And then we ate...

We managed to fit two and three butts into Cindy's one butt kitchen while preparing the Thanksgiving meal.
It all went together so easily. Teamwork at it's finest.




Cindy made the rolls. They looked so pretty and chubby. And they got chubbier and chubbier and chubbier.




Emma helped with the mashed potatoes. She now has a dish.
I usually prepare the whole meal all by myself,
so this was really fun and enjoyable to share the responsibilities!




This is how my family rolls.

They are very thankful for foods that are white.

Everything was rich and tasty. WE had tummy aches after eating.
I tossed and turned and felt ill in the night and vowed never to eat again.

I broke that vow the next day. But I don't think I will overeat again for a long time.


****

Katie and I watched "The Vicar of Dibley Christmas Specials" on Sunday night.
I downloaded it right to my tv from Netflix.

We loved it.

When the jokes were too "blue" for Katie it didn't quite matter, since the English words are so very different than our words for the same things. (if you know what I mean)

This download is two episodes from the final season of the BBC series (2007)

Funny and silly and romantic.
Highly recommended.


This is a huge spoiler. But it was my favorite part.
Geraldine loves Sense and Sensibility and makes a little fun of Emma T. when she finds out that Edward is not married earlier in the show....



***



I can not tell you how much your kind and generous comments mean to me.

Thank you for being here and reading.

Love,
Donna

A sale on sessions....





This means...
you pay for your session now....or purchase a session for a gift....

and then you use it in 2011.

That's all.

As easy as that.


Same fantastic service, attention to detail, and delightful pictures....

just a little more affordable.

Happy Cyber Monday from the staff at Donna Boucher Photography....

aka me.



******



We had a great time in Missouri for Thanksgiving. Cindy was just the best hostess. She is loving and thoughtful and energetic and a super fun girl!!! We really all love being with her! It was great to spend time with her boys! They are kind and sweet and really cute ;o)

Today I will share the first part of our Thanksgiving day with you.



The Thanksgiving Turkey Trax. BoCoMo. (Boone county, Columbia, Missouri)

When I invited myself down to celebrate Thanksgiving at Cindy's I realized she would probably be walking in a 5K of some sort.
And I thought it would be really fun to join her. My whole family said, YES, they would walk with us...so we registered and were all geared up to go.

It was in the high 20's and windy when we started the walk.





Emma ran with Cindy's friend Carrie. They took off with the crowd.




And within 3 minutes.... we were at the very end.

I was walking as fast as I could.

Cindy being the kind encouraging soul that she is held back with me.
I was so embarrassed and felt very awful that I was making our little group be at the very back.
Everyone passed us by. And I mean everyone.

At mile one I wanted to quit. The emotional pain was as bad as the physical pain.
I don't know what kept me going...but I did.

Everyone else was freezing.

I was steaming up and even took off my mittens! The wind on my beet red face was refreshing to me.

At about mile two I begged Cindy to talk about things. I love to walk and talk...
(My hubby is not a talker.) So she started telling me a few stories and the next two miles went by much better.

I stopped obsessing about being last and being slow and overweight....and climbed hill after hill with Cindy talking and Patrick encouraging me and Katie dashing to and fro in her happy Turkey hat.


As we entered the track I was able to hand my camera to Emma (Who had been waiting for 30 minutes.)so she could record the big finish!!!












Love you Cindy! You have a beautiful heart.
Thanks for hanging back.





Walking as fast as I could....

We all finished.

I'm glad I did not quit.

My time.

58 minutes.

woo.


Synonyms for Encourage:
bear up, buck up, buoy, cheer, chirk, embolden, hearten, inspire, inspirit, steel.

Those sound just right....


Thank you Patrick, Katie, Emma and Cindy for inspiring me and helping me to buck up.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Today is our 30th wedding anniversary!

As the years go by we choose us....

again and again...


Happy Anniversary honey.


Love Always.

Giving Thanks.



O Lord, that lends me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!


~~William Shakespeare 1564-1616







Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.
-Henry Alford



Encourage one another and love.

Donna

There is no reciprocity.
Men love women, women love children,
children love hamsters.

~Alice Thomas Ellis




****

I am going to the symphony with Katie's class this morning, so this has to be quick.

Our little tribe is heading to Missouri to be with Cindy and her family in Missouri for Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for family and health and big, big love.



Bowling has long been a Glyman family tradition on Thanksgiving.
This year we are adding a 5K.

Wish us luck and no snow.


Safe travels to those of you who are traveling.

