Ginny Potter Glyman Boucher is sleeping under my chair as I type....well....no im holding her..typing with one hand.
I was told she is smart....and she is. She is learning so quickly.
She howled and barked and cried so loudly last night i have never heard such noise. but thankfully she calmed herself in about 45 min. i texted janet and she said...be strong. she wont remember this. i set alarm for 1:30...and took her potty,

then this morning, dh feed her and took her out twice as i slept.

she

it went really well.

babies are hard.

ginny is just a wiz...

she was sad yesterday...if doggies can be sad...
today she is active and playful.

our hands are full...
literally for me right this moment...

oops...

potty break.

I'll write when I can!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Pinterest Picks of the Week

Source: joannagoddard.blogspot.com via Donna on Pinterest

Have you ever seen 'How to Marry a Millionaire.'?
It's campy and funny. Great clothes.
Great women.

Marilyn is blind as a bat in the movie and she hates to wear her glasses...you know, because men don't make passes at
girls who wear glasses.

But, she's super cute in the movie...and this picture also show her being her natural cute self.

Fame is a drug, I'm afraid. Few come thru it unscathed.


****

Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

I sure like this color combination.

Source: Uploaded by user via Donna on Pinterest

****


Pinterest Wisdom

Source: imgfave.com via Donna on Pinterest

Source: joannagoddard.blogspot.com via Donna on Pinterest

*****

Source: iwannawearsandals.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

Illustration by the wonderful Margaret Tarrant


Puppy news and pictures and stories to come on Monday!
We are so excited we can not sleep and will be practicing our calm, assertive behavior all day.


Lots of love!!

Donna

Do you know this pretty song?





*****


Here are a few pictures I took of Katie on the day we picked out the Christmas tree.



Yes. We are in the garage.
Too much stuff hanging from the ceiling.
boo.




***


I just went looking for some Christmasy quotes in my December archives,
and I found this post on Tending to our marriages.

I was kind of bold back in 2005. Giving advice and all :o)

You may like to read this post:

Tending to your marriage


Lots of love,
Donna

Every night I set my radio alarm to go off at 6:26.
When it goes on in the morning I hear very brief snippets of the news.

This morning I heard, "The war is officially over in Iraq."

Now. You know me. I am not going to get political on this blog.
It makes me nervous to even mention that the war is over....

But it deserves a mention.

A war is over.

Thank you to those who served so bravely and honorably.
Thank you for what you have done.


******





My family loves a little Kenny and Dolly at Christmas time...and The Judds....and Amy Grant...

Apparently for us, Christmas is about country music....ha!




****



Katie found her plaid shoes. They were perfect for the concert last night.
She put on a little makeup. It was subtle.
I tried to wipe off the eye shadow.
She curled her hair.
It fell quickly.
We used lots of hair spray and now her hair feels like doll hair.
And so it goes.



****

Our puppy comes home on Sunday! I am going puppy gear shopping today.
I have been calling her Ginny Potter, but I think she should be
Ginny Glyman Boucher.

Doesn't everyone want to be a Glyman girl?


Encourage one another,
Donna

Any unkind or political comments will be deleted.
This is a stress free zone.

As is the case with my little blog that could....

the comments yesterday stole the show...in a most tender, caring way.

We hurt.
We cry out.
We share.
We understand.
We pray.
We comfort.

When all is merry and bright.....
all is not really merry and bright, is it?

Yet, the comments left yesterday were tender and mild.

I am thankful and I love you all.


*****





The Christmas program is tonight.
Here is my favorite part from last year.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Since I have had my dslr camera,
I have taken a Christmas self portrait
in a ornament.

It's a tradition now.




What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

What is your weirdest Christmas tradition?

They can be the same.




I would say my favorite Christmas tradition is the party we have at our house on Christmas Eve.
It's hectic, it's crowded, it's kind of short, but it's our little family Christmas party and I love it.

It would not seem like Christmas without it.

My parents held a Christmas party for their friends every year on Christmas eve.
Many. Many. fond memories!!



As far as weird traditions....

This is just a weird thing I do...

(Bear with me, I've told this before.)

