The 63rd Annual Emmy Awards were last night.
The writing was atrocious and the musical number was the worst thing I have seen in, like, forever!

I was embarrassed for the actors who said they would take part.
I would prefer bored out of my skull to really really bad skits.
It was squirm in your seat bad.

Jane Lynch was fine when they weren't making her sing and deliver bad jokes.

The announcers on E were good. I liked the pre-game/red carpet last night.
Ryan Seecrest and Guiliana Rancic were nice and normal and have hit their red carpet stride.


Speaking of Guiliana Rancic, isn't her dress lovely?
There was a slew of fabulous red dresses and I am sure this is not the fave of most people, but I liked the feminine
details on the bust line and the soft flowiness of the bottom of the dress.




Her jewelry was amazing.
But her hair. I don't know what she is doing with that hair color. I have been noticing it and I wish she would just dye it all one color. It's more than roots....what is that?

So she can't win best dressed because of her hair. Sorry dear. So close.




This young girl, Aimee Teegarden, who I have never heard of, is gorgeous!

I love her soft up do.
I love her pretty shaped dress.
I like her makeup. ( a lot but appropriate)
I even like her swim suit line a little...proves she's a real girl.

She is lovely.



Hey! Look. I picked a similar dress. Didn't realize it until just now.
It's different enough for me to share it.

I love this length dress. If I was going to an award show...I would wear this length...if I had a nice figure.
I like the pretty dotted netting.
Love, love, love this silhouette!

Hair and make up a little messy and I'm sorry...I know that all really fabulous people wear them...but I just don't like those stacked shoes.




Padma is going trick or treating as an Emmy statue this year. (Look at the statue behind her :o)

She looks so gorgeous to me.

She said she gains 15 pounds every time they shoot a season of Top Chef.
And then she loses it. Of course she does.




Zooey Deschanel looked pretty in pink. I love pink with a touch of red or orange.
She wears a retro look very well. I like that.




I liked Aubrey Plaza's dress because it reminded me of Aunt Dorothy.
I love ruffles...any which way you attach em to the dress....ruffles forever!




This talented lady, Jane Krakowski, is wearing a GREAT dress. She is too tan, but her dress and figure and hair are WONDERFUL.

This is how you wear a silver dress. Stunning Jane!!!



"Hi Stephanie!"


This is how NOT to wear a silver dress.

gah.


This is my choice for worst dressed. I was going to be Julianna M. but this is the worst by far.
The fit. The fake red hair. The pasty white skin. Those dark red lips.

Hated it.



Julianna with her structured top and sleeping bag bottom was a bust. She has nice shoes tho.
And this woman, who I don't even know who she is...well...that dress is just weird.
It has promise but the armpit slit and the belt and the colors do not work together.


My best dressed of the night was Jennifer Westfeldt.




The color, the style, the flow, the fit...she is exquisite.
The dress is vintage. She didn't say the maker.

But in my eyes, she is the best dressed at the Emmy's.


Do you agree?

(This is one of those fabulous times when we can disagree and no one gets hurt :o)

See you in the comments,
Donna

Tonight are the Emmy awards...and you know what that means???

Tune in tomorrow for the best and worst dressed of the night!!









Maybe we will see a pretty Elle Saab or two???


From the land of Sorels and plaid,
Donna


p.s. Katie wonders if Jane Lynch will remember her from the airport and mention her in the monologue.
sweet innocence.

Thank you for your wise and kind advice for me and Katie.

Get this!!

So...I wrote Katie's homeroom teacher and very nicely told him my concerns.
He wrote back with a very earnest and kind reply. He said he would speak to her other teachers and that she could
come to him with her difficult work and he would not give her a 'late' mark.
He said she was paying attention very well in class. He also said her homework should not take more than 1 1/2 hours.

SO.

I pick up Katie from volleyball practice and she tells me she got her quizzes back.
She got all A's and even a 100% on one quiz.

Yeah. He must think I'm a nut. Goodness gracious.

But we do need to figure out the homework thing. I told her she just needs to work faster and write ANYTHING down.

(mother of the year) She says NO. She wants to do a good job. (goofy kid)


And so it goes. And so it goes.


*****

Speaking of the word 'goes'. This morning on the radio I heard someone say, "He goes," instead of "He said".

What the heck. I don't know when the last time I heard someone say it like that.
Is it a regional thing? I thought the commercial must be a national commercial because people don't say that around here.

The actor wasn't a surfer dude, he was a regular man delivering a line.
It was really odd.

Like, do people talk this way where you live?

har har


****






Eletelephony

by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant—
No! No! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone—
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right.)
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee—
(I fear I'd better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)



Who remembers this poem?

I do
I do


Encourage one another,
Donna

Oh...
I've been busy this morning.

I've been editing pictures, getting them ready for the website.









It's a tough job...yaddayadda :D



****

So...

I made the Chicken and Dumplings yesterday. Now THAT is a tough job.
Cooking is not for the lazy...that's for sure :o)



Here is the final product.
Do you like my hardware store bowl?

