Name That Movie

Name That Movie... "Maria, these walls were not meant to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live".

Happy Memorial Day!

The new American flag is waving and it is a beautiful day in Florida.

I spoke to my parents and all the family graves have been tidied up with fresh flowers on each.

We do not have any known family buried near us so we go to a dear neighbor's who passed away in summer of 2004. He was in WWII so we put two American Flags on his grave and tidy up a bit by pulling weeds and putting down fresh mulch. It's a rural non-perpetual care cemetery that needs some attention now and then. His widow does not live nearby so we feel it is an honor to remember him, our friend and neighbor forever, Fount Nichols.

This morning, DH is trying to fish from the dock; he really misses our boat (thank you hurricane Frances).Then, we will drive to St. Augustine to visit and have lunch with cousins then off to the Spring Park Memorial Day celebration which ends with fireworks at 9:00 p.m. See you there!!

Ahhhh... Cooling down in the River

I hope you enjoy the pictures of Salty Dog taking the plunge. It was a little warm today so it was a good time to cool off. Plus, a little exercise never hurt the boy(s)!

Quilt Squares Are Still Arriving

We must be close to 60 squares now. This one just came in from family. Thank you Gloria and Joan! I have received so many very thoughtful wishes from all our blogging adoption friends that it will take me hours to upload all the pictures - but I will do it. Check out Lizzy's quilt squares link to the right. Thank you again! If you wish to swap or donate fabric for the "Lizzy" quilt, just email us and I will help with all the details.

Another Dessert! Italian Cake is great for Summertime!

Italian Love Cake I do not know how this cake received such a title but it does have ricotta cheese in it and it is a decadent, heavy, sweet cake. This is great to serve at informal dinner parties and family gatherings as a small piece goes a long way! I received this recipe from a friend a year ago and it has quickly become a favorite; most everyone asks for the recipe once they have tasted it. It is easy to make too!! I can send you the electronic file if would rather not cut/paste from the blog. The Recipe: 1 Box Fudge Marble cake mix (need the ingredients on box to make this cake) In addition: 2 lbs. ricotta cheese ¾ Cup sugar 4 Eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 Box (3 ¾ oz.) instant chocolate pudding 1 Cup milk 1 Carton (8 oz.) whipped topping (Cool Whip) Mix cake as directed on box (using ingredients required: additional eggs, oil and water). Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. In separate bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Spoon over top of unbaked cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (do not over bake). Cool. Mix pudding with milk; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Refrigerate. Delicious! Serve with love...

CCAA Referral Update

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before September 30, 2005. The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before June 15, 2005.

Elvis Is Alive and Living In Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Sun's lost to the Mississippi Braves last night 4-3. Still, all was not lost as we got to help celebrate K's birthday. We had a pre-game snack at the Amsterdam Cafe, had our boxseats behind homeplate complete with a menu and waitstaff. Oh, and not only did we get to meet the mascot(s) up close and personal, we also had a close encounter with none other than Elvis Himselfis... Oh yeah, you had to be there to capture the "full" nuiance of our shortly before his death personafication of none other than the King himself. Ladies and Gentlemen. Children of all ages. We present for your viewing pleasure. The one. The only ELVIS!

Saturday Night All American Fun!

It is Saturday already and we have not heard from the kids (nor have we called them!). We hope to have some plans with them next weekend but with multiple "parents" it can make scheduling difficult. We all love to meet and visit together, just a matter of everyone agreeing on some common time. Next weekend is also the Blue Crab festival which makes the town very crowded and boy can it ever get hot. If we all meet separately with the kids, too often they end up having to run around to different homes all weekend not leaving much private time for themselves. So maybe we can all get together..(Hint - Hint) Maybe it's partytime! Our house? Tonight, we are going to a baseball game. This is the first time we have gone in many years. In fact, the City of Jacksonville built a brand new baseball stadium for the "Suns" AA team two years ago. This will be our first time going! Years ago we went and watched a young pitcher named Randy Johnson and a promising hitter by the name of Larry Walker play. You just never know. We will be out with friends K & P and it is K.'s birthday. With the Florida sun creating 90 plus degree heat, an evening game will be welcomed! Beat those Mississippi Braves! We will let you know how it all goes!

"Good Things" List For Lizzy, Kilee & Alivia! Thanks Mia!