My wonderful quilting group in Marinette did a fun thing one year. We brought to our Christmas luncheon, something we always served at our Christmas parties. I brought my mom's bologna cream cheese appetizer.




Ours did not look nearly this 'good'.

My friend Roxanne shared a punch her family always had.

I have made this for myself every year. No one else will drink it. But that will not stop me from enjoying just a little
Eggnog Punch.

It's just diet slice, or diet sierra mist, or diet 7-up and eggnog from the carton.

Soda and a milky drink sounds very odd. But I like it.

And thanks to Roxanne, I have one or two or three glasses every year.
It's weird what sticks!

Merry Christmas Roxanne! I think of you every year at eggnog time :o)
I miss you all.

Good times.



Jump in!

Donna

Going my way....

Source: joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com via Donna on Pinterest

First off, everything looks so much tastier in pictures, don't you think? Especially things like this...but the recipe looked uncomplicated to me and I could purchase all the ingredients at Target...so it fit my criteria.

The Easy Cook was going to try something new.


Here is the recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas.
(If you follow the link under the picture it will take you to the original recipe.
I altered it a teeny bit because Katie does not like chunks of green things in her food. The original uses 10 soft taco and a bigger pan, too.)

Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce

5 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 jar Trader Joe's Salsa Verde

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 in pan
2. Pick up tortilla. Place chicken and cheese in the tortilla. Add Salsa Verde to some of them. Roll the tortillas and place in pan, seam side down.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Turn off burner.
4. Stir in sour cream and some salt. Don't turn on burner. Just stir.
5. Pour over enchiladas and put some of that yummy salsa verde on the enchiladas that will be for the people who will eat green things. I also sprinkled pepper on the three enchiladas that were ear marked for me. This way I would know which ones had salsa verda touching them. Top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.


This is the best new recipe I have tried in a very long time. It really is delicious!!
The sauce is flavorful, the salsa verde from TJ's is great and mild enough for me.
Katie like it. I loved it.

In fact, I might have to have an enchilada for breakfast!!

Winner. Winner. Chicken, Dinner!!!

As you can imagine from the foods here...this was not spicy. Do not expect spicy.

Just expect delicious!


****

I have to rave about my Christmas cards!

Mpix knocked it out of the park on all fronts.

On a scale of 1 to 10.... Mpix gets a ten.

1. Price was a 10
2. Color was a 10
3. From order to delivery. A big fat 10.
(I got my cards in just over 48 hours of ordering them.)
4. Cuteness. 10

Mpix does not give me anything for praising them. I just want you guys to know a really good place to get your cards and pictures.




****

And yes. We got our tree yesterday! It was warm and sunny out...there were no lines, we found a tree we loved right away.




It is a very lovable and fragrant Frasier.

***

And the Packers won again.


***

Yesterday was just about...too good to be true.

Ho Ho Ho!!!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Pinterest Picks! Pinterest Picks!
Week four.

Source: crushculdesac.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

This picture is full of daddy love and I think it is wonderful.
Can you tell who this is?

It's a football player named Tom Brady.

He never looked better to me.

Source: nordicaphotography.com via Donna on Pinterest

I came across a photography website this week.
The photographer's are known as Nordica Photography.
They shoot a lot in Vancouver and Iceland.

I have a thing for Iceland.

It's a spectacular place.

Source: barefootcontessa.com via Donna on Pinterest

I have four of Ina Garten's cookbooks but somehow have missed this recipe.
I WILL be making this very soon.

Source: thesun.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

I remembered how much I loved The Vicar of Dibley specials...

Can you imagine that Netflix does not stream these...nor does Amazon. I will have to buy it for myself!

Source: citizencouture.com via Donna on Pinterest

And I pinned outfits and looks that make me purr with delight.


Happy weekend....
Lots of love!

Encourage one another,
Donna

A favorite baby.







A favorite lesson.



A Lesson for Children.

Pray to God.
Love God.
Fear God.
Serve God.
Take not God's
Name in vain.
Do not Swear.
Do not Steal.
Cheat not in your play.
Play not with bad boys.
Call no ill names.
Use no ill words.
Tell no lies.
Hate Lies.
Speak the Truth.
Spend your Time well.
Love your School.
Mind your Book.
Strive to learn.
Be not a Dunce

The New England Primer of 1777





A favorite song.





genius.
unexpected.
perfect.