Pay no attention to the styling.

I use The Pioneer Woman's Recipe that is a take on Gourmet Magazine.
BUT I don't like cornmeal....blech....so I make plain dumplings.


Ree and Tyler's and Gourmet Magazine's Chicken and Dumplings


Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (cut Up Fryer)
Salt And Pepper
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrots
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Apple Cider
1/2 cup Heavy Cream


Dumplings: This part is from Tyler Florence

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chives


okay. this is where I come into the picture. I do not use chives and I didn't have buttermilk. I made my own with milk and vinegar.


Carry on.


Preparation Instructions
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.
In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.
Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
*Adapted from Gourmet Magazine



browned chicken



I took me forever to choose my chicken broth

I used one organic and one natural.


my cluckcluck




and while we waited....




we took a few pictures.

***

And then we did homework for four hours.
Yeah.

Away from Homeschool is not for the lazy either.
I long for the days of teaching at home.
I miss picking out my own curriculum which is perfectly suited to my student.
I resent four hours of homework. (That is 12 hours of school a day.)

I am so frustrated and feel my hands are tied.

Time to talk to the teachers and see what's going on.

Does this happen to us every year? Seems that I am having deja vu.

It's just so hard when I think that we are forcing our little square peg into a round hole.

But she WANTS to go to school despite the work and difficulties.

ugh


Please pray for my peanut.
I'll pray for yours.

Encourage one another,
Donna

Inspirational and Inspiring.

On Sunday the Ironman Triathlon came to town.

Officially it comes to Madison Wi., but the bikers ride thru our little town, twice.



They ride 112 miles. Yes, that's right, they ride their bikes 112 miles after they have swum a treacherous swim in Lake Monona and then after they do those two things, they run a marathon.

I can't even imagine the pain and suffering. Nope. I can't.

But I did go down to the corner to take some pictures.

woo.

On the corner was a woman and her husband. This woman was cheering and shouting to everyone who passed.
As I walked past her she invited me to come sit in the shade.
I did.

Her daughter was in the Ironman.

Her daughter had lost 120 pounds and was participating in her second Ironman.

How is that for inspiring?

Here she is....



she spots her parents....




Go! Liz! Go!



*****


Last night I watched Diane Sawyer and Caroline Kennedy talk about the new book Jacqueline Kennedy:Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy.

The interviews with the historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. were kept private by the Kennedy Library until this month. Audio and transcripts are being released today as a book titled Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy.

I loved every second of the television show. Caroline said she allowed ALL the tapes to be included because they are history.
I think it was the right thing to do. Why should someone edit what seems politically incorrect in 2011. It is a slice of history and it was fascinating.

Along with the words on the show the video and pictures were stunning.

As I went looking for pictures this morning I came upon a photographer who inspired me in college. His work is vast and his style is very natural and candid. He is skilled and his eye is impeccable.

His name is Alfred Eisenstaedt.

His work was featured in The Family of Man which I loved and inspired me so long ago.








john john and Jacqueline


Google Alfred Eisenstaedt.
He is called the Father of Photojournalism.

He is an inspiration to me.


Who or what inspires you?



Encourage one another,
Donna

My cousin Paul had this picture made for the cousins at the birthday/reunion last month.

I finally had a chance to take a good picture of it.

Now that I look at it...that is a cat hair on Uncle Mel's leg.
Not in the print. boo.

Anyway.

Our Grandpa is third from the left. It has been a long time since I saw a good picture of his handsome face.
He was a first generation immigrant from Greece. He was a brilliant business man. He died in his early 60's from leukemia.
Next to him is Grandma Glyman. Do you like how the floral arrangement looks like her hat? I got my middle name from Grandma Glyman. It is Elsie.

Uncle Mel and Aunt Sunny are on the left.
Aunt Sunny taught me Spanish and reminded me to smile. She was smart and full of fun and love.
Uncle Mel is a smart and clever and always says, 'God bless you.'

That handsome dude next to Grandma Glyman is Uncle Marv. He was the clown of the group.
He called me Donald and I called him Moomoo. He put restaurant silverware in your pocket when you went out to eat with him.
Our beloved Aunt Dorothy is next to Marv. Aunt Dorothy was a cross between Erica Kane and Ina Garten. She was loving, hospitable, smart, an accomplished cook and Glamorous!! Think....high heeled feathered slippers.....at the cottage.

And on the right side of the table are our darling parents.

My mother looks like a young Marylin Monroe to me. Where did she get those lips....why didn't I get any lips?
And her style...she was fabulous!

I like how Grandma is looking over at mom and dad....our dad was a tease and I am sure he said something funny to the photographer or the table. Don't you think?

And look at Aunt Dorothy...she was always cutting edge....she's texting!


****


I could look at this picture for an hour. I look. I put it down. I look again.
This magical capture of a moment in time. One second in the lives of this family, my family.

It's awesome.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Blooming where you are planted.