Enjoy!
Eat!

and take lots of pictures while you are all together!

Get in the shot!

Love you.
Mean it!

Donna

A ride with Piglet and Pooh.




The ride to school is actually the most fun I have all day.

Katie and I chat and laugh and sing and discuss the daily questions the radio hosts pose.

She encourages me to call in. I am usually too chicken, but I did get thru a few weeks ago and gave my opinion.
It was scary.

Anyway this morning we heard the most absurd commercial that made us laugh for two minutes.
We repeated the line over and over to one another.


‎"It's the kind of soda nature would drink, if nature drank soda!"
~sierra mist with cranberry


Then I started over analyzing the whole idea.

"First of all soda is not natural." I said. "Nature would drink water."

"Nature does drink water!" I declared, because I am so smart.

Katie perks up and says that water is a flow resource. It is not renewable.

So right Katie girl.

Then I start to think about renewable resources.

And one is not coming to me....

think. think. think.


"Oh! Like cake batter." I say.

"Um....no. Like paper." says Katie.

"AH!! Trees! Something that grows and we use and then we plant and grow again!" I figure.

And Katie looks at me and says, "Cake Batter?"


And then we laugh about this all the way to school.

Over on my other blog....

The Year of Living Healthfully

In which I quote Lou Holtz and Kelly Ripa


Yesterday I was watching Regis and Kelly like I do every morning. Regis' good buddy and hero was
sitting in the audience. Lou, when asked, recited his 'four things' one needs in life.


* First, you have to have something to do.
* The second thing you have to have is someone to love.
* Third, you have to have something to believe in.
* Finally, you have to have something to look forward to.

and then Kelly Ripa so cleverly quipped,

"Someone to blame."

Continue reading here











I was looking for a picture to go with my post.
And NONE of them fit.

So I picked this one because it makes me smile.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Emma came home.....



It's gonna be a very short visit...but that's okay.

She is at that really hard part of college where she has work and classes and internships and PCM's and volunteering and papers and tests.

She is tired.
Remember how hard college could be?

The real world is going to seem like a vacation after graduation!

I am encouraging Emma to rest. To remember the Sabbath.

I am encouraging her to NOT think so darn much.




How can this girl be my child?




Anyway.

I was looking for some images from the depths of my computer files and here are some really peaceful images....

Enjoy them.

Don't think about them too much.

Just look.





Close your eyes....





Listen to the quiet....





~E. N. Jones


Thank God that, even He rested.

It is good.



Encourage one another,
Donna

#TeamREE




Katie and I had a blast watching the Throwdown last night on the Food Network.

(We are wearing our empire waist blouses in honor of Ree and her empire waist blouse.)

It was super exciting for Katie to see Ree's punks and Charlie and ....herself!
Yup. We spotted Katie on Ree's computer screen two times and we squealed with delight.
Katie said, "I'm on TV!"


I thought the show was totally delightful and entertaining. I would really like to try that brined turkey method.
Perhaps at Christmas time.
(The Booshay's are heading to Missouri for Thanksgiving to celebrate with Cindy and her family!)


Tweeting thru the show on Twitter added even more fun to the night.
It was my first Twitter party and it was GREAT!

I haven't spotted it on the internet yet...if you know where the episode can be found on the internet, please pass it along for those who were not able to watch it yet!

Thanks!

gobblegobble


p.s. LOOK! I figured out how to use the self-timer on my camera!


*****


Now.

Get ready.


I bought myself the cutest ornament in the world.






















I LOVE miniatures.
This little cup is just exactly like the cup I get every morning.....
it is just so darn little....and cute.....



I seem to fall in love with my drinks, don't I?

It's a good thing I don't drink alcohol. I could be in loads of trouble....


hoho
yummy-yo
hohoho

I love this time of year...I love it so.


Happy, happy Thursday!


*****

Katie is memorizing this poem for school.
It's lovely.

Something told the wild geese
It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, "snow."


Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, "frost."


All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.


Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly,
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.

- Rachel Field

It's not only lovely...it is happening right outside my door.
Three times yesterday I went to the back door and gazed up at the loudly honking, flying geese.

Something told them it was time to go....




Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday....Wednesday....

Gosh....

What is happening today that I meant to remember???



*****

Prince William has asked Kate Middleton for her hand in marriage.
I tried to watch the video of the big announcement and the flashing and nose from the cameras was so loud I couldn't hear most of the answers.


I will never forget listening to Charles and Diana being interviewed, on the day their engagement was announced, when
Charles answered the question,

"Are you in love?"

