moth balls

My grandson Hunter (Little Billy #2) has a folder at least 4 inches thick at the pediatrician's office. You just never know what he will get into next. Today it was moth balls. My daughter lives in an apartment complex and they recently found a snake in one of the stairwells so to keep the snakes away the maintenance crew placed moth balls in and around the stairwells. Why they did this is beyond me. There are numerous children living in the complex including my grandkids. Little Billy #2 loves to put things in his mouth and while playing today managed to find some neat little stinky balls. My daughter just called me at work to tell me she is on the way to the emergency room. Little Billy #2 says he didn't eat any but most of the time you don't know if he did or didn't do something. He tells you what he wants be it the truth or not. So I'm sitting here on pins and needles waiting for her to call and let me know something.
I never know what to expect when she calls me.

***Update*** - Little Billy is doing fine. He only spent about 4 hours in the hospital for observation. He repeatly burped like a man most of Friday night and said it tasted like those balls so we think he did put them in his mouth. I just hope this taught him a lesson but something tells me not to hold my breath.

Bacon and Tomato Pasta

I recently fixed this and thought it would make for a quick weeknight meal. After it was done I realized it wasn't as quick as I thought so I would list this as a weekend meal. This one came from the Food Network and is a Guy Fieri recipe. I love his recipes.


2 tablespoons kosher salt
16 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine
4 tablespoons basil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add EVOO, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze pan with wine.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with parmesan cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast Beef & Horseradish Roll-Ups

This recipe is off of the AlpineLace Deli Cheese website. I first fixed these for my dad's 70th birthday bash. They were quite yummy and easy to make. The original recipe called for fat free products. No fat? That's just plain unAmerican.

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horesradish

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

5 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

30 fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

5 (1 oz) slices deli roast beef

1/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese

Beat cream cheese, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl until smooth. Spread about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture evenly on each tortilla.

Arrange 6 spinach leaves over cream cheese, place 1 slice of roast beef over spinach. Sprinkle cheese over roast beef. Roll up tightly. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

To serve, trim ends or tortilla. Cut each tortilla into 7 (1-inch) slices.

Chinese Green Beans

Billy Head doesn't often request a certain food but he actually asks for these. I took two recipes I had and played around with them and this is my version of Chinese Green Beans.

2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Dash Tabasco
1 pound Chinese long beans, rinsed and ends trimmed
2 to 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

In a large skillet, bring first six ingredients to a boil; continue to boil until reduced by half. Add the beans, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the cover; continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender yet still crisp, about 5 minutes. Add Balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Taste at this point. Sometimes I add a little extra soy sauce and/or balsamic vinegar

Party Punch

I made this punch for my daughter's wedding reception and it was a hit.

1 pkg. unsweetened pink lemonade Kool-Aid
2 cups sugar
2 cups hot water
2 cups cold water
32 oz. pineapple juice
1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale


Mix first 3 ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. Add cold water and pineapple juice. Freeze. Several hours before use, take out and let thaw until slushy. Put in punch bowl and add ginger ale. Mix gently.

Christmas Wassail

This recipe is perfect for those cold winter nights and especially good during the holidays. My ex-boyfriend gave me this recipe. Let's just say this is the only good thing that came from that relationship. Enjoy!


1 gallon apple cider
25-30 whole cloves
6-10 cinnamon sticks
1 quart pineapple juice
1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate

Mix all ingredients in a large pot and simmer. Serve hot.

Crockpot Pork Roast

This was the very first meal I ever fixed for Billy Head. It was a keeper and I guess he is too.

1 2 lb. pork tenderloin
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion, sliced in rings
4-5 med. Potatoes
4 carrots, cut in chunks
1 can green beans, drained
1 small jar horseradish
1/2 cup water
salt & pepper

Spray crockpot with Pam, Place onion, potatoes and carrots in bottom of pot. Place roast on top of veggies. Make 3 slits in top of roast and insert a garlic clove in each. Pour green beans around roast. Spread horseradish on top of meat. Pour water gently on meat and veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Bait and Switch

I remember the first night I cooked dinner for Billy Head. I had gotten up early and pulled out the dusty but trusty crockpot. After much stressing I decided to fix a pork roast. I wasn't sure what type of food he liked but my pork dinner would please just about any Billy that came along. I threw in all the ingredients for my crockpot pork roast and headed off to work.

