Snow Day Soup

Back for a second. It's been almost a year and it would probably take that long to catch up so I have decided not to. Our year has been mostly difficult. I will share the shining star bit of news that came our way in November- Jim and I will become Grandparents in July of this year. John and Cassie are having a baby! So happy for them, us, our family, me!!!
I am home today in a winding down blizzard. I was putting together Jim's favorite chicken soup and I thought that I should write down the recipe and doing it this way accomplishes two things.
The absolute hands down most delicious chicken soup that I have ever eaten was Jim's mothers. Legendary. I made it with her once and I know what went into the pot and still have never duplicated the taste.  My recipe incorporates her basic premise and then I add a  few tricks of my own. The result is good. Not as good as hers but I think that she would approve. The bonus-making this soup calls to mind happy memories of family living close, sitting around a big table sharing a meal, laughter of little children and the most precious image of my mother in  law standing at her stove on Chickadee Lane and making her famous soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole organic chicken
1 large package organic celery hearts,chopped,leaves too
1 large bag organic carrots chopped
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley chopped
1 head garlic cloves smashed and chopped
Several yellow onions chopped and one left whole with skin on to float in the pot
3 large bay leaves
Fine egg noodles
salt and pepper
Wash chicken and giblets. Cut chicken into pieces and place in large stock pot and cover with cold water. Drain and repeat a few times until water runs clear and then fill pot with cold water to about an inch from the top. Place on stove high heat until boiling. Reduce to simmer and skim off dirty foam. Halve the whole onion with skin and add to pot, add bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low.
In saute pan preferably NOT a non stick add a few tablespoons of olive oil and bring up to high heat. Add all of the vegetables parsley garlic etc.  Sprinkle in 2 tsps kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Sweat the veggies until you get a light caramelization on the bottom of the pan. Do not burn the garlic! Add a few tablespoons of hot chicken water from the soup to deglaze pan. Add veggies to soup pot with chicken. Add 2 more tsps salt and more pepper. Stir with large wooden spoon. Cover and simmer several hours or until chicken just starts to fall off bone. Taste soup for seasoning. You will have to add more salt but do so slowly tasting after each addition. There is a fine line between not enough salt and too much. To taste for seasoning, place a few teaspoons of broth into a bowl, swirl around until soup cools, taste. Tasting boiling hot soup does not give you an accurate taste for seasoning plus you may burn your mouth, done that. Remove chicken pieces from pot and remove meat from bones. Remove onion halves , bay leaves, and giblets from soup,you will need a large slotted spoon to find them. Add chicken back to soup and cover pot. Meanwhile cook egg noodles as package directs and add a scoop to each persons bowl, add soup and eat.
Note-Jim's Mom used bouillon for flavor and color and although I think this was part of the deliciousness,I choose not to. I use the onion with the skin for this purpose. It gives the broth a rich color and adds flavor.  Chicken soup purists will skim off the fat. Again I choose not to and neither did Jim's Mom. I use a higher quality bird to reduce all of that "dirty fat" and I like the broth to have that yellow tint. I cook the noodles separately so they don't get mushy. Fine egg noodles are a must if you want Arlene's authentic. Also try being creative with the veggies...root vegetables like say parsnips make a  nice addition.