Encourage one another,
Donna

Hi!

Yesterday I ordered my Christmas cards from Minted. They have darling card options.
This morning I got an email from Mpix. My friends from 1canoe2 have cards with Mpix this year!
Somehow I had forgotten this....
The Mpix cards would be almost half of what the Minted cards were.

Would I be in time?
Could I cancel my order with Minted?

YES!

I cancelled my order with Minted, which would have been 137.00 for seventy five cards and ordered 100 cards from Mpix
for 80.00.

I am so happy! Both designs were cute. Both companies very good.
Big huge savings with Mpix...and I get to support 1canoe2!!

woo!

times two.


****

Here are the Christmas/Holiday Movies that I love most.


1. White Christmas

2. A Christmas in Connecticut

3. It's a Wonderful Life

4. The Family Man



No. I love THIS movie.

5. Holiday

6. Meet John Doe



The best ending. Frank Capra. Gary Cooper.
I love this movie.


7. The Bishops Wife




This movie has the oddest premise, don't you think. Cary Grant, the angel, comes to make the husband jealous....
I adore the skating scene!!


****

It is impossible for any of these movies to disappoint. I promise.
The Family Man is a little sexy at times....be prepared to cover some eyes...yours...your children's...
but it's message of loving one another and loving your family is worth it.

Meet John Doe may seem an odd choice but it ends with a bang and it's message is strong: Love your neighbor.

Holiday is a new favorite and very cute. Also a little risk-ay...but those little English girls steal my heart every time I watch it!

"You look like my Barbie."




And the tent scene....enchanting.


Have a great day and watch one of these movies for me!!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Oh my gosh. How did I forget to edit this picture?

It is dark when Katie goes to school and dark when she comes home,
so unless I am cooking, there is not much of interest to shoot around here.

So....I can always go back and see what pictures I skimmed over in photoshop.

I found a few that I could play with yesterday and this morning.



Just as Matthew and Melinda were leaving I grabbed Asher and insisted that someone take my picture.

Yay for Yaya and Asher!





Emma is fun to shoot....and edit.





Christmas is coming.

Did you know that?

I guess I better start shopping.

urg.

Ginny Potter (our pup) will be here in less than two weeks.
I am going to train her to love my camera and to make eye contact.
She will be my buddy and my canine muse.

And so it will be.

Amen.



Happy Hump Day!

HO HO HO

Encourage one another,
Donna

easy food.

That's it!!!

There is slow food, there is fast food, there is fancy, hoity toity, elaborate food.

And then there is my kind of food.

Easy Food.

My sister Sue once showed me how to make baklava. She combined two recipes.
It turned out perfectly. But I was never brave enough to try it on my own. I was confused by the recipe combination and the filo dough.

My friend, Lynn, showed me how to make Pad Thai.
I was never able to duplicate it. Too many steps. Too many ingredients. Too many stores to shop for
just the right noodle. I loved that Pad Thai. No doubt about it. But it is not my skill set.

My skill set is easy food.


The fewer ingredients the better.
And those ingredients better be available in one place.

If the recipe calls for fresh ginger or fish sauce.

fo-get-abow-it.

If the chocolate in the recipe has a % of cocoa.
I'm lost.

If the cookies need royal icing...no way Jose.
Not gonna do it.

Oh! Don't get me wrong, I will eat anything you cook and I will shower you with praise if you make a plaid Christmas cookie.
But as for me and my kitchen...

I like to make something that I know will turn out.
I like to make something that is delicious.
I'm not looking for a challenge.


I like to make easy food.


Peanut Butter Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats




One. One Ingredient.





Two. Two Ingredient.




Three, three easy ingredients, ah ah ah!



(Easy Cooking with Miz Boo aka Cooking with The Count)




Ta-dah.


So, let's review.

1 package of Nestle Butterscotch chips
1 cup of good peanut butter
6 cups of Rice Krispies

Melt chips and peanut butter together in microwave.
Pour over Rice Krispies. Mix.
Pour into 8 x 8 pan.
Refrigerate until they are set. (about an hour)
Take out of fridge.
Cut.
Enjoy!