Dinner time came and we were eating and making googly eyes at each other (sort of) and the subject of food came up. Then these words which I remember so vividly came out of his mouth... " Oh yeah, I'll eat anything but eggplant". "Really?" I asked with a sigh of relief. What had I been so worried about, this man would eat anything I would ever fix because eggplant is not in my vocabulary. Also from his mouth came " we make a good team, you cook and I will clean up" OMG I've found my soul mate. He would eat practically anything and clean to boot. I was in relationship bliss.

Temporarily that is.

When the next meal together came about, I did my part and cooked yet another man pleaser meal. We dined and as we finished I noticed he quietly retreated to the living room. Hmmm what's this....I figure he's just tired and forgot about those promises he made a few nights earlier. He would certainly remember as he hears me rattling dishes clearing the table. I was hoping to jolt his memory by intentionally clanging a few pots here and there. Nope, nada, nothing. No type of dish clanging was hitting home with him.

You know what they say, if it seems to good to be true then it probably is.

Many meals go by and suddenly out of the blue I hear the words " I don't like that." "WHAT????" I say startled. How dare he utter such. But you said "I'll eat anything but eggplant" and I based our entire relationship on those words. I wasn't ready for this. A true case of Bait and Switch. I had been HAD! And another thing...What happened to Me Cook, You Clean? C'mon mister, what you got to say now?

Today Billy Heads list of dislikes has grown to include my meatloaf, any type of gravy, my stuffed chicken shells, grilled ham sandwiches, barbecue chicken (or anything barbecued for that matter), peaches, and many times my spaghetti. However, I have learned a trick or two of my own over the years. One of which- make spaghetti night a regular. Most men will only tolerate it every once and a while and if they want something besides spaghetti, well then I guess it means dinner out. Not to shabby if I say so myself. Right girls?

Stuffed Chicken Bundles

This recipe came out of a kids cookbook my daughter had when she was younger. Since both my kids were picky eaters I had to find picky eater food. This actually fit the bill for them and for me too. Easy, cheap and kid friendly. What else could you ask?

1 8 oz. pkg. sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
4 boned skinless chicken breasts, pounded slightly to flatten
3 tablespoon butter
Grated Parmesan cheese

Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoon butter.
In mixing bowl stir together mushrooms, cheese, yogurt, pimiento and parsley.
Spread 2 rounded tablespoons of mixture on each piece of chicken.
Fold 1 side over to meet other. Fasten with tooth-pick.
Place chicken in baking dish.
In a saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter.
Brush tops of chicken with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Aunt Barbara's Buttermilk Pie

My Aunt Barbara is the baker in the family and she knows her stuff. A couple years ago I put together a family cookbook and ask family members to share some of their best recipes. This is one of the ones she shared.

1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon flavoring
1 tbsp. almond flavoring
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour

Mix flour and sugar. Add eggs and butter; beat. Add flavorings and buttermilk. Pour into an unbaked pie shell . Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until firm. Makes 2 pies or 1 deep dish pie.

Jack-n-the Macaroni Bake

This is another recipe I believe I found in a Southern Living cookbook. This is a neat twist on plain mac and cheese.


Jack-n-the Macaroni Bake

1 (8 oz.) package elbow macaroni
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1 can Cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Chili powder

Cook macaroni according to directions. Melt butter in a Dutch oven, add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat.; stir constantly until crisp tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, soup and sour cream. Stir in macaroni. Spoon into greased shallow 2 qt. casserole. Sprinkle with chili powder. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken and Mushroom Casserole

I stumbled across this recipe years ago in a Southern Living Cookbook. I made this over the weekend for Billy Head and got a "This is really good, Honey" from him. I'll let you be the judge but when men take time to comment on something, it must be good.

1 (7 oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 small onion, chopped
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbsp. butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook macaroni, drain, rinse and drain again.

Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter.

Add all ingredients and mix well.

Spoon into a lightly greased 3 qt. baking dish. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Our Little Billy Dog

I always wanted a little lap dog. One that would sit still and love to snuggle with you. I searched the classifed ads and found one that I was sure would be just that. A cute little lap dog named Pepper Jack. He was a purebred cocker spaniel and sooooo cute. We got him as a puppy and I let him sleep by my bed. The first night I even had my hand over in the box with him. I knew he probably missed his ma. Pepper grew and grew and was a cutie. But underneath that cute exterior he was the dog from you know where. I've heard that dogs don't bite the hand that feeds them. WRONG! Well, he didn't bite the hand but he did bite the leg of the person who fed him. ME, TWICE I might add.