I just saw the movie Saving Mr. Banks. Really enjoyed it. I am an original Mary Poppins fan, by original, I mean I saw it in the theater when it was originally released, believed the magic, was obsessed. I was very young but I remember several things. My Aunt took me to see it. Eileen Safferstein, but to me she was MeMe, my mothers younger sister. I remember being beyond excited and the movie did not disappoint. My Aunt told me that magic was real and in fact she was magical just like Mary Poppins and I truly believed her. I lived out the rest of my childhood believing not only in the usual things like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but fairies and fairy Godmothers, witches, I believed that my dolls had feelings and they talked to each other after I went to sleep at night. My Aunt created the make believe of my childhood. I loved her best. After we saw the movie I was hell bent on possessing anything that had to do with Mary Poppins. My Mom let me send away for a Mary Poppins cereal spoon. Back then kids "sent away" for things. Usually things that were advertised on the back of cereal boxes. You would have to save so many box tops and then for a small amount of money you could send for the item of your dreams. I remember eating my sugary cereal for years with that spoon. My Aunt used to take me shopping and one day we were combing the toy department at Woolworths and came across the Mary Poppins color-forms and she bought it for me on the spot. That Christmas all that I wished for was the Mary Poppins doll and when I unwrapped her on Christmas morning it was by far the best moment of my life thus far.
 It was wonderful to learn the back story of this much beloved movie, but for some reason it has left me feeling quite melancholy. I miss my Aunt. She was the fun of my youth and as I reached adolescence she understood me. Where my mother was very strict, Meme was whimsical and cool. She let me shave my legs for the first time when my Mother adamantly refused. She pleaded with my mother to buy me a mini skirt and my Mother relented. She cut my bangs straight and true, which back in the 60's was a miracle. When Meme and my Uncle Bob could not have children they adopted my cousin Lisa and I remember her including me in all the planning and excitement. I never felt left out or jealous and I was just as excited as if I was getting a little sister. A few years later she and my Uncle adopted my cousin Bobby, and when it was discovered that he had Autism, my Aunt asked me if I would spend time with him just showing him how to be a kid. I remember riding my bike to their house every day one summer and playing with my cousin. She paid me like a babysitter and I always felt guilty taking that money. I loved my cousin, he was like my little brother.
My Aunt was beautiful, spontaneous, lighthearted, and she was an alcoholic. I never knew it until after she died. Back then it was not a disease, but something to be ashamed of and hidden. And so she did. Everyone in my Irish family drank. Many to excess. If someone had a problem it pretty much went unnoticed because so many of them had this issue. When I was 14 she and my Mother had a falling out and shortly after that my Uncle packed them all up and moved them to Florida.We never even got the chance to say goodbye. One day they were just gone. I was later told he took her away to start fresh and he thought that a sunny warm climate would be the best place for her. I saw my Aunt twice more after that. Once when we took a Disney vacation and made a side trip to see them. My Aunt was a shadow of the person that she once was. She was no longer the Aunt of my childhood.  She came back to Ct. while I was dating Jim and she was unrecognizeable and drunk when I saw her. Like so many of the people that I loved as a child, she died as a result of her illness. She was 46 years old.
She was my Godmother and she made it her business to be a big part of my childhood. She showed me first hand the process of adoption and how that miracle can transform a couple into a family.  She thought that I was special and she told me so. She loved me and she showed it in so many wonderful ways.
Her husband,  Uncle Bob gave me away at my wedding when my father was unable to. Meme could not make the trip and after that she drifted out of our lives quietly. She was unreachable by phone and stayed that way. She died in 1985, two months after I had Kate. By that time she had been out of my life for so long, her passing just made it more final. My Uncle kept her ashes in a closet for many years, but finally relented to have them shipped to my Mother so that she could be buried behind my father on the Cape. She would have liked that, she loved my Dad. When I visit the cemetery, it is somehow comforting to see her name on the headstone. Just seeing her name makes me feel loved.
I am remembering her today and even after all these years I still feel her love for me. I remember her young and beautiful and always laughing. She is a the happy, magical and safe place of my childhood that I will always hold dear

 Meme and me (1961) She was 22 years old in this picture.

 Make believe at Meme's house. I was 4 years old.

 Christmas 1965. My best gift ever.

 Christmas 1968. My wonderful Aunt. I love this picture of us.

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My confirmation. 1971. I was 10.  She was my "sponsor". I remember there being some problem with the church because she was also my Godmother, but she fought it. Always in my corner, my hero.

Still At It

A little bit Spring, a little bit St. Patty's, a smidge of Easter. I got it covered.

Pinterest

It was a happy day when I found Pinterest. Imagine a place of creative ideas for gardening, baking, decorating, shopping, crafting, camping and just about anything else that you can think of. You can browse subjects and then "pin" what you like to your "boards". You can also follow what your friends find interesting. I have found gift ideas for friends and family by following them on Pinterest as well as many creative and helpful things that have made everyday life easier.
I clean my showers and bathtub with a dish sponge filled with Dawn and white vinegar. I have made coffee filter snowflakes for my kitchen window. Kate and I made our own laundry detergent. I have made appetizers and deserts. Wrapped my Christmas presents in a way that the tag just slips into a little pocket that you fold into the wrapping paper. And the things that I try just keeps on growing. Amazing!
Sometime last fall I pinned and idea for fire starters. You just take toilet paper rolls and fill them up with dryer lint. I figured that by winter I would have enough for a seasons worth of fires (little did I know that Jim and the kids found my stash in the cabinet above the washer and thinking that I had completely lost my mind  threw them away) I was able to put a few together before Christmas and when John set about making our Christmas Day fire I pulled a few out. They worked perfectly. Better and easier than than newspaper and certainly more economical than those pre made fire starters. I now use paper towel rolls and depending on the quality of the wood usually only one is needed.
Every Saturday morning I make breakfast for us and if it's chilly I will throw a duralog in the fireplace. Jim and I eat our breakfast in front of the fire, reading and catching up. This morning, it was 10 degrees outside and the house seemed chilly. Definitely a morning for a real fire.

