~Fourteen People~

Hello blog friends, how are you?
This has been a full week...activity wise, and yep, people wise. Last night we hosted fourteen family members, on Jim's side, in our 720 square foot abode. Are you thinking sardines?




Actually, it wasn't all that bad. Jim got busy 'ciphering' and arranged the seating so that it lined the walls of the living room, utilizing lap trays, tray top tables, side tables on lawn chairs and a foot stool! The back room where the computer desk is, and our two seater table/chairs, sat six.


It was the grand finale activity to celebrate my MIL's 85th birthday.
One of our grandsons, age 8, sang Amazing Grace with his mother in the background.
The corgi kids spent the evening in our bedroom so they wouldn't be trampled. The food was delish and picnic fare, only eaten inside, red checked napkins and all.




The relatives and family friends traveled from Florida, Texas, and North Carolina.
The week was hot, and the 100 degree heat index yesterday warned to be careful.
Jim's brother from Texas hosted a gathering at our local downtown restaurant,



served family style, then they all drove to the next lake town to ride the Dixie Queen paddleboat.







The grandsons and their parents attended the Reptile show at the library and throughly enjoyed it! It's part of the Summer reading programming offered each Wednesday after a picnic lunch on the library lawn under a huge shade tree.

John, Jim's brother, played golf every morning at the nice golf course five miles east of town. The family friends visited the shops and coffeehouses, and took pictures of the covered bridge and gleaned as much as they could from their Indiana visit. Something for everyone. Jim was off all week to enjoy spending time with his favorite cousin, son and grand-boys. It was nice.

Life returns to normal tomorrow. I'm sleeping in since it's my day off! Nitey night!

One batch gone...another one coming...

Well...July is a busy month...family wise. The North Carolina kids were here early in July, and the Florida kids will be here next week.



Lil' Emmy Lulu, our three year old bundle of fun, loves her 93-yr. old "GG" (Great Gram), her mommy, and to swing. She's a big kid now, and no longer the toddler. She's little Miss I-will-do-it, and fiercely opinionated, hard headed and determined. Hmmm, just like her mama was! I miss my daughter even before she leaves. She's such a calm, successful person. So, NOT, like her own mama.
Sigh...it was great while it lasted.


Why, do kids grow up, leave home, and have their own lives? HOW DARE THEY!!
Only kidding, well sorta, anyway.
Josh came over for the two "big feeds" and to visit with his little Em and his sis.
We caught this updated family photo before the gang took off.


So, next week is Jim's turn. His son and family, including the two grandsons...Jim's cousin, Jim's brother, uncle and wife will all be here for my MIL's 85th b-day party.
Lots of cooking and cleaning to be done! Oh my!

Summer, family gatherings, food, all seem to go together...aren't we lucky to experience such things? It's nice to cross paths for a few days, catch up, have mini-reunions.
The dogs will be grazing under tables I'm sure, trying to get samples and crumbs, and lick bare toes. Why do they do that, anyway?
Let's hope the "fam" will be understanding....cold noses, and warm tongues....could be not to every one's liking.
Oh well, this corgi cottage comes with a warning label. Beware, corgis inside, and they are very, very hungry!

Are you a Hungry Girl?

The Hungry Girl site is awesome. I receive their daily newsletter. It's full of tips on what to buy, recipes, and lots of info and ideas. The subject is how to lower fat/sugar and calories in your diet...in a tasty and satisfying way. When girls are HUNGRY...it ain't pretty, and we all know that!

Here's a sample of what they offer...



Cake Mix + Canned Pure Pumpkin
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 183 calories, 3.5g fat, 301mg sodium, 37g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 20.5g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 4*

Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly -- batter will be VERY thick -- and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix is CLEARLY a classic choice. (Hello?! Yum Yum Brownie Muffins!) But spice cake mix... WOW. Yellow and white cake mixes, sadly, do not work as well.

The Texture: Thick and dense in the BEST possible way. Brownie-like, in the case of the devil's food; the spice cake reminded us of pumpkin bread!

The Taste: No one would ever guess this is guilt-free in any way. It's delicious!

Today...

Worked from 9 to 1 at the library.
Check.
Took dogs to vet for their annual shots, Addie's fat tumor thingie got checked, Jake needs his teeth cleaned sez doc.
Grocery store for MIL and myself.
Check.
Stirred up a big meat loaf, made up a lemonade pie, slid into freezer. Whipped up a bowl of baked spaghetti, all to go into oven tomorrow with a pan of bbq ribs, and hash brown casserole. Cole slaw to be made up in the a.m.
Done.
Company's coming tomorrow for a couple of days. The North Carolina kids are in Indiana, making the rounds to both sides of family, seeing parents, grandparents, aunts/unks, cousins, college pals, and Emmy's great grandparents. It's hard on them to try to give everyone equal time for a few days. Very stressful I would think.
Thursday and Friday are MY days with them. I'm hoping that Emmy Lulu will spend a night here. I'll read her juvenile corgi fiction, what else? We'll look at scrapbooks.

Josh will be here to see his sis and his dear little niece, oh, and his bro-in-law.
Wonder if I made enough food....tried to make every one's favorites.
They don't come for the food...or do they?