My Dandelion Wishes

Happy Thanksgiving from cold wintery Iowa to all my family and friends

TJ and I fly out tomorrow morning. We are packed (way too much stuff) and have cameras, phones, DVD player, kindle all charged. Chargers are all packed:) We just need a good nite's sleep and we are set. It will be good to be home, get grounded to my roots, see family and eat eat eat all that home cooked food. Tj may have to roll me back to Omaha to the plane. Wishing all my family and friends a wonderful holiday

Such a busy weekend for me. The time is flying by and I am not nearly completed with my long to do list. TJ and I fly out to Iowa for Thanksgiving with my family on the 19th. Sad that Jenn and her family can't go. They will be missed!!! Reservations for shuttle pick up made today so in that area I am done. Now packing and getting all the little things I need to remember to take with me have not been started. Plus I have four days to get all those pesky work related things taken care of. Yikes I need to get going that is for sure. I spent most of my morning waiting for Cox Cable to come install new internet service. Mine was slower than dial up!! Finally he arrived and of course was it an easy installation?? Nope, but you all figured that right? In a little over an hour the trench was dug, holes drilled into the house, cable run and viola I have super fast internet again. Love love love it. Yesterday was my day just for me. I needed a creative break that is for sure. I ...

Happy Birthday Jennifer. Or as you have let us all know it is your day of excellence!!!! Despite all of our teasing of you being another year older we all love you so much. I am so proud of the woman you have become. You are the best mother to Sadera and Anthony, a great support to your husband John and the best sister to TJ. I love that we are closer than we have ever been. Your sense of humor, your compassion, your willingness to always help others you zest for life make you unique and special. Happy Birthday dear daughter

It was a pickling day at my home yesterday. Jenn informed us that Bountiful Baskets was offering pickling cucumbers these week and TJ jumped on the wagon. He ordered 100lbs of pickling cucumbers. Yes that is most certainly correct. We all thought he was crazy but of course he insisted that he figured it out and that was correct. WRONG!!!!!! We have 50 lbs sitting in my kitchen needing to be processed:) It was a fun day filled with near misses of slicing fingers, steam burns, dropping a few filled jars as they were a bit hot coming out of the canner. Luckily none broke, laughter and the end result of 20 quarts of dills and 24 pints of bread and butter pickles. TJ was generous and split them with all of us. Now could we buy pickles in the store cheaper?? Probably but cucumbers+ spices+ lots of vinegar +equipment + family = priceless memories. And the best part my sinuses were clear! Probably from all the vinegar and spices cooking but it was a good day! So pickling 101 began: ...