Diana whispered, "'course." (meaning of course)

Charles responded with, "Whatever love is."


And I cringed.
And I knew.

(Jerk)

oh. did I say that.

oops.


It was a very bad beginning for Diana.




Here is a polite interview transcript you may like to read of Kate and Prince William's official interview.


Prince William and Kate

I'm glad William gave Kate Diana's beautiful ring.
Kate held her hand so funny during the press conference. (Like someone told her to make sure she showed the ring.)
Her hair looked very pretty. And she wore a blue dress just like Diana did. Her figure is remarkably like Diana's.

May William and Kate treat each other with love and respect for the rest of their lives....

Amen.



****

Yesterday I needed to make a dinner to take to a friend.

I decided to cook like it was 1975!


Last time I was in Minocqua visiting Nancy we sat at the kitchen counter and went thru some old recipes.
I remember this one for some reason. It comes from our dear next door neighbor, Mrs. Williams.




Sour Cream Noodle Bake

8 oz. egg noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 T. butter
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic
1 can tomato sauce
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
1 c. chopped green onion
1. c. cheddar cheese

Cook noodles, rinse and drain. Brown beef in the butter. Now add the salt and pepper and garlic and tomato sauce.
Simmer for five minutes.
Combine the cottage cheese, sour cream and onions in a large bowl.
Add the noodles to this big bowl and stir.

Layer in a 2 qt. casserole, ending with the meat on top. (I just put the noodles in the bottom and topped with the meat.)
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.


The noodles.
The sour cream and cottage cheese.
The bowl.

I am transported back to Wheaton Ill in 1975.....

And that's the truth.



****

Now what was so important about today?

OH yes!

The Throwdown with Bobby Flay and Ree Drummond.
Tonight.

Be there.

With your flowy, empire waist blouse on!!!



Love you.
Mean it.

Donna

NEVERMIND! It's NOT tonight.

It's TOMORROW night .

WEDNESDAY! Just got a little over excited.

CARRY ON......




It's going to be a fun night on tv and on the twitter! (TOMORROW NIGHT)

Our blog buddy Ree has been challenged to a throw down by the adorable Bobby Flay!

Alice @ Savory Sweet Life came up with a fun idea....
to have a tweet party...a live watch party on Twitter.

So tonight at 8:00 central....get your tweet on. (TOMORROW NIGHT)
Watch for #TeamREE, #TeamBOBBY, #Throwdown,


Check out the deets here...

Savory Sweet Life





(Image borrowed from Alice's website.)

I am know as MizBooshay
Come to the party!
You don't have to join. You can just follow along for fun if you want!

See ya tonight!!! (TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!)




******






Knitting flop.

I tried knitting The Hunch last night and failed miserably.

First of all, it's a top down pattern. I have never done a top down or a toe up pattern.
But I know how to follow directions so I should have been fine.

But alas, when I had 32 stitches and followed the pattern and was suppose to come end up with 40 stitches.

I ended up with something entirely different.

I tried again.

When I had 40 stitches and followed the pattern and was suppose to come up with 48 stitches, I ended up with 45.

I have lost my mind and forgotten how to count and/or follow a pattern.


This pattern says it is for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter.

It seems I knit as well as I down hill ski.

A life long beginner.
No improvement in 30-35 years.

It would be sad if I thought about it.

But, I'll think about that tomorrow.

Tra la.


Encourage one another,
Donna aka Average Jo.


0 FOR 2
Bummer

Banana Bread








I was inspired to make my bread with the recipe I saw
on this young girl's blog



Mine is Adapted from this.....

Adapted from The New Best Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups (8 ounces) Organic White Flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3-4 large, darkly speckled bananas, mashed well (about 1½ cups)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


1) Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and nuts. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla until well blended. Gently fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula just until combined. Batter with be thick and chunky.

3) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Garnish with slices of banana if desired. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown ,about 55-60 minutes.

4) Cool a little, remove from pan and enjoy.


I changed three things. The things I did differently were, I did not use whole wheat flour, yogurt or the nuts.
If you got to Erica's blog you will see the way she made it.


I would have used the yogurt if I had had it.
I think I like my banana bread without nuts.
I was chicken to use the whole wheat. I have not had good experiences with baking with whole wheat.

I baked my bread in a glass loaf pan as you can see.
Did you know bread bakes faster in glass?

I started checking my bread in 45 minutes. I think it cooked for 50 minutes.