What a great and sweet Sister-IL!!! Mia is an "experienced" Mom and is sharing her neat stuff with me. I am so "out of it" when it comes to babies so I asked her for any help she could send!!! With grandbabies, nieces/nephews and Lizzy, we will have quite the fun learning experience - think we have a chance at "staying young" with all the babies around (well, maybe "acting young")? Mia's site listings and comments: http://www.robeez.com/ I love these shoes! They are pricey but I can’t resist. Baby M. has a couple then I buy the knock offs at Target. The quality is not as great but they are still adorable. I am dying to buy M. the Princess robeez. http://www.onestepahead.com/ This is a nice catalog. It has several items I like and have bought. The travel section is neat. Believe me it is a chore to travel with little ones. Whew! Do what you have to in order to make it easier on yourself! http://joyzjewelz.com/store/WsAncillary.asp?ID=2 You might be confused on this one. There are several companies out there. I just wanted to give you the idea. M. and MA have one. I am thinking along the line of teething for Lizzy. I think it is a great idea and adorable to wear. I wonder if I would still be a nail biter if I have something like this to chew on?!?! http://www.melissaanddoug.com/index.shtml I love these toys too! They are durable and fun. Especially, those toys with the velcro for cutting and putting back together. They are educational too. MA is rough with his toys and even though these get nicked up, they will last. http://www.pooltoy.com/swimdiapers1.html I bought store swim diapers with MA but with M. I bought a swim diaper. It is nice as I never run out. :) http://www.harriscomm.com/ Here is another catalog for sign language stuff. I saw they have bean bags with the sign to show the color. Um…pretty neat the stuff that is out there.

Safely Home In Maine!!

My visiting parents have driven safely up the east coast and have arrived back home in Maine. We miss them (I think Salty, GC, CB, MandM all miss them as much if not more!!) and look forward to their next extended visit during our trip to China to "get" Lizzy!! We are trying to be patient!

More Quilt Squares #54

I have alot of catching up to do on the 100 Wishes Quilt. I received one today that I will show now as it is soon to be a favorite!! Plus I have so many to write about - did I promise to get them all on the blog this week??? I have alot of "wishes" sent with love so I will not pick just one as a favorite (this one has a very special wish). From cousins in Illinois, the Kuhn's. They are family # 45 to send us our 54th different square and it has my "colors" with lots of pink and the little girl with brown hair. Now I just need to upload all the other pictures! Again, many thanks to all who have sent us "squares and wishes".

Bird Flu Hits Florida

One minute they were standing straight and tall. Barely moving. Ok, not moving. Then this. It was like something out of Alfred Hitchcock. Quick, if you still have time, reschedule your vacation.

Cherry Cobbler - Favorite Recipes continued!

Cherry Cobbler If you have a phobia about making piecrusts successfully, this cobbler will be a nice fruity dessert without the trouble of a piecrust. Use a 2-quart casserole dish; it makes 6 servings. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. ¼ Cup butter or margarine, softened ½ Cup sugar 1 Cup flour ¼ teas. salt 2 teas. baking powder ½ Cup milk 2 Cups pitted cherries (I have used both canned and fresh) ¼ Cup sugar (use a little more if you are using fresh sour cherries) ¼ teas. cinnamon 1 ½ Cup water 2 Tabs. Bourbon, optional (I have used vanilla extract or any flavor you would like) Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix together flour, salt and baking powder (in separate bowl) and add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating until smooth. Pour mixture into greased, shallow two-quart casserole. Spoon cherries over batter. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over cherries. Pour water on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. During baking, the fruit goes to the bottom and the cake comes to the top. Good served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Catching up on Received Quilt Squares

Hopefully by the end of today, we will have the pictures posted of all the quilt squares we have received. Many family members have sent us more than one fabric so even though we are up to 50 different quilt squares, they have been lovingly sent by 43 different families. Thank you all so much!! Special thank you to the ones received from family: Daughter Leaa & Jesse (2 fabrics), Werner & Cathy and dau. Christa, cousin Sarah, Auntie Jean (5 fabric squares), cousin Ginger, cousin Mike & Melinda, cousin Jim & Christina, Eileen and son, Mark, Marsha & Carl and dau. Cara, Katie & Barrett; and from my Mom (she hasn’t finished the “wish”, I have her fabric). Now I am waiting on my final 50 squares. I am hoping over the next few months to have squares from Son & DIL, sisters and other cousins. Anyone who would like to swap, just drop us an email. I will be on my mission to get to 100! Thank you all!!!

Time To Roll Out The BBQ Grill

We love to grill. Today, I think we will roll out the ol' grill and do up some fine steaks and enjoy the river... Feel free to stop by, visit and throw whatever you have on the grill. There's plenty of room on this baby!

