some of the {154} hiding places...

 

~154 places 

~ 4 kids and 2 dogs 

~ multiple birds ~ wind 

~ sunshine melt

{A lot of variables in this great Hunt.}

favorite French fare....

All things "French" are pretty amazing.


There's a French Knot and the French Braid.
You can book a French manicure,
and who doesn't like a room with a French Window?
The French Hen is a keeper,
and so is the French Horn~ if you know how to play it properly.


And Pardon my French....but please don't forget the French Kiss;)


Then you have your "French Food".....


You've got French Bread and  beloved  French Fries.
French Pastry~~~
and although it doesn't go with the pastry... French Mustard.
Don't forget French Vanilla (coffee with cream),
and of course baked French Onion Soup.
French Dressing is pretty darn good too.


And.... on a Saturday morning, 
French Toast tops my list.


Speaking of which.....

Add a lonely bottle of this:

And, although not French~~ 

a Fabulous Fruit Salad created by Miss Molly:

 Saturday morning brunch at our home is served.

~~~~~~

All this because I looked up some French Words for something I was writing. 

Funny how one thing leads to another.

And you had to put up with it all:)

{Coming for breakfast next Saturday?}

:)

Instead of textbooks....

....we tend to do things a little more "hands-on" for our subjects.

This weekend we went to my sister's place~
they've been studying England and wanted to present what they learned.

Of course we had to play the part.....

Queen (Dawn)Victoria and Princess (Molly)Anne

(I'm pretty sure I was yelling

 "Off with their heads!")

~~~~~~~

 My sister's place~ where she was part Owner of 

"Charlie's Fish and Chips".

Chef(s)

Homemade Fish and Chips

Eton Mess

~~~~

Guests started to arrive....

Queen Elizabeth and Charlie Chaplin

~~~~

English Schoolgirl and Oliver Twist

~~~~

~~~~~~~~~

After Guest Introductions and English fare.....we were presented with a Power Point presentation my niece and nephew put together on England.

~

Of course...no English party would be complete without an episode of MR.Bean....

and listening to music by English artists.

~~~~~~

{My kids and I are studying Thailand this month.

I'm hoping my sister realizes our presentation won't be quite so elaborate.

She's amazing.}

~~~~~~

Thanks for showing us all you learned about this country guys~

We had a jolly good time!

~~~~~


Recipe for 
ENGLISH BEER BATTERED FISH


2 cups flour
1 egg
1tsp. baking powder
salt/pepper
(mix the above together)


Add:
1 cup beer
1 cup soda water
(stir well and let sit for 20 minutes)


Dry fish with paper towel
and then dip the cod fillets into rice flour, 
followed by the above batter.
Drop into deep fryer until cooked.

Any time it's possible to learn without a textbook I'll take it.

Especially if it involves food.

:)

~my family~

i love my family.
all of them.
i don't believe i would be where i am today if it hadn't been for them.
really.

this past weekend we had our Thanksgiving (early).
i am kicking myself for not taking pictures of the food....but of course it was spectacular.
when mom cooks- it could never be any other way.
it was a feast.

of course we all want to sit after the meal....but......
kids are great for inspiring you to move.
so we did.....

sister time

ben, dad, me

huddle

of course every family needs a cheerleader:)

ready - set.....

the plan

leaves and their uses

my 2 guys with my brother

mom and me

~~~~~~

it was a wonderful, spectacular day!

did i mention i just love my family?

Thoughts on today.....

Another gloomy day today....and I feel down. Don't know if it's because summer feels OVER for good, or if I miss the sun. Maybe I just need more sleep:)

Whatever the reason....it's a gray day.

So....I found this picture (Molly took) and realized- that even though things may seem gloomy,

 there just HAS to be a bright spot somewhere in it all:))

Looking for the color in today....

:)

~~~~~~~~~~~

{And just a bit more on the race.......}

Tri- Squad..
this team  was put together 2 days before the race:

Jodie the swimmer(my sister), Lynton the runner(bro-in-law), Mike the biker(my hubby)

The 3 of them decided...(after my begging:)) ...to participate in the Triathlon as a team.

They did amazing...and what makes it more so is that none of them even planned on doing this until the Friday before the Day!

They came in 2nd of all the Teams!!

Imagine what you guys will do next year;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

And of course we can't forget to mention:

~Our CHEER SQUAD~

~~~~~~~~

Local Afternoon Fun

Love it when there are places to visit right "next door"....we can even bike there!

Yes...we are Nature Nuts and love to check out bugs in a pond, butt heads/hands with the goats, and "survey" all the 100's of Birdhouses from all over Canada and the U.S.

Local fun :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~