Here is the start of my fire this morning with my trusty Pinterest fire starter.

In less than five minutes I had a roaring fire going and ready for Jim when he came down.

Stay cozy.

Back

It's funny how being sick forces you to slow down. It's just a winter cold, but it is forcing me to take it easy today.
Don't think that anyone is still checking in. No matter. I will write anyway.
So much has changed since I last posted. Jim is employed now, thank God. He was offered a job with a consulting firm back in November and has been working for The Hartford- since then. He likes it, quite alot actually. He still has some freedom to work from home if need be, but most days he goes in to the office. It's a long commute by car, nonetheless, he is thankful. This job came through right under the wire and we all are relieved and grateful to say the least.
I am still at my job in Hamden and all is the same with that. I have made some fine friends there and although the work is the work, the days pass very quickly.
Funny enough, Kate is working for and Orthopaedic office now too. My competition actually. She was hired at Christmastime and has been working since. She just started her last semester at Gateway and fingers crossed she will be starting UNH next fall for the final leg of becoming a dental hygienist. She is at home with us now. She came home last Fall and we are happy to have her back with us.
As you know Zachary made it through the grueling hiring process of the CT State Police. He has decided however that this is not the path for him. He is now working for CDW, (IT solutions for business)  and he told me last weekend that he loves it.
We have been surviving the frigid New England winter. The puppies are well, but lonely now that Jim is working in an office.
I am hoping to begin to post more frequently. We'll see.

I'm Still Here

The longer that I go between posts, the more likely it is that I will never write on here again. I want to, it's just the catching up seems overwhelming. So many events, so many pictures. Things happen that strike a cord with me, but I remain silent because I am not in the present with this.
So even tho I have pictures from the Fall and Christmas. I will just begin here. In May and try and talk about what is happening now.
As many of you know, Jim was forced into taking an early retirement from Proctor & Gamble back in October. After taking some time to decompress, he has begun a job search. Nothing yet, no calls, no interviews. Rather than discuss the details which I feel are overwhelming to Jim. I just asked him last week, "should I be worried?" "nope" was his response and so I will try not to be. I make a point of not going down the road of fear and worry very often. Trying to stay in the present, in the today, and that works for me.
I am doing well at my new job. I hope that I have positioned myself for a long run. I work in a surgeons office. One of the few types of offices that are still making decent money. The work is the same work that I have doing for over ten years. I moved because of the people. Many of you know that the office manager at my old job was a bitter and spiteful woman who had absolutely no managerial skills. She created a toxic workplace of gossip and backbiting that affected me emotionally and had begun to affect me physically.  Thankfully my new manager is a kind woman with a good heart. Unlike my my old manager, she is not on a power trip. I prayed for this and God has provided so much more than even I could have imagined. Last Friday, because we had met our goal of 1 million in collections for the month...she hired a massage therapist to come in and give us all 1/2 hour massages. Paid for it herself, and was so excited to surprise us with this treat. She has created a caring and positive environment that trickles down to the overall tone of our dept. I have learned that the work is the work, what matters is the people that surround you all day long.
John and Cassie have begun house hunting. We are so excited for them. They have done their homework and are armed with so much more knowledge than Jim and I had when we bought our first house. I wish that they were hunting in CT, closer to us. I will always pine for my sweet boy. I wish that they could pop over for dinner or to watch a Giants game. Having said that, I am so happy that they will live close to Cassie's family, John's family now too. I believe that it is so important for families to be close geographically. I long for those days when it was that way for us. I am sad that I did not realize then how great that was and try and make more time to be together while we could.
Kate is still pursuing her dental hygienist degree. She is having much success at school. Her goal is to begin the hygiene program at UNH next Fall. She has endured some hardship financially, having been laid off from her job several months ago...but she will not be deterred. I am in awe of what she has accomplished and her upbeat attitude!
Zachary graduated from UNH in December, summa cum laude and with many more accolades, with a degree in Criminal Justice. I guess that may sound braggy, but it's not. It was his accomplishment, not mine. He was on the Dean's list every semester! My children are all very bright. It's just a plain fact. He is in the process of securing a job in his field.  He has turned around bad genetics and is the most physically fit person that I know. It is such a blessing to Jim and I that he still lives at home. It is a glorious thing to really know your children as adults. To live side by side with them. To have grownup discussions.
My dogs are here laying next to me. One on either side. Hazel has really settled down and is the sweetest little thing.  If it is possible Tofu has become more sedentary. Not knowing how old she is, she probably is advanced in age. Our lives are so enriched because these two sweet girls.
Believe it or not, we are at the end of a long kitchen remodel. We had a small leak from our ice maker that warped the floor. Because of this, new floors and counter tops have to be installed. It is just crazy to think that we have always thought about our dream kitchen and now even tho Jim is unemployed, thanks to homeowners insurance, it has actually happened. If we have to eventually sell our home, the updates will be a big plus. In the meantime, it will be fun to create good food in this beautiful space!
With all of Jim's new freedom, he has turned his attention to home projects that have been put off. Painting the front porch, replacing leaky faucets, yard rehab and maintenance. He has made the job search a priority, but everyday when he concludes the search, he is very busy with home things. Blessings still.

