some more posts to help me “get it all together!”

Planting Seeds

I am a COOKIE MONSTER!

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Yes. I admit it. 

I LOVE COOKIES!

I count points. Weight Watcher, here!

BUT… they are NOT good for my hips & thighs.

SO WHAT IS A COOKIE MONSTER TO DO?

BAKE cookies for OTHERS!

The giving plate for COOKIES!
The Giving Plate for COOKIES!

Yes. I will taste a few. And then walk on my treadmill… a LOT! 

But life is about LIVING!  MODERATION in everything! EAT THE COOKIES!

And life goes on.

I stalk Pinterest. I know there must be a 12-step program somewhere.

But for now, Pinterest has my heart. I can find ANYTHING there!

I am sharing my BEST cookie pins from my COOKIE board.

Cookies for the COOKIE MONSTER in YOU!

My CHALLENGE to you. 

Make the cookies.  Some for you… some to share.

I take a plate to the neighbors, leave a box at the fire dept., police dept., hospital, for my mail lady, and the garbage collector. 

My school does a cookie exchange & our family has a HUGE one!

Finally… freeze some for later.  The COOKIE MONSTER in you will be VERY happy AFTER the holidays!  

Enjoy my friends!

Merry Christmas, my friends. And HAPPY BAKING!

Don’t BLINK!

Family

Leave me a comment…  what is YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE?

Mine?   ANY!  🙂  

Clean up 2017

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Can you hear the song?

Here’s a link to help you…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY-H2WGThc8

My NEW YEAR’S Mantra!

CLEAN UP!   CLEAN UP!

I LOVE to start the NEW YEAR with cleanliness!

NO ...I AM NOT  OCD ( quite the opposite ).

I like to start the year off with a clean slate…

doesn’t always stay that way!

So here I  go!

MY Closet! 

ICK!

Keeping these…pants together..skirts…etc

Hubby even did his shoes! 🙂

Pile to GO!
Cleaned out my closet…found my LOST slippers!

YIPPEY!
Pile of unneeded hangers!

Gave some of them away with donated clothes.
Kept some…yes..I got rid of the WIRE HANGERS!

HAHAHAHAHA

So I am DONATING 2 bags of 

“UNUSED” clothes & shoes

( Doesn’t fit, holes, haven’t worn, aren’t going to wear…)

to Goodwill.

Have you tried this COOL  closet  trick?

Take ALL of your hangers and turn them 

BACKWARDS!

As you wear something…

turn the hanger forwards.

Next year…

ANY hanger still turned backwards…

YOU HAVE NOT WORN IN ONE YEAR!

DONATE  IT to someone who will!

The Christmas Decor!

I LOVE my Christmas tree.

I turn on the lights, sit in the dark, and watch it twinkle!

But…it has been up since November.

( Yes, before THANKSGIVING!)

I didn’t have Thanksgiving at MY house..so..

UP WENT THE CHRISTMAS DECOR!

Makes me happy!

But…Time to “CLEAN UP, CLEAN UP!”

Gma loves help! Such a decorator!

It takes a LONG time to put ornaments away!

You have to touch each one…remember when or where you got it…

the memories are sometimes OVERWHELMING..

Sniff..sniff..giggle..giggle

We started this years ago…

When we travel, or have a special place…

we buy an ornament.

Check out my UPDATED post on 

“In Life…there is NO “Do OVER!”

Newest member of my snowman ornament collection.
Don’t forget the year!
Little sister got married  in HAWAII!

We were ALL there!

So FUN!

and last…

ME!

I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions…

I don’t need ANOTHER thing to worry about!

But..

I have changed my eating habits!

( Lost 32  pounds …so far )

YEAH!!!

My new favorite “treat”…

APPLES & Peanut Butter!

But wait!

 Isn’t Peanut Butter FATTENING??????

Here’s my SECRET..

Slice apples ( I buy mine pre packaged & sliced ). 🙂

Put them single layer on a plate.

Put 1 Tablespoon ( Yes I measure ) peanut butter in a small zip-lock bag.

Close bag. Microwave PB ( mine about 20 seconds).

Snip ( tech term) the corner off of the bottom of the PB bag.

DRIZZLE over apples!

It’s like FROSTING the cake!

* UPDATE…  You CAN use PB.

BUT…

My newest LOVE

PB2.

Powdered Peanuts…NO  FAT!

Mix 2 TBL powder with 1 TBL  water!

PRESTO!

PB  with NO  FAT!

I LOVE LOVE  LOVE  the PB2 with CHOCOLATE!

CAN YOU SAY…  REESES???

I have it on my toast in the AM.

So…I am beginning my

CLEAN UP 

mode.

I should start on the kitchen cabinets, or the bathroom…..