After the second attack we took a little drive. Straight back to the breeder we got him from. "Here", I said. "He's all yours".


I'm sure she felt bad and she offered to make things right. She offered me the pick of the next litter and being the hopeful soul I am, agreed. A few months later the breeder called to tell me the pups had been born and we could come pick one out. And we excitedly did just that. We picked a little black and tan ball of fur we named Dreyfus.

Dreyfus was a lot of fun and a lot of work. I had forgotten how much attention puppies require but I was still hoping for the cute little lap dog. I must remind you that Dreyfus came from the same breeder as Pepper. Any red flags popping up? I guess any normal person would put two and two together. Not me though. I wanted a sweet dog to cuddle with and what was the chance that two cocker spaniels would be mean and vicious.

Dreyfus stayed with us for a while and when Billy Head came into my life he and Dreyfus bonded immediately. Billy Head was convinced he was the Alpha Male and Dreyfus his loyal playmate. I need to add here that these cocker spaniels were not lap dogs. They never sat still.


One day Dreyfus went outside with Billy Head. We didn't let him outside without a leash very often but this particular day we did. Wouldn't you know my neighbor decided to come outside and that's all it took. Dreyfus bolted across the yard and pinned my poor neighbor up against her house. Billy Head rushed to get him and Dreyfus bit him. And in return (one good deed deserves another) Billy Head bit him back.

I think Billy Head, the Alpha Male was hoping to teach Dreyfus a lesson but when he bit him, THAT was the last straw. We took another short drive. Guess where?


I guess the third time is a charm. Meet Cody Dean.








Finally, My LAP DOG! He is the sweetest and laziest dog I know. He is a Yorkshire Terrier and we got him by accident. We went to a breeder's house to look at their new puppies but they were quite expensive. I fell in love with them and wanted them all but I have no money and especially no money to spend on three darling puppies. Anyway, the breeder mentioned she had 12 or so older yorkies outside in the kennels and her husband told her she had to downsize. We went and took a peek. They were all barking and jumping and wanting us to notice them. But there was one barking louder than the rest and jumping higher than the rest. I think he was saying, "Look at me, Pleeeeeaaaasssseeeeeee, Look at me" and Billy Head picked up on that right away. I am oblivious to some things.

Billy Head informed me that was the one. I looked at him and thought, his teeth are stained and his ear is broken. What does Billy Head know about picking a dog anyway??? I knew I had no argument, after all I wasn't exactly the best dog picker either, nuff said. I wasn't impressed with this little dog at all and if it had not been for Billy Head my precious little lap dog would still be jumping his heart out in that kennel.

So this is Cody. Stained teeth, stinky breath, floppy ear and all. I love Him like no other dog in the world.

Ready for School Too

I cannot show favoritism. This little billy will start school soon too. He will be going to Pre-School again this year.






I kept him last night while Little Billy #1 went to her Open House and as ususal he wanted to know what was to eat. So luckily I had his favorite. Watermelon.
He loves watermelon and so does Billy Head. They were arguing over the last piece last night so I had to step in and referee. You must share boys!!! Play nice.

He is sporting his new "DO"too.

(Now if I could just get a picture of him without food in his mouth.)

He and I went school shopping last week as his "date with Nana" time. We went to Staples and OfficeMax and then I told him we were going to Kmart. As I pulled into the parking lot of Kmart he asked "can we go to your house, nana"? I knew he had shopped till he dropped" so Kmart was the last stop and we headed home without the Hulk backpack I promised him. I keep my promises and so this weekend I will dodge the school shopping crowd at Wallyworld and hopefully find a Hulk backpack and maybe even hit the mall for some Hannah Montana big girl shoes for sissy.

Ready for school

This little girl will be starting Kindergarten on Friday. I can't believe it. Just yesterday I was watching her take her first steps. And the day before that I was watching her mom take her first steps.


In case you've never gotten a little girl ready for back to school you've missed out on a very special event. Last year when she was a little girl she liked Dora the Explorer and she had to have Dora on her lunch box and backpack. This year she is too old for Dora so guess who she likes now.

Hmmmm.....Hard guess wasn't it?

So the shopping begins. Hannah Montana backpack, lunch box, pencils, folders and shoes if we can find some to fit. Oh, the joys of being a girl.