Oh Holy Night

In about 40 minutes it will be Christmas, so... Merry Christmas! I just finished putting the presents under the tree and filling the stockings. Less this year, but somehow it feels just right. Kate and Zach are upstairs in their beds and Jim is milling about quietly and slowly making his way through the house to shut off all of the Christmas lights. The dogs are snuggled in for the night and to all of our surprise it is snowing. Beautiful fluffy flakes that cover the ground very quickly. Peaceful and beautiful.
I am unsettled this Christmas. I started a new job this past week and that has been hard for me, but mostly I am feeling the deep sadness of the Newtown tragedy  I tried to hold it at bay all through the week, but this morning it took a hold of me. Sure, I have been praying throughout the week, crying over the daily news each day, listening to the folks at work share their news about people they know that were involved in many different ways, but I had not really let the horror in.
Jim and I got out early this morning and ended up sitting at St. Mary's by the sea with our coffee's and kind of talked things out. There really is no way to reason it through, but we both shared our thoughts. The sun was shining like diamonds on the water, the sky was blue and so it was a good time to take a moment and reflect. Tears came,  but it was a relief to finally be able to speak of it.
Later on this afternoon there was a knock on the front door. It was our neighbor who was distributing luminaries to light tonight in remembrance. She explained that many Connecticut communities were lighting them. I thanked her and assured her that we would light ours.
We headed out to our usual Christmas Eve dinner at The Redding Road House around 5:30. We got off the highway in Newtown. There was a black wreath hanging from the highway sign. "We're going through Newtown?" I asked from the back seat. Jim explained that this was the way we always come. I had forgotten. The car got quiet as we all looked out the windows. Thousands of luminaries lined every street, every porch. There were even luminaries set out in heart shapes on people's front yards. A lump formed in my throat.  We drove by St. Rose church were the first memorial was held and we made our way through the hushed streets. I did something that I have not done for many years. I blessed myself. I felt the sadness, but I also felt the holy. I felt God's presence.  I was traveling along hallowed ground. I closed my eyes and said a prayer. We drove by the Police Dept. and the public buildings. I thought of the first responders. Soon enough we were in Redding and the chatter resumed in the car.
I don't know what I am getting at here and I have no way to wrap this up neatly. Not the usual Christmas cozy post I know, but I felt the need to write about this.
You know what was amazing to me? The Town of Newtown was ablaze with all of those luminaries but it was ablaze with Christmas lights too. Tasteful white lights, tacky flashing snowmen, pine trees all decked out. Big old Victorians, and little tiny cape cod's all had their lights lit. Tragedy struck this community a little over a week ago and yet they had turned on their lights. The word HOPE came to my mind. It was a precious thing to see, to witness, and I feel blessed that I got to see it in person.
Merry Christmas to anyone still reading.
Love,

