That's a Signature?

OK, I bet you can't read my doctor's signature!

Isn't that funny? I know it's a common joke that you can't

read a doctor's handwriting but this is a little ridiculous!

A Day Full of Berries

The berries are ripe in the backyard! We enjoyed them all day!

Favorite Gifts

We surprised Taylor with his own laptop for graduation.

I read somewhere recently that a laptop is the

most popular gift for a high school graduate.

Of course, he's going to need one for college!

We hadn't seen him so excited about a gift since.....

......he got his first Big Wheel!

Remember the show CHiPs? (Eric Estrada...California

Highway Patrolman on a motorcyle?)

Taylor loved the reruns at this age and pretended to

be part of the show. Here he is in one of his many crashes.

He literally wore the wheels down to nothing on several

Big Wheels before he graduated up to a bike with training wheels.

What a cutie!

We all have those few really memorable childhood gifts!

I think these two are on Taylor's list! :)

Thursday is his 18th birthday. I don't think we will

even try to top the laptop!

That Lived-In Look

Is this why they are called "throw pillows"?

Theme Thursday = Summer

Hop on over to Theme Thursday and join in!

• S ~ unscreen
• U ~mbrella
• M~elting icecream
• M~osquitos
• E~vening daylight
• R~elaxation

Shopping With Spencer

It was Spencer's turn to go shopping with me today!

We went to Sams Club with a quick stop into

Walmart and then filled up at the gas station.

Spencer did great steering the cart and getting items

off of the shelves. He picked 3 DVD's to buy.

I had to laugh...he was getting an armful as if

he was at the library and it wouldn't cost a thing!

~~~~

The most amazing part was that when we came

out of Walmart, Spencer's door to the van

was still open! When we had arrived a few

minutes earlier, traffic was heavy in the

parking lot, and he bounded out of his seat

so quickly that I hurried to make sure

he didn't step in front of a car. I completely

forgot to look back and see if he shut his door.

Thankfully, nobody bothered our $250

worth of groceries, 3 DVDs or my camera~

which were there for easy grabbing with the

van door wide open!

~~~~

I snapped this picture on our way home.

Spencer was fascinated with sitting up front

where he could watch the road behind us

in the outside mirror. Fun times ~ Alex will be next!

Lighting

Thomas Edison's light bulbs.

googleimages.com

~~~~

Have you any idea how many children it takes

to turn off one light in the kitchen?

Three.

It takes one to say, "What light?"

and two more to say, "I didn't turn it on."

-- Erma Bombeck

~~~~

I just had to laugh when I saw this quote! We have a real

problem turning lights and other electronics off in our house!

Well, I'm just being polite when I say 'we'. I feel like I'm

the only one that notices and walks around turning things

off! A few months ago I had to leave the house before

anyone else on a school day. The Mister got everyone

out the door for me. Later in the day, when I came home

to an empty house, there were 15 lights on, 2 computers

and 2 TV's! On the other hand, only half the men

remember to flush the toilet. Hmmm...saving water?

Maybe we are even-ing out our carbon footprint.

Good grief!

Betsy's Best Chocolate Cake

He pronounced it the BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CAKE...

and I totally agree! If you like dark chocolate and super

moist layers, this is the cake for you!

I started with a recipe online but tweaked it a bit...now it

is absolutely perfect.

Betsy's Chocolate Cake

~~~~

2 c sugar

1 and 3/4 c flour

3/4 c cocoa

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 eggs

1 c buttermilk

1 c black coffee

1/2 c oil

1 t vanilla

Sift dry ingredients, then place

all the above ingredients together

in mixer. Beat 2 minutes at med. speed.

Divide between 3 8" rounds which have

been greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Mine took 26 minutes.

Toothpick test should yield moist crumbs.

~~~~

After cooling, layer with chocolate

buttercream frosting....

1 stick soft butter

4 c powdered sugar

1/3 c cocoa

splash of vanilla

2-4 T milk

Mix until smooth and creamy,

and quite soft. Add more milk

if you need to. It should be the

consistancy of mousse.

Grease hands before handling layers.

