Summer Fun or Cures for Cabin Fever.....

wow.....2 blog posts in a row.....must be a record:)

my girls are grown so their cure for cabin fever would most likely be 

SHOPPING:)

but when they were younger, we sometimes needed something to shake things up a bit.

I told you about our annual "Camp Mommy" awhile back...

but here are some little ideas that I think might also be a big hit!

1.  water balloons...always a winner! 

 why are some people so against this?  

we had a blast each and every time....

and notice I said "WE".

water balloons are not just for kids:)

2.  the trusty lemonade stand.....

 or cookie stand, cupcakes, candy....all yummy:)

3.  okay, this is SO cool....make your own "I Spy" or "Find It" game.

 (sorry....I couldn't think of what you call these)

anyway, fill a water bottle with rice and little toy trinkets from around the house.

set a timer and each child gets to see how many items they find.

LOVE this one:)

4.  Button Art!  Isn't this pretty?

 I think this calls for a whole blog post someday, don't you?

but for now, buy a whole bag of cheap buttons and let them go at it.

you could draw a design and let them fill it in, make letters....

 Hey....this is a great Christmas gift idea!!!

5.  And for a healthy, delicious snack...

fruit in a waffle cone!  

 (okay.....what brilliant person thought of this?:)

there you go...ideas for the kids who are bored, for a rainy day 

or a day that is just TOO DANG HOT to play outside! 

(we have a lot of those down here:)

and remember.....YOU have fun TOO!

XOXOXOXOXOX

Suzanne

Red Velvet Brownies and Getting back on Track...

red velvet brownies?

say it isn't so!!!!!

oh, but it is!:)

but first things first...

my 14 year old...my BUSY 14 year old,

says she misses my blog,

that I need to get it going again.

hmmm...I'm flattered she misses this silly thing...

but girlfriend, one of the reasons I DON'T blog more is

YOU keep me busy! 

 (hahaha...but I wouldn't have it any other way:)

so here I am,

starting my little online journal...AGAIN:)

but it's all GOOD, right?

now...RED VELVET BROWNIES...

OMG!!!!!

are these delicious, gorgeous and mouth watering all in one

or WHAT???
oh...and you will probably gain 10lbs...
but you will LOVE doing it:)
The recipe, from Howsweeteats is below...

 

Red Velvet Brownies
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2/3 cups chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350.
Butter and flour an 8 x 8 cake pan.
In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. (If at this time your batter is NOT red, you can add a little more food coloring if desired. Color will depend on brand.) Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread in the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

**** We found that they were done at 25 min. and guess what...

they were WAY better the next day.

Re: frosting, we went with a cream cheese but you could also

use a white chocolate buttercream:)

you're welcome...for the great recipe and the extra pounds:)

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

one year later...

WOW...

what a difference a year makes.

i have been living with MS for one year now.

probably longer than that as 

my dr. thinks it was messing with me before....

but this is when we discovered it.

when i first found out,

I was determined not to let it get me down.

then it got me down!

and that's the best way to describe it....

a year full of ups and downs.

but in a nutshell.....

SO FAR, SO GOOD!!!!

i won't bore you with little details of the

ups and downs.

everyone has their own struggle and mine is

FAR from the worst.

instead,

this is all about FAITH, LOVE and HAPPyNESS!

FAITH....
without it,

i am nothing....
i HAVE nothing.

LOVE....
without it,

i am nothing....

 i HAVE nothing...

.

 HAPPyNESS....
without it,

i am nothing.

i HAVE....well, not nothing,

but i could have more....

and i could GIVE more....

faith, love happyness 

(and I know you don't spell it that way...

but i LIKE it:)

SO.......

about FAITH.

 oh, i had my moments.

i doubted...

i questioned...

but in the end, 

i HAVE to have faith...

and I do!

LOVE.....
 I'm so blessed.

i have a TON of it

and HAPPyNESS.....

my "word of the year"

i'm trying to give and get more HAPPY in every day.....

MS or not:)

 now for something REALLY SPECIAL....

let me tell you what my PRECIOUS girl Jordan is up to.....

 she is SWIMMING for MS!

 yep.....

in addition to the very busy life of a tennis playing teenager,

 she is taking the time to raise money for MS...

to help those who can't afford medication 

(at about $3,000/month)

to help those who need a wheelchair.....

and to help find a cure.

 she recently started and this Holiday weekend,

our club, Naples Bay Resort,

is getting others involved with her cause.

it's very exciting.....

and I am SOOOOO proud of my girl.

if you would like to read her page, go to this link:

Jordan Dutcher's Swim Page.

i think you will be so INSPIRED when you read

her story in her own words.

 if you would like to make a donation,

instructions are there.

even though there are suggested amounts,

she would be ecstatic for anything...

every dollar helps!

as she wrote on her Swim for MS page,

"God never promised life would be easy,

He just promised it would be worth it."

  

like I said.....

i am SO blessed.....

with Jordan AND Taylor.....

 and my husband Phil.

i know you might wonder why THIS post on July 4th....

well, it is a one year marker and it IS Independence Day....

and independence means different things to different people.

to a person with MS, being independent means the world....

so as well as celebrating with our country, 

we will celebrate my own continued independence.

and I think we'll do that with our 2nd annual  

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE!

YUM!!!!!

 (i know, i know...always food:)

big HUGS and a big THANK YOU to everyone for your

love, prayers, concern, caring, thoughtfulness and friendship

to me and to my family this past year.

to say it means more than you know is an understatement!

God Bless You!!!
and Happy INDEPENDENCE Day!!

XOXOXOXO

Suzanne