Today was my last day at WSMG. In comparison to my last day at PHWC three years ago where I held back my tears until I reached my car and then I cried hysterically all the way home...I walked out today with a smile on my face and a song of hope in my heart. I know that God had me at this job for a reason, but I am so very  happy that reason is over and that I am moving on. That being said I am so grateful that I have been employed for the past three years. Grateful to have met and become friends with Ann, and Amber, and Linda, who made my days bearable and made me laugh and truly liked me . Grateful for the patients who have been sweet and kind to me. Grateful for the patients that I prayed for and so grateful that I saw a direct answer to a prayer that I prayed (I witnessed a miracle) . Grateful for my cozy office with the sink...an island in the midst of a chaotic storm. Grateful that some of my life friends were patients and would stop in to see me with their beautiful loving faces and positive and caring words (Bob, Karen, Nancy, Bekka, Kelley and Rach, Esther and John), lifelines thrown out to me that helped remind me that life still existed outside of this office. All of these things were blessings bestowed upon me while I weathered the storm of this job. And for all of my family and friends that lifted me up in prayer over the last few years, thank you. You know who you are and so do I.
I have applied to many positions, had a handful of interviews and a few offers. After much prayer and waiting  for a sign that my dense self could understand, I have accepted a job at a large orthopaedic ofice in the New Haven area. I start on Monday. :)

Seasons Greetings!

It is about 6:30 on Saturday morning, still dark. I am sitting in my favorite December spot, on the living room couch in front of the Christmas tree. Jim, Zach, and John's friend Roger are still upstairs sleeping. Tofu and I are enjoying some alone time. Tofu is enjoying the fact that Hazel is a very late sleeper, and so she gets my undivided attention in the morning. Happy puppy makes me happy too.
In a little while I will go up and wake Jim. We have a date. Out for breakfast and then off to Woodbury for the annual Christmas house tour. Jim gave me tickets to this event last year for my birthday, and we enjoyed it so much that he gave them to me again. Different houses every year, it is fun to walk through beautiful homes nestled on beautiful landscapes all decorated for Christmas. The outside is as interesting as the inside...barns, duck ponds, gardens, and hopefully a chicken coop to peak into. The best part though is spending the day with Jimmy. After the tour we will head to Starbucks for a treat and maybe do a little Christmas shopping. I cannot wait for this day to begin!
Big changes are in store for me over the next few weeks, and I am hoping that my happiness level will rise enough that I start to enjoy doing some of the things that I have in the past. One of them being this blog, which I do for me as kind of a public journal. I love going back and reading old entries and looking at the pictures.
If anyone is still reading, I hope that you are enjoying this Christmas season!

Saturday

I am making a pumpkin banana bread this morning which means it is officially Fall. The recipe makes two loaves, but I make the second loaf batter into muffins because there are people that live here that cannot wait for the first bite and muffins bake way faster. Jim and Zach will open their bedroom doors this morning to that spicy warm pumpkin smell and that will make them happy.
 I am up early to get my home chores done because Kate and I are spending the afternoon together. Even tho she no longer lives at home we still spend a lot of time together. She makes a point of it, which I love. We text or talk every day and she pops in just about every weekend.Since Jeff works every Saturday she sometimes  spends the night and then comes to church with us on Sunday and stays right through the weekly roast chicken. She is sweet and fun and when she is here things just feel right. She helps and snuggles with the dogs, she scolds Jim about his diet, she helps me cook, and she plays around with Zach. I love looking over at the couch and seeing her there in her hoody and yoga pants under a blanket. She could sleep in our pretty guest room, but she chooses her old bed in the office. I don't know how long this will last but I count it as a blessing while it does.