It turned out perfectly. It was very moist. I am a fan of moist.

Eat only when hungry.

The End.


*****





Katie was gone all afternoon.

I took pictures of her while she ate her left over lasagna and milk.

She pays no attention to me. And that is just fine with I am goofing around.
The iso was set at 1000 and the kitchen light was glaring down.

It was her lips that looked beautiful to me.
The eye of the beholder and all....



Encourage one another,
Donna

Music video for Tanya Davis' song Art by Andrea Dorfman.

I didn't know it was coming....


Somewhere around eighteen years ago, some gals from Marinette decided to have a quilting group.
Like a bee. Martha and Roxanne and Ann knew how to sew. As I remember it, Martha was the only one already making quilts at the time.

We met at Roxanne's house that first week. I remember it so well.

We were acquaintances at the beginning, but when I moved away in 2001....I left my best friends.

That happens when you meet once a week for eight years.
Sharing stitches, sharing coffee cake, sharing lives.


This bag was the first thing Martha taught us to make.



I learned how to use all the new tools of the day; the mats and sharpsharpsharp rotary cutters.
I learned how to sew a 1/4 in seam. Straight.
I learned how to use batting and how to assemble.




I fell in love with quilting and quilted my brains out for the next nine years.

Fast forward to last month....
Cindy came for a visit.

We walked the Orange Chair 1 K.
She tried on Sconnie gear.
We had a great weekend!

But Cindy came bearing gifts. Keith (Sue's husband) wanted to give some of Suzies purses away to the sisters.
Cindy brought them all in to the house on Thursday night but we didn't look in the bag until Sunday morning.

It was awkward to be looking thru Sue's things.
Out of the bag, Cindy pulled two very nice Brighton bags. Sue was a Brighton girl.
I liked them both, but knew they might mean more to someone else....
So Cindy kept pulling the purses out, one by one.

Until she pulled out a bag that took my breath away.



It was the bag that was meant for me.

"It was you, Ray, it was you."

I shopped with Suzy to buy this fabric and I taught her how to make this bag.
She was so quick and talented. Anything she tried she did with excellence.
I can remember explaining something really confusing to her over the phone...and she got it.
She was the amazing Suzie Q.


I had forgotten about this bag.

The moment I saw it....

I knew instantly,

it was meant for me.



Love you.
Mean it.

Donna

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.
The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
- Abraham Lincoln





When Katie is not around....








I wander around our yard looking for something beautiful.







"Well, I - I think that it - it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em - and it's that - if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard."
~Dorothy



I am content in my quite little world,
95% of the time.

That 5% of discontent is painful.

I am thankful.
This is my life.


I will not even look at that discontent today.
I turn my back on it.

I will be thankful. I will remember my many blessings.
I have so much to be thankful for.




Encourage one another,
Donna

I can not take it any longer.

I must speak.

I know I am preaching to the choir here....
but

Please Hollywood!!!

BACK AWAY FROM THE BOTOX AND THE FILLERS AND THE EXCESSIVE PLASTIC SURGERY.

YOU ARE CREEPING ME OUT!


The housewives of Beverly Hills look just awful. To these Midwest eyes...you are freaks.

Marie Osmond is on Oprah today, talking about the saddest thing in the whole wide world.
My heart breaks for her.

but she looks really weird.

I'm sorry, I loves ya Marie, but stop drinking the West Coast Kool-aid. Stop it now.
I know your brother gets the botox too. I could tell the exact week he would get it when he was on dancing with the stars.

It stupefies me.

YOU ALL LOOK MUCH WORSE WITH THE BOTOX.


What is so darn terrible with a few wrinkles? Wrinkles are prettier than the weird frozen upper lip.

At the beginning of the season of Cougar Town this year, Courtney looked nice. With the Halloween episode, I noticed a HUGE difference in her face. It was gross. Her costar Cristina Miller has been botoxing it up big time since the beginning.
I seriously have to look away!

Why don't they leave their faces alone?
Don't they know they look unnatural and creepy?


If it made them look better. I would understand. Do it.

But it is NOT better. It is distracting and horrible.


(ah hem...meg ryan....)

****


Here is how we roll in the real world. The lucky ones who have not been influenced.
(I have to say, it is NOT all California. I have some lovely, normal friends from the Golden St. who are natural beauties.)


Beautiful. Intelligent. Loving. Natural.

























Natural.
Beautiful.

Not one teeny bit freaky.





SAY NO to the Joker Mask look.
SAY NO to the botox.










