Friday, September 14, 2012

Learn to Swim with Miss Bea - Vamos a Nadar: End of Summer Special!

Learn to Swim with Miss Bea - Vamos a Nadar: End of Summer Special!: Only 2 more weeks for the $18 Learn to Swim with Miss Bea special offer! Parents, Miss Bea developed an outstanding step-by-step program ...

Just up and Leave!

Wow!  This is the first time that we retired, we just up and left the house and came here to St. Simons for the week.  Don and I were looking at the calendar and making plans for the day and I suggested that since the kids didn't need us, we had no doctor's appointments nothing else scheduled, we could do a quick gardening and watering and go off...

Last weekend we had Caroline for 4 days and nights while they went to New York to celebrate their 5 year wedding anniversary.  It was so much fun!  We worked on potty training and she went 3 times, one time running and saying "big potty".  Another time I cleaned up a big puddle off the floor...
She slept in the big girl bed for the first time and loved it.  She is such a sweetheart!  I love it when she sings and I can tell by the tune what she is singing - certainly not by the words!
Caroline wins the clean plate award!

Then Tuesday we picked up Lauren and Andrew at the bus stop and then Isabella at day care.  I loved doing homework with Andrew and playing "dance" with Lauren.  Isabella was awake for 2 hours and though I didn't get her "talking to me," I got several with her eyes wide open and smiling!
When it was time for what I thought was time for Isabella to sleep, she would not go down but fell asleep on me and I held her until Brian came home.  What a delight.
Isabella talking to me!
Unfortunately it's been raining, windy and cloudy since we got here, so the beach hasn't been much fun.  Watch and hear the sand blow in the video!  It hurt when it hit my legs when I was walking.  There were only a few brave souls walking and needless to say, I didn't go in the water!




Last night we went to see the movie, The Words.  It certainly gave me much to think about that I usually try not to think about.  My new blog friend wrote about the movie: http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.com/  I don't agree with all of what Chris wrote though: "but Rory never moved on, and was tormented by nightmares until he focused his grief on another book, one that'd allow him to tell the true story of the manuscript. Rory titled the book The Words."  

Is that clear in the movie, what do you think?

Yeah!  Went boogie boarding tonight.
The tide was high, the sun was setting, the waves were just right for an old retired lady to enjoy without being afraid of twisting an ankle or a knee.  That's me on one of the smaller waves.



Tomorrow we have plans to go fishing so I will add more pictures of all the fish I'm going to catch!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Wedding anniversary - 41 years!

,
Today, Don and I celebrate being married for 41 years!  

Living retired this last year has been like getting to know and accept each other in ways that we never did before.  

Every day is different and I want every day together to be wonderful and filled, happy and healthy!

Here is a poem I wrote for our 30 year anniversary.

What do you think?

You never did that before!
By Bea Skeens, March 30, 2000
Our love is ever new.
Even after years with you,
There is always more to discover
And so much more joy
To give one another.

What can I do
To make our love grow?
It’s in the giving
That love really shows.

To feel so uncertain
And yet take the risk…
To be understood and needed
Is my only wish.

The comings and goings
In every direction
Hugging and kissing…
More I can’t mention.

We listen and wait
To share with each other
We put aside our busy-ness… 
You’re never a bother.

Accepting the moods
Of silence and caring,
We try to make better
Each frustration together.

When you tell me your problem,
You allow me to be
Your healing and soothing,          
 A mystery to me.

When we feel all stressed out
And just want to scream
We take off together
Refreshing our dreams.

I want you to be happy
In each daily chore
And to feel so fulfilled
That you’ll want to do more.

When I wake up happy,
You don’t give me a frown.
When I share my schemes,
You don’t put me down.

When something upsets me,
You give me that look
That calms and refills me
With the peace that it took.

You open my Spirit;
You stir up the Power;
God’s Love we can be…
Everywhere, every hour.

Thank You, God,
Thank You
That we have each other.
Thank You for making us
To love one another.
  


Mac and cheese recipes from Rachel Rae

Lauren and I love mac and cheese but I don't eat it often because of the endless low carb diets.  I'm going to try one of these recipes this weekend and see if I can get Lauren to like it.  One change I'm going to have to make is to use orange cheddar cheese.  I don't think that 5 year old Lauren would eat mac and cheese that wasn't orange.  And she likes broccoli but not cauliflower so we'll have to see.  
Since the pictures of the meals are not very pretty, I put this beautiful picture of Lauren to brighten the page!


Which mac and cheese recipe do you use for your grandkids who are mac and cheese lovers?

Cauliflower Mac 'n Cheese

Triple creamy cheeses with cauliflower make for a tasty make-ahead pasta bake that's easy to reheat.
by Rachael Ray | from Week in a Day | on 11/09/10 
INGREDIENTS
Salt 1 pound short cut pasta, such as macaroni, ziti or penne rigate, regular or whole wheat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 large head cauliflower 1 cup chicken stock 3 tablespoons butter 1 onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 tablespoons flour About 2 1/2 cups whole milk Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated nutmeg 3-4 sprigs fresh sage leaves, very thinly sliced 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup Gruyère cheese, divided 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided 1 small bundle watercress, washed and chopped
Serves 6

PREPARATION
Bring the water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and undercook the pasta by 2 minutes, about 5-6 minutes.
While the water comes to a boil, in a covered Dutch oven, heat the EVOO over medium to medium-high heat. Cut the core away from the cauliflower and set the head into the pot. Add 1 cup stock, cover and steam for 12-15 minutes, until tender. Remove and separate the cauliflower into florets. Discard the water from the pot.
Over medium heat in the same pot, melt the butter, then add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the whole milk and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and sage. When thickened, stir in the Dijon mustard and two-thirds of the combined cheeses.
Drain the pasta and add it to the cauliflower. Stir in the cheese sauce, transfer to baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Cool completely and cover for a make-ahead meal.


Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin Mac 'n Cheese

Garlic, chives, Dijon mustard, sour cream and extra sharp cheddar cheese are just the right ingredients to highlight the flavors of broccoli and cauliflower for this make-ahead mac 'n cheese.
by Rachael Ray | from Week in a Day | on 11/09/10 



Ingredients

  • Salt
  • 1 small head or bundle broccoli, trimmed into florets
  • 1 small head cauliflower or half a large head, trimmed and cut into florets
  • 1 pound whole wheat macaroni or penne or other short-cut pasta
  • 2 cups sour cream or reduced fat sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup chives, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or crushed into paste
  • A few drops of hot sauce
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Serves 6

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water and add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Boil the vegetables for 5 minutes, then remove them with a spider or a strainer and drain. Add the pasta to the water and undercook by about 2 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, combine the sour cream in a large bowl along with the mustard, chives, garlic, hot sauce and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the pasta and cauliflower and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine, then transfer to a casserole or baking dish and cover with the remaining cheese. Cool and chill for a make-ahead meal.
To heat and eat, place the casserole on baking sheet and bake it in the middle of a pre-heated 375°F oven until deeply golden and bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.