It's been about three months since my last entry. It is so difficult to set aside time for things like this. I have good intentions and then a puppy picks up a toy and drops it in my lap and barks until I play with her, or Jim says "let's go for a ride or a walk" or I look at the furniture and I could write my name in the dust. You know what I mean...I am not that busy with appointments or kids, just the stuff of ordinary days.
So in order for me to use Blogger now, I must have Google Chrome. I hate it and everything about posting an entry is new and a bit confusing. I am trying tho and hopefully will put this entry up before October rolls around. Speaking of October, I read something last year which really got me thinking. Here is the link f So lovely Google Chrome will not let me call this link what I wish. I tried to change it and now it is that little F. Anyway, it is some information on seasonal affect disorder or SAD. I read it last year and it was like she was telling my story. It got so bad last year that I seriously considered asking my doctor for medication. That was a crossroads for me. I am a medication phobic, and so I knew that I was in trouble. I vowed this year I would try a natural way to keep myself happy and so in August I logged onto Amazon and purchased my SAD light. It is shining on me right now as I type. I started using it early because they say if you start to have those seasonal feelings it may be too late. I have to report, so far so good. I also had a little on-line dialog with the author of that blog, Susan Branch, to thank her for her advise. She told me that she also uses Vitamin D and it has taken away all of her SAD symptoms. I like millions of other people am Vitamin D deficient. I no longer allow myself time in the sun, and I quit drinking milk. Because of my medication phobia I stopped taking Vitamin D a while back. I have put myself back on a small daily dose. From now, all the way up until Christmas is my most favorite time of the year. I am looking forward to feeling like my happy self this year and really being able to enjoy it!
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

Two Months

I usually write blog posts on lazy weekends at home. I cannot remember when our last lazy weekend was and so the blog has been neglected. The only thing that I had on the "to do" list today was to bake something for my sad neighbor who lost her dog last week.  Today Jim and I are laying low, front porch reading, house tending and really doing a bunch of nothing. It feels pretty great to have a day like this. Jim is beside me reading, Tofu is glued to my side, and Hazel is snoozing in her bed. I have about 30 min. before I have to get up and make dinner so here is a quick recap of the past few months.

Hazel completed her puppy obedience class back in May. I cannot say that she graduated at the top of her class, but we have learned some techniques that have been very helpful. 

 There are Zach and Hazel. The object was to get your dog to lay down beside you and stay.

Sucess!

The instructor advised us that the puppies could only get their diploma's if they could actually complete the "sit" command. Watch carefully or you may miss it.

We celebrated Jim's birthday with a special dinner and his fav chocolate cake.

Followed by a several rounds of Smart Ass.

Hazel did her best to stay awake. I finally tucked her into her bed right beside us in the kitchen and she conked right out.

This appears to be Hazel right? Wrong...it is her sister. A friend of a friend adopted two of Hazel's siblings. They live right in Woodbury. They look identical and we were pretty excited to hear all of the news on how they are doing. Cute!

The first week in June we all attended our nephew Rob's wedding. He married Justine in a lovely ceremony on Lake George. It was so great to be with the majority of the Kyte family. We missed those who couldn't make it so much!

Such a sweet couple and the wedding was chock full of special touches that made us all feel happy to be a part of this special day!

Unfortunately, I did not take many photos, but here are a bunch of the cousins. All grown up and so happy to be together again! Not present but thought of and missed were Costello, Francey and Michael, Emily and Jon, Sam and Tess, and Zachary.

Blurry shot of the sibs and spouses.

Jim's sister Linda was on a whirlwind trip through New York and New England and so they came to see us in Ct. It was so much fun to be together again.

I will close with Hazel. Growing up so quickly. Finally settling down and getting the housebreaking thing. Last week she crawled into a basket of clean laundry in the family room for a long nap.

Going...

Going...

Gone.

I walked out of work last night with a happy heart, I almost skipped to my car. The three day weekend had begun! Memorial Day/Jimmy's birthday weekend.
For me, it is all about Jim this weekend. He is turning 53!  I have put him through the mill these past few weeks with a diet that is not for the faint at heart. Zach and I have weathered an ornery Jim, stayed strong, prepared his meals and snacks, mapped it all out and followed the plan right along with him. We are in this together! The result...we are all healthier and feeling great. Most importantly, Jim's run away blood pressure is the lowest that it has been in years. All of his other numbers are good...so we are having a celebratory, once a year only birthday meal.  Shrimp cocktail and brushetta on whole wheat ciabatta toasts followed by NY strip steaks, real mashed potatoes and corn on the cob (we have been eating what our diet calls mashed potatoes- baked potatoes whipped up with no salt chicken stock and pepper) and Jimmy's favorite cake from Costco. Kate and Jeff are coming and it promises to be a great night.

When we light the candles and turn off the lights to sing...my heart will be very full. Another birthday. So very thankful.