Quilt Squares 16 - 17 - 18 !!!

#16 is from my Cousin Sarah and Family from Colorado! She loves animal prints :) Sarah and DH Kip have a beautiful daughter, Madelene and a super handsome son, Addison. Sarah models professionally, as do her children! We need to run a photo of her work that you may have seen! Square #17 hails from Texas! Thank you Desiree. Square #18 came to us from Heather Cromwell & Grandma Monica from Illinois! Thank You...

Wines Under $10. Can Cheap Taste Good?

Johnny: A W(h)ine dedicated to you... We like wine and will enjoy a couple of glasses arriving home from that which pays for all thing wonderful. Our jobs. One thing we do not like about wine however is the price often associated with a good bottle. We enjoy a fine bottle of wine as well as the next person but we have a hard time laying down $20, 30, 40, 50 & UP $$$ for a single bottle except for all but the biggest of occasions. Aly is great about writing down the names of "less expensive" wines that have received good reviews. The other day on our way home from work she remembered a wine distributor called The Wine Warehouse (chain) located in our fair city and said "Let's check it out." What the heck, I was all for it. Folks, this could be a badddd thing for us. Very bad. The prices seemed right and I'm now having visions of this place becoming a regular stop on the commute home. It's nothing more than a crowded hole in the wall but we found quite a few of the wines Aly has on her list (that she keeps in her purse). And a big plus, the folks at the Wine warehouse didn't act all foo foo snobby. Is foo foo a word? So to Johnny and others: Here are a few of the wines we picked up and will be tasting. We are not wine connoisseurs but early "tastings" have been very positive. And they are CHEAP. We'll let you know if we have a stinker in the bunch and we'll let you know if we score again the next time we go... *Disclaimer: We pretty much love dry reds and dry champagne with limited taste and knowledge of the whites.

Mind The Gap

Things Observed While In The UK * The people love their dogs and take them everywhere. * The term subway is not the same thing as our subway. Know the difference. * People were reserved only until spoken too and then quite friendly. * Yield signs are labeled Give Way but use the same symbol. * Hand pumped ales and bitters are not cold nor are they warm. * English hand pumped ales and bitters taste fantastic. * Indian food is huge in the UK. * Chips (french fries) are served or offered with practically everything. * Contrary to what you may have heard, English food can be excellent. * Prior to tube stops you are reminded to "mind the gap" when exiting. * Back roads are often narrow, winding and hilly with sharp curves. * Locals, hikers, bicycles, sheep & parked cars share the back roads with you. * The theater district in London's West End is an absolute must do. * The London Eye is big, slow moving and surprisingly roomy. * After exiting the London Eye each "pod" is security swept. * Try a prepared lamb dish. * The lamb was wonderful. * If you want to see castles go to Wales. * I believe Scots stay up all night singing loudly, stopping around 5 AM. * The price of gas, parking & narrow roads all make for small cars. * Jogger type strollers were most often used. * Expect it to rain at some point and time while out and about in London. * US news is limited in coverage. Actually, it was a welcomed break. * Football (soccer) is THE sport and absolutely rules pub TV. * There are sheep everywhere. Everywhere. * The countryside is hilly and green with very little soil erosion. * You order drinks at the bar and take them to your seat. * You pay for food orders at a pub upfront. * If you hike, go to the Yorkshire dales region. * English gardens are beautiful. * Did I mention there are sheep everywhere? Everywhere. * Bacon is not crispy strips but more like Canadian bacon or thin slices of ham. * The "Green" movement is much more evident and promoted. * Appliance (& light) outlets each have their own on/off switch. * In Scotland our room key was used to keep lights from powering off. * Electric flush toilets (they seldom use the term bathroom) are most common. * Faucet water pressures are set higher than what we experience in the States. * Black still dominates the fashion color scheme. * The fall of the Dollar against the British Pound and Euro is depressing. * Sheep. Everywhere. * For all the dogs; you very seldom see "fouling". * Cheers is often expressed as a thank you and a greeting. * Children in school uniforms are most common. * Pea's are a favorite green veggie. * UK babies bundled in strollers are beautiful. * The centuries old architecture is mind numbing. * Train service makes you wish we had something other than more cars. * Driving on the opposite side of the road IS a strange feeling. * When startled, baby lambs will squat and pee. * English accents differ in similar ways we experience accents across the States. * Crisps are potato chips. * Exit signs are labeled "Way Out". * Most of the sheep appeared to have twins with the occasional triplets. * In fields, mother sheep will allow short pauses to photograph their little ones. * To experience Europe, the younger the better. Do not wait until you retire. * At the changing of the Buckingham Palace guard, they played a Beatle's tune. * On major highways, road signs are marked well and often. * Dinner reservations are encouraged. (Does not apply to Pub Crawls) * You do not need American cash; Use your ATM card or a credit card. * Credit cards are scanned at your table, never taken away, always in sight. * Most places will provide you with a power converter. * Take your laptops. WiFi internet connections are everywhere. Everywhere. * Speaking of everywhere. Sheep. * We were never asked about our politics or the Iraq conflict. * We were told one Bush joke. By a cab driver. Quite funny. * No, not sharing. Go to York if you want to hear the joke. * Upon learning we were from Florida, "counting" jokes would begin. * The US is often referred to as the "Continent". * Beautiful country and people... So much to see. So much to do. So want to go back.