I did not want to move to Wisconsin when I was newly married. I happen to love Illinois.
My people were in Illinois. My comfort was in Illinois. Oak Brook was in Illinois.

Twenty-Eight years later...

I'm pretty happy to be here.

It's beautiful here.
This summer we have been treated to lots of sunshine and I can not complain.


It wasn't my choice....but how many things in life are really our choices.
Little things....we choose....
Big Things....rarely.


Actually there are some big thing we can choose; to be grateful, thankful.
We can choose to love.
We can choose to forgive.
We can choose to delight in the life we have.

We can bloom.






~grapes









“It's so much easier to be happy. It's so much easier to choose to love the things that you have, instead of always yearning for what you're missing, or what it is that you're imagining you're missing. It is so much more peaceful.”
~one true thing


“Nothing is yours permanently so you better enjoy it while it’s happening.”
~joan rivers


“I only have one life. I want it to be a happy one.”
~connie and carla


Encourage one another,
Donna

My friend Linda invited me to the Quilt Expo in Madison on Thursday.
We had such a nice time looking at everything.

Beautiful quilts.
Odd quilts.
Tiny stitches...some done by hand and lots done by machine.

Things have changed a lot in the quilting world in the last 11 years.

I suppose I feel the same way about machine quilting as many people feel about photoshop.


The quilt above was darling. The tiny nine patches were separated by tiny embroidered squares.
It was really cute and I hadn't seen something like this before.

I hope the embroidery was done by hand...I would be bummed if it was a machine doing those cute, retro designs.




This artsy quilt caught my eye. I liked it's modern feel.
The fabrics were hand dyed and hand painted.




I was also fond of the wool and applique quilts I saw. I loved these colors.




More pretty colors and cute applique.





Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love.
~Author Unknown


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



Happy 9-10-11 friends.

Encourage one another.
Donna

Our little trip to Green Bay.






I wore a white top and a gold bandanna.
Packers fans LOVE to wear their jerseys.
A few Saints fans were there....like three....they wear weird suits and look like undertakers...
But then I was wearing a bandanna like Lucy so who am I to talk about odd choices?





We get there so early and I always love to get up close to see the players...close up.
Look who was warming up right in front of us. It's Clay Matthew's #52 in case you can't recognize him.

In the third row sat a young man with his jersey on...and his pants and pads. I swear. I think he was all ready to get in the game if he was needed. I wonder if he is fast like that guy on the Saints. Holy cow. That man can RUN!
I want somebody like him on our team.

We do have a rookie on Special Teams, #18 who tore up the place last night.
I wonder if they will make him a halfback? Do they do that?





There were numerous ceremonies. Bart Starr was there.
We had fireworks...first time EVER for that.





The fans were excited and on their feet. I couldn't see past the guy in front of me, but found a way around that problem.




A toast to the World Champs.

I think I will send this picture to Millers.





And out of the blue...BAM.

Squeeeee!!! Just like The Natural!





It was fun to be a part of this...I felt like I was at the Olympics.
The instructions are written on the papers you hold. The papers were taped to your seat.
It was really cool to see how it worked.

If you look closely...some people are either rebels or clueless.






So there we were, singing the National Anthem and holding our signs...and I had a hunch there would be a flyover.

That white wire holds up the net that catches the ball after an extra point.

The jets were rockin' loud. The crowd just goes wild. It is so much fun.


And then the Packers played a fantastic football game and won.


Thrilling touchdowns.
Polka dancing.
High fives all around.



What a night!!!

Has anyone done a card stunt at a game?


Encourage one another,
Donna

GAME DAY!

It's a beautiful day for a Football game, don't cha think?

Patrick and I are heading to Lambeau Field for the big game tonight! I'm thinking I need to get some Green and Gold.
Do you remember the last time I went to a game?




Yes. I got hassled by my readers and sisters for wearing pink.
Sooorrrry.




Katie is not coming, she is staying with a very kind friend who will get her to the first volleyball practice of the season.
(We tried to get more tickets but we couldn't find any.)

Thank you so much Amy!!



We saw this cute commercial during the Brewers game a few days ago.
It wasn't on youtube yet...but I found it on Associated Banks website just now.

Enjoy!


Aaron Rodgers Commercials

To see the television commercials click on the TV.
To listen to the radio ads click on the radio.



***

Also this morning I am going to the big Madison Quilt expo.
I am sure this will be a treat for the eyes!! It will be neat to see what is 'in' now.


Anybody out there quilt?

Remember when I bought fabric to make Katie a quilt? Last Fall?

Well....I cut it out and it is still sitting on the chair in the family room.
What is wrong with me?

I actually know why I haven't been quilting..it's because I don't have my machine set up in a room and everything has to be taken down and put away each time I work on the quilt.

This is more than I can bear, I guess.

Perhaps I can make Emma's room my quilting room...
That might just work....let me think about that.




Here is a cute quilt I made in the 90's.
It's practically an antique!



Happy, Happy Game Day!!!




We love our dorky chant and our GREAT team!


Donna