So Proud!!!

This past weekend at the family reunion, I got to spend some quality time with my cousin Jason, who happens to be autistic. After Nick took him on a boat ride (which he absolutely loved) we relaxed inside for a bit, and hung out during part of the auction sale (at which my hand crafted cards sold for $20 and the stepping stone sold for $85). It was at this point I got to see some of his artwork. To give you a quick view on him, he is currently 14 years old, has a hard time making eye contact, and is very high energy. When speaking to him, there is very little verbal communication, except a few repetitive phrases he uses, and words he repeats when you say them. No one was ever really sure when he would be potty trained, how he would do in school, whether or not he would catch on or not, because everything in his world is completely different than in ours. Yet, this kid is a genius.



He has this large sketch pad that he takes with him when he leaves home, and I got to see some of his drawings. He draws these particular ones over and over, but also does words like barn, tractor, donkey, and many more. I honestly dont think i'd be able to draw up any word to match its meaning, let alone something as simple as "DOG". He continues to master them day after day, and come up with new ones.

I love this little man with all my heart, and this past weekend, he made me so proud!

A Spark Of Creativity....

This weekend we'll be attending the Funk Family Renion that takes place every third year. Luckily, it's at the lake, so it's close to home, and we already have a place to sleep! This year, it's my very own Granny planning the event, and she is really excited about it, so we're gonna try and make the best of hanging out with seniors by visiting with relatives and eating home cooked german food. (Personally, I'm vouching for rollkuchen and watermelon...yum!)

So, obviously these things cost money, and this year we have to pay $30 dollars per person. It's not bad really, as it covers our meals for 3 days, and lodging for anyone who needs it. This year, someone came up with the idea of having an auction of donated handcrafted items for people at the reunion to buy. The idea is for everyone to bring something crafty they have made, whether it be baking or quilting, or whatever else. In the long run, they hope to raise enough money to down the reunion fee for next time. The problem is....I am in no way shape or form crafty.

This is what I came up with....



Homemade greeting cards! Now, for someone who isn't very crafty, I think they turned out pretty darn nice! I made 10 in all, and placed them in a nice little box and wrapped it perfectly. I only took pictures of the four best ones. An avid scrapbooker will probably look at these and laugh....which is why I didnt post pictures of the other six I made, because trust me, they are much worse!

My mom also asked me for help making her "craft". It wasn't that she needed physical assistance, but it was something fun to do together. We made a really neat stepping stone with "Funk Reunion 2010" stamped into it. The small kit came with the concrete dust, some crushed glass for decoration, and some very simple instructions. My mom and I had it down to a science, but unfortunatly, both Nick and my dad were present and they were both offering their "assistance". For something the size of a small pizza box, my dad offered to fetch the wheelbarrow, and Nick suggested "Funk You" or "Funk Off" instead of "Funk Reunion 2010". So after a painful evening with the men in our family, we accomplished what we set out to do, and I think it's pretty neat. The butterfly was all me!

Plaque Buster Biscuits

I make these cookies for my furry monsters and they love them! This is a very hard biscuit with a crunchy texture that helps scrape plaque and build-up off their teeth. It is made with very healthy ingredients and is good for any dog. It's really quite a simple recipe, although depending on where you buy your ingredients, it can be expensive. (I recommend Nutters or any other natural bulk food store) Because it was so easy and fun to do, I thought I'd share my recipe!

3/4 cup powdered skim milk
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1/4 cup bulgar wheat
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 egg, beaten
Optional Additions: Shredded cheese & Bacon bits

1. In a mixing bowl, combine powdered skim milk, cornmeal, bulgar wheat and flour. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water. Add rolled oats and let stand about five minutes. Stir in beaten egg.

3. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients from your first bowl, half a cup at a time, until well blended. The last few cupfuls, blend with your hands. (I wear gloves, because its pretty sticky)

4. Divide dough into two or three balls so it is easy to work with.

5. Knead each dough ball on a floured surface, about three or four minutes.

6. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough down between 1/4" to 1/2" thickness.

7. Slice into squares (or use cute cookie cutters like me) and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.

8 Bake 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of your biscuit. Let cool several hours on the cookie sheet in the oven, or on a baking rack overnight.

9. Store at room temperature in a container with a loose-fitting lid.


PS: I usually refrain from adding too much cheese as it gives my dogs wicked gas. The bacon bits seem to be fine though, and they add the "treat" element to the cookie. I also make two sizes, one for our pup Whiksey (the heart shaped ones) and one for our older dog, Trigger. (The bone shaped ones). Although I'm not sure it matters as Whiskey just swallows his whole anyway...

Have a look!

I'm So Excited....And I Just Can't Hide It......

No really....I'm sssssooooo excited, and I just can't hhhhhiiiiidddeee it! We bought an Ahhh-qua Bar!!! (or - floating party island, as I like to call it) I've pretty much told everyone who would listen how excited I was to go buy the darn thing after seeing it in the Canadian Tire flyer on Thursday. Not only was I sold on the fact that it was 40% off, but that it comes with 4 inflatable free floating chairs, a built in drink cooler, and 12 cup holders! So I gathered all my well saved Canadian Tire money (which only totalled $13.00), put it in my purse and waited for 5:00 friday to hit. When it did, I hopped in the truck to find my party island in the backseat!!!!!!!!! We took it to the lake, and I blew up a chair just to check it out. Aaannnndd, it is definitley just as awesome as I expected it to be. I can't wait to try it out next weekend!

We Heart Camping!

Welcome Home Whiskey!

Trigger officially has a little brother, and they LOVE eachother. Whiskey is a purebred Australian Sheppard and will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. They have spent the whole five days we've had the pup chasing eachother around, having tug-of-war matches, and sharing eachothers waterbowls. If only such things kept my tail wagging!

R.I.P. Kitty Kitty

Growing up, I wasnt allowed to have pets, so when I moved in with Nick it frequently came up in conversation as to whether or not we should get one. We never did agree that the timing was right, and put the idea temporarily to rest. Then (about three years ago) my Grandpa passed away the day before my birthday. We were very close, and I was an emotional wreck. Nick and his brother Brad worked together to keep me occupied for the afternoon of my birthday, and when I was allowed to return home, there was a baby kitty waiting for me. She really kept my mind off of things, and as time went by, she became a constant happy reminder of my Grandpa. She was grumpy cat alright, but I loved her with all my heart. Anyone who knew me knew my Emma was my baby. A few weeks ago she became ill and we decided it was best to put her down. As hard as it was for me to say goodbye, I know she is free of pain and in a better place. She may be gone, but i'll love her and miss her forever....