We like you just the way you are....






photograph by Brigitte Lancombe


Show em how it's done Meryl.


“To try to stop the time, to look young—it’s such a futile, absurd way to look at life in general,” Lacombe says.

Yeah.

And it doesn't work.


There. I said it.
I just needed to get that off of my chest.


With Love.
Donna

p.s. I thought it was only fair to include a picture of myself.
But as chubby and saggy and old as I am....I still think I look better than those with botox.

Well...at least less freaky.

Morning!

Do you want to know what the Most Common Passwords are?

Here they are:

1. 123456
2. 12345
3. 13456789
4. password
5. iloveyou
6. princess
7. rockyou
8. 1234567
9. 12345678
10. abc123
11. Nicole
12. Daniel
13. babygirl
14. monkey
15. Jessica
16. lovely
17. Michael
18. Ashley
19. 654321
20. qwerty

People who hack, know this. They try them all.

Be careful.

(The words that surprised me the most were princess, monkey and baby girl.)


****





I was telling a friend the other day, how much I like pictures with the eyes closed.

I feel all peaceful when I look at a picture like this.

It feels like a gentle sigh to me.






and sometimes my camera takes a picture when I am not looking....






and I always love them....

my camera is a dreamer I think.



*****

Last Night's highlight.



Is this song a remake? Gosh it sounds familiar.

I like it.


YUP. It's a remake.






I knows my Motown.



Have a wonderful Wednesday!
It's another beautiful day in our neighborhood.

I am thankful.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Favorites




This picture represents more than just ingredients.

Here stands Donna's crock pot.
It is old.
It is grimy.
It is small.

But it is my favorite way to cook.

It is my favorite way to cook because in ten minutes I have assembled a meal.
At 5:30 tonight when someone asks me, "what's for dinner?", I know. I can look over at the crock pot and know what is for dinner.

That is my favorite answer to my least favorite question.

We have come home from a vacation at four in the afternoon and someone, without fail, asks me, "What's for dinner?"

They think I am Houdini.

When I was about 21 I was babysitting for a little boy,
he asked me about my parents. I told him they died.

He said to me with big eyes, "Who feeds you?"

And I told him about my crock pot.

NO! Not really.



Let's see.

Where was I?

The picture and my favorite things.

Sue and Cindy came up with this recipe. My other favorite thing is family.

The crock pot and my family.

In that order.

Not.

But when I ate this Italian beef I feel madly in love with it.

I've mentioned at least four times before how much I love the Italian Beef from Carm's in Chicago.
This recipe comes remarkably close to Carm's.

It's not that often I can replicate a favorite store bought dish and that makes this my favorite.




Dear Sue and Cindy's Recipe that is made in my crock pot,

You are my favorite.

Love,
Donna




Encourage one another,
Donna


p.s. The nurse suggested I feed Katie yogurt every day. She is doing better already.
p.p.s. At my two month weight in this morning, I have lost a total of ten pounds.
p.p.p.s. woo

Three o'clock is the new 7:30.

*****

Katie is not feeling well lately. I think I will be calling the doctor today.
But first, I want to ask the 'peanut gallery' if they have ever heard of this strange condition.

Katie has been burping and it smells like sulfur.
We are all startled and weirded out by this.

I have googled and don't see anything that really makes sense.

She is a very light eater. Doesn't eat much protein. Not eating eggs when this happens.
She has tummy aches.

If you have ever had this or one of your children has had this strange ailment,
I'd love to know what it was.

Thanks!


****


We had a blast watching the Packers win against the Cowboys last night.

Clay Matthews grabbing that deflected pass and running for a touchdown was the best!
I love it when those big linemen get to make touchdowns.

Matthew's is fantastic to watch. He is fast and fierce.

Watch #52. Clay Matthews.



That's how to get it done!


Go Pack Go!


The injuries on the Packers have nearly crippled us...but this team is tough and highly motivated.
Aaron Rogers had a stellar game too.
So fun to watch!!!


****


I don't know what rabbit trail I followed to find this quilt. But I saw it. Liked it.
Lost it. Googled it. Googled it again. And re-found it.

Yay for my fab googling skills. I think I wrote 'tab quilt' and didn't find it.
Then I wrote 'quilt with the pieces sewn on the top'.
Score.

My scraps from Katie's quilt would be adorable made into the Tiny Ticker Tape quilt.


Sew Mama Sew: Ticker Tape Quilt



****


"Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises."
— Elizabeth Zimmerman




Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859



Encourage one another,
Donna