I think I hear 

APPLES & PB

calling me!

Happy New Year’s,  my friends!

Cookie Exchange…cheater! ME!

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Each December our family has a cookie exchange.

You bring 1-2 dozen cookies.

You take home a variety of cookies…

as many cookies as you brought.

Here are some of the cookies made from years past:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AUIVybs91IafbDtkvVkRjnAtfnqJIhGchljvrBWewHyUgeExB8-nPHU/

and these

And so…

those of you who know me…

I don’t bake…

well, I have..

I just don’t ENJOY it!

* I made a batch of persimmon cookies last weekend.

I felt I had to before the perimmons rotted.

YUCK!

Bad BAKER!

I gave them to the chickens!

And so…  What to take to the family cookie exchange?

Make it…..don’t BAKE it!

TA DA!

Enter..

NUTTER  BUTTER  REINDEER!

Check out my COOKIE Pinterest board for MORE ideas!

And so…

Will it be a Pinterest SUCCESS?

or

A Pinterest FAIL?

Here we go!

Supplies.

Lay out the Nutter Butters.

Break the pretzels into antlers.

Mix powdered sugar into

ROYAL  FROSTING.

(It dries like CEMENT…it holds everything!)

I think ..

PINTEREST  SUCCESS!

The grandkids LOVE them!

So was I a COOKIE EXCHANGE cheater?

Maybe. But you know what?

The smiles & hugs made it ALL worth while!

Merry Christmas!

In LIFE…there is NO “DO OVER”

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In LIFE…there is NO “DO OVER”

Happy Holidays, my friends!

I just spent 2 1/2 HOURS…yes, hours…
putting up our
CHIRSTMAS  TREE!

Wendy….
WHY SO LONG?
Because.
My Christmas tree is NOT a
MARTHA STEWART tree.
It doesn’t match.
It doesn’t have a “theme”.
It is MY  family’s legacy.
It is a timeline of our life.
AND I CHERISH EVERY MOMENT!
I cried.
I giggled.
I remembered moments from years past.
My hubby kept coming into the living room
wondering what was taking so long.
Then…he would look an an ornament and say..
“Do you remember…?”
Yes!  I DO!
As I look through the ornament box,
my heart swells with happiness.
THAT, my friends, is what
CHRISTMAS is ALL about.
I collect ornaments!
I search them out EVERYWHERE we go!
I buy them for MY kids and MY grandkids!
ALWAYS…date the back!
Doesn’t seem important now…IT WILL BE LATER!
If you can’t find ornaments…key chains work fantastic!
Scavenge the “AFTER CHRISTMAS” sales!
Christmas boutiques, & craft sales!
It’s about a memory.
I never want to FORGET!
IN  LIFE…there is NO “DO OVER”.
There are “second chances”…but they are
DIFFERENT!
Here is a little “smattering” of my
Christmas Tree!
A cruise hubby & I took to the Caribbean.
The first ship I had ever been on!
After 10 months on fertility drugs…BABY on the way!
This was the first ornament I ever bought with a baby on it!
We didn’t know if it was a boy or girl.
Ended up being twin boys!
32 years ago & still cry at this one!
Happy tears!
Yes…I have the first 5 years for ALL of my kids!
We are blessed with 4 kids & 5 grandchildren.
Hubby’s FAVORITE!
JAWS FAN!
A trip to EUROPE with my mom & sisters!
4 California girls to England, Ireland, & Scotland!
We found our ancestor’s farm!
My auntie ( now 90 ) made this for me
when I was 5. ( 48 yrs ago ).
Very precious.
At the TOP of our tree.
The last remaining ornament HANDMADE by my grandmother.
My parents house burned to the ground 30 years ago.
In the attic were ALL of my MOM’s Christmas ornaments!
GONE!  Luckily, I had one from MY grandma.
Sniff…sniff…memories!
You think those little strings of popcorn won’t last?
Hubby’s from PRESCHOOL!
1965!
(It used to be much longer…I wrap it in tissue every year!)
For your kids…
If they play sports…get them a sports ornament
EVERY  YEAR!
There will come a day…when they won’t play!
Remember all the fun times!
KEY  CHAINS   MAKE  ORNAMENTS!
My little sis got remarried on the beach in HAWAII!
The WHOLE family went!
We went snorkeling and saw the SEA TURTLES!
FUN TIMES!
My son’s favorite sport ( He wrote this when he was 10 ).
He is now in the US NAVY!
I wonder if ALL the practices & games helped him get ready for LIFE?
YES!
My first trip to the EAST COAST!
We toured from NEW YORK to NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Stayed at the BEST B&B in Plymouth BAY!
TEACHERS!!!!
Yes…those  “SILLY”  classroom ornaments
DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
AND…GLITTER  MATTERS!
A plastic lid…some glitter…and  a picture!
Circa  1992.
So here is a “SMATTERING”
of
MY LIFE!
It’s  PERFECT for ME!
Remember..
IN LIFE…there is NO “DO OVER!”
Live, LAUGH, Love!
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
from
1stgradefireworks

Change YOUR mindset..work-play-work-play

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I LOVE my job!