That, my dears, is easy food.
Delicious and perfect, easy food.


Encourage one another,
Miz Boo...the easy chef.

haha

Do you remember the prayer I was asked to share and pray last month?
(Nov. 1) The little prayer card that was pressed into my hand?
The request for Amy's husband to get a job after a year of looking?

Last Monday Amy's husband started a new job.
I am overjoyed for their family and full of thanks.

I thought you would like to know. I know you were praying too.
Thank you.


***

Katie and I went to Chicago on Saturday night for a Just Embrace holiday meal.
It was so nice. The food was delicious, the house was decorated so prettily.
A deaf man lives across the street and he just happened to come over.
It was a challenge to read his signs and remember many of the words I wanted to say
but it was fun nonetheless.
His hearing aids are broken and he can't get more...I imagine there is a group in the
city that helps with that....don't you think?


My friend from Madison, Mary, gave me three chicken pies to donate to Justembrace from her church pie sale...
Sher served the first one on Saturday night along with all the other holiday fixin's....last I saw, there was only one piece left!
So thankful for hearts full of charity.


*****

It turns out that a person was shot and killed two blocks from where Sher and Emma live after Katie and I left that night.
Drive by.
Gangs are bad. People are hurting.
I know that there are bright lights of hope and love all around.

let your light so shine before men...


Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
James 5:16



Encourage one another and shine,
Donna

Parade of pleasing Pinterest pins

Source: thedaybookblog.com via Donna on Pinterest

cute.
pony tail.
glasses.
sweaters.

Source: Uploaded by user via Donna on Pinterest

nuff said.

Source: tooby.demon.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

I really don't like Dr. Zhivago.
But I love how Julie Christie looks.
Especially in this scene.
Must recreate with my models.

Source: google.com via Donna on Pinterest

Emma, Melinda and I listed to Zoolander ring tones last weekend.
We laughed and laughed.

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

just plain beautiful.


***

Katie and Patrick Sr. are on the mend.
Both were down for the count yesterday.

I downloaded and watched Wives and Daughters. (BBC)
That's a good one, isn't it?

Katie has Harry Potter on in the other room and I can hear the music every now and then...
it reminds me of our puppy...
we can't wait!
just a few more weeks and then it's goodbye sleep, hello fun! hello companionship. hello poop!


Happy Weekend to you all!

Encourage one another,
Donna

“December,” by John Updike

First snow! The flakes,
So few, so light,
Remake the world
In solid white

All bundled up,
We feel as if
We were fat penguins,
Warm and stiff.

The toy-packed shops
Half split their sides,
And Mother brings home
Things she hides.

Old carols peal.
The dusk is dense.
There is a mood
Of sweet suspense.

The shepherds wait,
The kings, the tree -
All wait for something
Yet to be,

Some miracle.
And then it’s here,
Wrapped up in hope -
Another year!




John Updike has such a nice way with words.





Happy December.

Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. Katie is home with the flu today. Poor girl.

Last week I sold my delightful, sharp, sexy time lens to my friend (and student :o) Laura.
The 17-55 2.8 is a wide lens and is very fun to work with. It is, however, not made for the
full frame camera I bought.

Laura mentioned that she was looking for this lens...I told her I would sell her mine.
This would make both of our wishes come true.
She gets a lens.
We get a puppy.

Perfect :o)

Anyway, I wanted to find some pictures to show her my first pictures with the 17-55 on my D80.
So this morning, I went looking thru my Flickr images....

Look what I found.




Close and wide.
The color is crazy, but this made me smile this morning.



Engagement photographer for hire.

hahahoho



Carrie is serious about this sword fight.
Apparently Katie is not.
Lovely spring in Wisconsin.
But look how much I got in this picture!
Wowza.




We love this chocolate pie.
This close with my other lenses would be just of the pie.





I love the bokeh Katie in the background.



With the wide lens you can get arms and legs and everything in the picture.
Look how little.

This is spring 2008.




Funny shot.




Me and Cindy in Chicago.



Anyway.

That's what a super wide lens like this one can do.
It really is a fun lens. It's a creative tool. I liked it a lot.
Enjoy it Laura!!


Encourage one another,
Donna