They are very sticky!

~~~~

Ganache

6 oz heavy cream, heated just to boiling.

9 oz chocolate chips.

Stir both together until smooth and

chips have melted. Will thicken as it

cools. When thick but pourable, pour

on top of layers and spread down the

sides to completely cover cake.

~~~~

This is good served immediately, but even better

after it aged one day.

Father's Day

Happy Day to The Mister!

Here's a little trip down memory lane!

We love you!

Betsy and Boys

A Little Pep Talk For All of Us

"Don't waste your effort worrying about what you have not done. Spend your time working on what you now can do. It's amazing how much you can accomplish when your heart is in it. Drop the doubts, self-criticisms, and anxieties, and positively put your heart into what you're doing. Enjoy the delicious feeling of making real progress based on your own focused efforts.Have fun watching yourself accomplish as you complete each task. Taking effective, meaningful action will put you in a positive frame of mind. And that will open the door to many great new possibilities.Go beyond wondering about it, or thinking it through, or planning for it. Just go ahead and get it done.Choose your destiny; delight in the fulfilling effort that makes it happen. You can do it, and now is when." - Ralph Marston

Theme Thursday = Roof

Dinner on the Roof ~ Miguel Freitas

When I saw that this week's theme was Roof, that great song

immediately came to my mind and I've been singing it ever

since! "When this old world starts getting me down....."

~~~~

My second thought was that we have a running joke in our

house as I say 'roooof' and The Mister says 'ruff'.

Kinda like tomato and to-mah-to!

I also say 'wolf' and he says 'wuff'....but I digress.

~~~~

These gorgeous thatched roofs are my faves!

What character! We need a new roof on our house.

I wonder if we could do this!?

Maybe if we lived across the pond!

In the future, NYC may just look like this, with green going

up where there is some unused rel-estate! There are

proposals already in the works and it's supposed to be

good for a cleaner, greener planet!

I guess it's not an entirely new idea! And just as I was wondering

how people would get their riding mowers up there I

found this picture! I guess if you are going to "Go Green",

you should go all the way and not pollute the air

with exaust from a lawn mower!

Don't forget to pop over to Theme Thursday and check out

all the other takes on today's theme! And join in

if you want! It's fun and easy!

Our Wren Couple

We have a sweet little wren couple nesting in

my hanging basket! We scared each other as

I watered the flowers and out flew Mrs Wren!

So, I'm now announcing my coming and watering

from the other end and she doesn't seem to mind.

The Mister always teases me that the backyard

birds know my voice and come when I call them. :)

I love wrens! It's that perky little tail and that huge

song that comes from that tiny body! And it's just

the sweet way they court and nest. I've talked about

the habits of the wrens before, but I must again in

honor of the cute little couple on my back porch!

~~~~

The male wren builds several nests before even meeting his mate ~ he can build up to ten nests, each consisting of around 400 tiny twigs! It takes him days, but he is a scrappy little guy and hard working, singing the whole time!

Then he calls for a mate to come ~ calls and calls ~ so loudly that it is amusing to watch all that sound coming from such a tiny bird!

~~~~

We got to witness this last year and it is amazing! He calls and calls! We were beginning to feel sorry for the little guy as no lady wren came for days. Then ~ finally! The female comes! Instantly, his calling becomes this sweet, soft, courting song! A lovely little tune! He coos and takes her around to see the nests that he has built for her!

~~~~

She inspects the nests, picks a favorite and begins to tear it apart! She tears it all apart and arranges it how she wants ~ and he helps her ~ the two of them working together until it's finished! Then the female adds her own special touches ~ softness of grass, hair and feathers. Now it's ready to start a family!

~~~~

I smile every time I think of that bird couple!

And what a sweet little guy to let her redecorate after he worked so hard! He gives the part that makes it structurely sound and she adds the beauty and softness for the coming brood.

Isn't that just the sweetest thing?

Living in Chaos

Train books spread out over the kitchen island.

~~~~

Oh, these days of summer vacation!

Cooking alone in my spotless, uncluttered

kitchen is only a faint memory now!

~~~~

Grilled beef and cheddar sandwich courtesy of Taylor.

Train books courtesy of Spencer.

Look Who Made the Newspaper!

Our high school graduation had a full page spread of pics!