Really!

I love to plan, to create, to share with YOU!

BUT…

I   LOVE   VACATION!

Who  doesn’t?

I am in GMA mode.

Disneyland Parade!

Princess staying with us for a while.

Family at the beach!

WHAT A VOLLEYBALL GAME! 🙂

And so…I have been playing!

BUT…

My brain won’t STOP!

And so…I am trying to

CHANGE MY MINDSET!

Instead of:

I MUST STOP!

I MUST LET IT GO!

IT’S SUMMER…STOP  WORKING!

I am changing my mindset to:

I AM GETTING ORGANIZED FOR NEXT YEAR.

I AM CREATING PRODUCTS THAT WILL HELP OTHERS.

I AM ENJOYING THE CREATIVITY I CAN EXPRESS!

This will make my classroom “work” easier & more engaging!

And so..

I create..

If YOU are in need of new & exciting products to help

 your classroom, homeschool, and students

become “independent learners”..

check these OUT!

                                Daily Proofreading Practice                                        BTS  HFW “DOTS”

MEGA BUNDLE

This is HUGE!

YOUR  entire  year  in one MEGA  BUNDLE! 🙂

( Who  doesn’t LOVE to be organized for the WHOLE  YEAR?)

*  It correlates to CA JOURNEYS but….can be used for ANY  curriculum.

Hide & Seek BUNDLE

5 packets of HIDE & SEEK ( Kiddos LOVE this!)

 These products are also available individually!  🙂

And for YOU!

A FREEBIE to help your kiddos when working on close reading!

ENJOY!

And so…

I am back to work, play, work, play!

I LOVE VACATION!

ENJOY YOURS!

Finally, It’s GARDEN time!

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I hear it’s snowing on the East Coast.

(Sorry GUYS!)

Here in Northern  California…

San Joaquin Valley

GRAPE & WINE COUNRTY

We have had rain!

Finally!

If you don’t know…we are in a drought!

BUT…

It has rained ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS!

COME ON!

REALLY???

So.. FINALLY

It’s WARM!

The sun is out on  SATURDAY!

WAHOOO!!!

For hubby and I

It’s time to GARDEN!

Now every year

we start our own seeds.

Here is our newest hothouse.

(Last year we made our own…too  big!)

This year we went for a smaller version.

This way we can start seeds,

when they become seedlings we can plant the seedlings, and then,

we can start MORE!

Can you see the upside-down water bottle?

Cut off the bottom & fill..

Keep it full…humidifies the hothouse.

My own little “rainforest” 🙂

Each little “pod” has seeds ready to grow!

This year we have

tomatoes,

sunflowers,

melons,

lettuce,

cilantro,

green beans,

peppers,

watermelon,

and

nasturiums ( need flowers for BEES!)

BEES are a gardner’s friend!

We already have a few tomatoes ready, some zucchini squash, and yellow squash.

NOW WHAT?

Here are my BEFORE garden pics.

Don’t judge! 🙂

Wait until you see them LATER!

Onions are doing well…BUT the rest?

WOW! Let’s get to work!

Ick! Needs some HELP!

WAIT! That’s NOT a garden..it’s a bale of STRAW!

We are trying something new this year.

GOOGLE  “STRAW GARDEN”..

Hmm…you “condition” bales of straw for about 2 weeks

and then

PLANT RIGHT IN THE BALES!

The conditioning makes “STERILE” SOIL for the plants!

Bigger & Better yields!

We shall see.

If it works? We get more.

If NOT?  We have A LOT of compost!

Either way…we are OK!

I will let you know how it goes!

Here is some of our produce from LAST YEAR..

We shall see…

If you need some help teaching your class about

GARDENS…

Here is some help.

Available HERE.

Don’t let GMA go to the EASTER STORE!

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What?

Yeah!

TRY TO STOP ME!

It’s EASTER WEEK folks!

The grandkids are coming!

I have food to make, pictures to take, baskets to prepare.

EB will do his own baskets.

These are from GMA & GPA!

I MUST GET ON PINTEREST!

Ok…BREATHE…

I started my day with coffee…relaxing…no stress!

BUT, then…

THE KIDS WILL BE HERE IN 3 DAYS!

OMG!  I Am NOT ready!

RUN!!!

So I ran screetched the wheels of the car as I drove  to the store.