First Visit With Alivia Kate

We're home safe and sound. The first order of business was to make a bee-line to see our newest granddaughter Alivia Kate courtesy of DD Leaa and SIL Jesse. You will notice that Alivia is waving to each of you. She insisted... Welcome to the family Alivia! We've been "expecting" you... I guess this means it's time to remove the Baby Cruce countdown tracker at the bottom of our blog and replace it with one for Alyzabeth An.

My Birthday Gift From Dad

My Dad made this for me for my birthday. Want to know how that makes me feel? Try Special... Happy Birthday to me!

Quick Trip Update...

Greetings All We have now made our way to Edinburgh, Scotland. We dropped the rental car in York and have once again jumped aboard the fantastic train system the UK offers. Our trip is winding down we are sad to say. We did enjoy an unbelievable scenic footpath "walk" through the dales in Yorkshire and of course we have had the horrible task of sampling the local bitters and ales along the way. This has been tough but someone had to do it... Well we must be going, more ales, bitters and castles to see before calling it a day. Tomorrow we are doing a 3 hour bicycle tour! What can we say. Life is good!!! We do want to send out a special hug and kiss to the grandbabies; Kilee & Alivia. We love you! Take care, home soon. (Ok, a belly rub for Salty Dog too if you will T & A) Thanks... ac&fm

Name That Movie Revealed

Monsters, Inc. I know, I know - it's a kid's movie. We loved it... If you haven't seen the movie you need to give it a try. The animation is fantastic and the voices are good - great - fabulous! What the heck. Be a kid for a couple of hours. Eat lots of ice cream and prepare to laugh and smile compliments of this delightful movie. Did I mention eating lots of ice cream? The story is set in Monstropolis, a city inhabited by monsters who live in deep fear of children which they believe will kill them simply by touching them. Ironically, the city's power comes from the screams of children which are bottled and converted to energy by Monsters Incorporated. "Scarers" work to frighten the children and are regarded as the heroes of Monstropolis for being brave enough to enter a child's room. The top scarer at Monsters, Inc. is James P. Sullivan, or "Sulley" (John Goodman), a blue-furred bear-like giant who is partnered with the green, one-eyed Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal); Sully's main rival is the chameleon-like Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi. When taking care of paperwork, Sulley discovers a door that has been left on the scare-floor after shift, contrary to strict company policy. When Sulley investigates the door, a small human girl enters the monster world; not only that but he and Mike also learn that the girl is actually a victim of an evil plot to solve the city's power problems. It's up to Sully and Mike to get her back home before the authorities find out and before the company gets turned upside down. Along the way, they discover that children are not dangerous and that scaring is no longer rewarding. They have numerous encounters with Randall, with the "Scream Extractor", the spider-like head of Monsters, Inc., Mr. Waternoose, and the Abominable Snowman. In the end, they solve their world's energy crisis when they find out that a child's laughter has ten times the power of a scream; thus, all the monsters have a new mission: to sneak into children's rooms at night and make them laugh. Did you know that Monsters, Inc. won the Academy Award for Best Song? If I Didn't Have You written & performed by Randy Newman.

Name That Movie

Memorable Movie Lines ! "Roz, my tender, oozing blossom, you're looking fabulous today. Is that a new haircut? Tell me it's a new haircut. It's got to be a new haircut. New makeup? You had a lift? You had a tuck? You had something? Something has been inserted in you that makes you look like... Listen, I need a favor. Randall was working late last night out on the scare floor. I really need the key to the door he was using." Name That Movie...