Lambs Ear

With some plants, it's just obvious how they got their name!

Spencer, Spencer, Spencer!

I've shown a picture of our living room before.

This is what it normally looks like.

But this summer, Spencer has taken over the room! Notice how he's moved all the furniture so he would have room to line up his train pages?

Notice the stacks of train pages on the mantel?

Notice the floor lamp and trash can teetering on the window seat cushion?

Notice my eyes rolling? Oh, sorry..you can't see that!

So, in keeping with my motto of "Stay Calm and Carry On".. I made the best of it and vacuumed while the furniture was out of the way. :)

Harry and Me Part Two

Earlier this week, Harry went shopping with me to Sam's Club!

He hadn't gone to the store with me since last summer!

It's just easier during the school year to go alone,

but during the summer I try to rotate the boys

so they get to run errands with me. I was expecting

Harry to do his loud, anxious humming that he always does.

And sure enough, he started into it as soon as we left home.

But as soon as we got to Sam's, he stopped!

Here we are in the pet food isle.

We picked up a huge box of bird seed for the outside feeders.

Notice how he is holding onto the side of the cart?

We started out both holding the handle and pushing.

(the carts there are so wide that two people

can stand side-by-side like that) But for some reason

he was walking as if he was anticipating his feet bumping

into the cart! It was really quite comical and we weren't

get anywhere so I had him walk beside and hold on this way.

He seemed to enjoy himself and

was very obedient and listened well.

After we got everything we needed, we went down the movie isle.

I told him he could choose a DVD but he just smiled

and shook his head "No". I think it was

because he had already put two huge bags of

potato chips in the cart and he was excited

to pay for them and take them home.

He also chose a huge watermelon.

As you can see, he dove right in before we left the parking lot. We usually get those reduced fat Pringles,

so the real Mikesells chips tasted extra good!

I began the summer with Harry because he is the easiest

of the three guys. Alex can tantrum if he really gets

frustrated. And Spencer just wants to be the boss,

even pushing the cart super fast and not slowing

down around corners. I have to really be

on my toes to make sure he doesn't run over anyone.

So, next trip I may just take a Tylenol

before leaving the house! Thanks Harry for a fun trip!

Theme Thursday = Swing

The Porch Swing

~~~~Some folks might say about our swing,

“It’s just an old and rusting thing,”

but I remember all the ways

that old porch swing would fill our days .

~~~~ Upon that swing now hanging still,

moon rising o’er the distant hill,

Mama rested, sipping tea,

and sang sweet lullabies to me

~~~~With silent rocking dreams were sought

on summer days when it was hot,

games we played while resting there,

chess, and checkers moved on squares .

~~~~ Women gathered ‘round the swing,

to share the latest gossiping,

while sewing patches on our jeans,

or maybe popping garden beans.

~~~~ Men returning from the field

would wait there for the evening meal,

at end of day, their work complete,

old Rex, our dog, lay at their feet .

~~~~ Auntie sometimes shedding tears,

recalling friends lost through the years,

would pass the hours on our porch

swinging gently back and forth .

~~~~We courted on that creaking swing,

first love softly blossoming,

sneaking kisses in the night

veiled in shadows of moonlight.

~~~~Worn and weathered that old seat

has served us well, its use replete,

we now rock babes with curly hair,

soothing them with loving care .

~~~~ Remembering yet those days of old

in summer heat or winter cold,

how we chanced to tarry there

making memories we could share.

Tammy Hillman, 1976

If you'd like to participate in Theme Thursday, pop on over to the site and sign up! While you are there, check out the other bloggers and their thoughts on this week's theme, "Swing"!

(Friday ~ Harry and Me, Part Two.)

Harry and Me Part One

Harry, before we go shopping let's take our

picture together! Oops! Your eyes are closing. Hey, you didn't look at the camera! Harry, just look at the camera! Oops, your face is too close! You look like a bubble head! Stop trying to get away! Just smile!

The camera, Harry, not me!

Mom's really sick of smiling.

You however haven't smiled yet!

Harrison William, come on!

OK...almost! This time smile!

Perfect! Whew! I'm exhausted and we

haven't even left yet!