Only need to..

PICK UP A “FEW” things. 🙂

( I really didn’t know what I NEEDED..until I got there!)

I got my “GOODIES” and headed home.

A few more hours until hubby gets home…

how many PINTEREST “crafts” can I do before dinner?

MANY!

So I began…

First up:

GoldFish CARROTS!

I saw these..so  cute!

So..Here I GO!

* disclaimer…Though I know carrots should be triangular..

WALLY WORLD DOESN’T HAVE

TRIANGULAR CLEAR BAGS!

so.. be flexible!

Started with “Pretzel Rod” bags..

Long & skinny for “little” hands.

I “MacGyvered” it.

(If you are too young to know who MacGyver is…GOOGLE IT!)

The toilet paper roll was too wide to be a funnel.

So I slit it down the side to shrink it.

Worked like a charm!

I can fill baggies with the rest of them!

Baggies DONE.

Added some green ribbon..

VIOLA!

Goldfish Carrots ALA GMA!

Next…

EGGS!

Filled & NAMES on them!

These are from GMA & GPA.

The EB hides his OWN!

and  LAST…

Shhhhh…Don’t tell ANYONE.

I went a “LITTLE” overboard!

Oh well!

HIPPITY, HOPPITY… EASTER’S ON IT’S WAY!

Have a Wonderful EASTER!

I know I will!

🙂

The “WEE” Little Ones are a’WATCHIN

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The “WEE” Little Ones are a’WATCHIN

‘Tis the month of MARCH!
The “WEE LITTLE ONES”..
are a’watchin..
(Like my Gealic?) HAHA
MARCH?
ALREADY?
BTW…
There are 294 days …until CHRISTMAS! 🙂
Just wanted to  FREAK YOU OUT!!!!!
OK….It’s ONLY  MARCH!
Whew!
As an “official” IRISHLASS.
( Well…kinda…married a McCarty…IRISH TO THE MAX!)
And ..I carry Scottish/Irish genes.
So I am an “IRISH  LASS”.
One of my fav. poems..I know it’s a song!
I love the lyrics!
“When Irish Eyes are Smiling”
http://www.ireland-information.com/irishmusic/whenirisheyesaresmiling.shtml
The chorus…
When Irish eyes are smiling, 
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring. 
In the lilt of Irish laughter 
You can hear the angels sing. 
When Irish hearts are happy, 
All the world seems bright and gay. 
And when Irish eyes are smiling, 
Sure, they steal your heart away.
Awwww….
Makes me heart HAPPY!
I have been to the “EMERALD ISLE”.
I have “KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE”…kinda gross.
( Story another time )
So I want  to share some “Blarney” with YOU!
McBlarney Time
And
Making Ten with in IRISH JIG!
Celebrate the WEARIN OF THE GREEN
on St.Paddy’s DAY!
Go n-éirí an bothar leat
(May your journey be successful)
* Don’t forget to wear YOUR GREEN on St. Patrick’s Day
…don’t want to get
PINCHED! 🙂

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If it’s Sunday

It must be time for..

NIBITS FOR NEWBIES!

This week’s THEME…

ME!

Sorry.

 I am heading out for

SPRING BREAK.

Report Cards are done.

Assessments have been recorded.

Assemblies  enjoyed.

AND I AM EXHAUSTED!

So as we RECHARGE..

And yes FOLKS…YOU NEED TO RECHARGE!

Give yourself a break!

WE WORK HARD!

It’s OK to say NO!

No…I don’t want to go to….

NO…I don’t want to go out tonight… ( I plan on going to bed EARLY!)

NO…I don’t want to …

YES!

I just want to stay in my COMFY clothes ( PJ’s, sweats. yoga pants, etc)

I want to eat JUNK FOOD

and

I am binge watching whatever the remote lands on..

I AM NOT MAKING ANY DECISIONS!

YIPPEE!!!  Spring Break!

Now…I am a GMA!

After a few “ME” days…

I am having 3 ( of 4 ) of our grandkids to spend a couple days!

I am NOT wasting a minute of it!

IN COMES PINTEREST……………..

St. Patrick’s Day  GREEN FEAST!

We are having a party!

and…  PAINTING!

Painting CLOTHES…. Painting T-Shirts…TUTUS!

I AM SOOOO  EXCITED!

PINCH ME!

NO!

I’ll be wearing MY GREEN TUTU!

HAHAHA

Now…I am NOT making ALL of these…

Just getting ideas! 🙂

Of course…Corned Beef & cabbage!

And GPA’s HAT!

And then..

Gma & Gpa will…..

SLEEP  FOR  A  WEEK!!!  🙂

So…enjoy YOUR time OFF!

I know I will!