You can't just have Hannah Montana stuff. You have to have cool hair to go with it. Don't you know anything? So it's a cool new hair cut for her too. She is way too grown up to be only 4.

I went to visit them the other night and she had to show me her new poster in her room. Not only did I see a poster but I watched my 4 year old granddaughter kiss the poster repeatly on the lips of Nick Jonas. Oh my gosh!!! I can remember doing it too but I hope I was older than 4. I'm trying to think who I kissed on the wall in my room, it must have been Donnie Osmond or who was the guy from the Partridge Family? David Cassady? or was it Brad Pitt. Oh wait, that was last week. That I remember.

Anyway, back to the subject of school preparation. Little Billy #1 went to the open house at her new school last night and met her teacher. She was excited and also glad to see her little friend Noah is in her class. Hopefully that won't turn into a bad thing. Let's hope they behave.

Beach Shrimp

This recipe came from Southern Living and I've fixed it a few times. It's a quick and easy way to fix shrimp. I haven't fixed it lately due to the fact that I have boycotted shrimp from overseas. After watching the news report about the nastiness of seafood shipped here from places like China and Thailand I sort of lost my appetite for seafood. However, I was in Kroger this past weekend and guess what I found. Shrimp from the US of A. Halleluiah. I can eat seafood again.


3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp
1 (16 oz) bottle Italian dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 lemons, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup butter, cut up


Place first 4 ingredients in a 13x9 inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons over shrimp mixture, and stir. Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley, dot with butter. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.

*3 lb. Frozen peeled, large raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Our family's spaghetti sauce recipe

This is the way we were taught to make spaghetti thru the ages. This is the way my grandma used to make it, and then my mom and now me and my children too. The only problem, it is one of those recipes handed down from my mom with no amounts so I guessed at the amounts here. The longer it simmers, the better it is.


1 lb. hamburger
1/4 to 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup water ( or a little more if needed)
Spices: Garlic salt or powder, onion salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, and oregano.


Saute onions and green peppers in a small amount of oil until slightly tender. Add hamburger. Once hamburger is browned, drain off grease. Add tomato products and 1/4 cup of water. Add spices to taste. Simmer 30 minutes or so.

Valerie's Penne Pasta with Cream Sauce

This is another of my sis's recipes and this one is really good for a quick week night meal. My son and daughter both love this and make it in their own kitchens. Surprise, Surprise. They actually cook!


1 package Italian Sausage (hot or mild)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or to taste)
2 cups penne pasta
1/3 cup cream
Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain pasta. Remove sausage from casing and slice. Cook in olive oil till browned. Add onion, green pepper and cook till tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and seasoning. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add cooked pasta, stir well and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cream, mix well. Simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with garlic bread and salad. Enjoy!

Beef satay stir-fry

I tried this recipe one night this week and it was very good. I found the recipe online and I made it according to the directions. However, listed below is my modified version.

4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
4 Tbsp water
1 tbsp honey
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp hot chili sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pkg of stir-fry beef (or sirloin steak cut into strips)
1 pkg. of frozen stir-fry veggies
1 small onion, sliced in strips
1 small green pepper, sliced in strips
Rice or noodles

Mix the peanut butter with the water. Stir in the honey, soy sauce and chili sauce. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan and add the garlic and beef. Stir-fry for 4 minutes and then add the vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until tender yet crunchy.

Add the sauce, stir well and heat until bubbling, Serve immediately with rice or noodles.

My Sister

This is Valerie, my one and only sister and she isn't a Billy. (I don't care what Billy Head says).


She is too cool to be a Billy.

Valerie is an awesome wife, mother, sister, friend, daughter, therapist and cook. I know I can always count on her for anything including counseling sessions. And her rates are cheap.

She is the best sister a girl could want and then some. She and her husband, Steve, are loyal hokies and a perfect pair. (Although he may be a Billy. I'll have to ask Billy Head.)

(Steve and my grandbaby Lexi)

Since this blog is about cooking (sort of), you'll see many of her recipes here that she has given me and some that were probably hers that I claim as mine. Either way they are worth checking out. Especially Valerie's Chicken Chili Pasta and Valerie's Penne Pasta with Cream Sauce.

Valerie’s Chicken Chili Pasta

Okay I'm feeling really bad about not crediting my sister for her knack of finding good recipes. So today I will spend some time being a good sister and post some of her awesome recipes. She is a fantastic cook and always shares her recipes with me. I have no idea where she got this one but she did good. There is a funny story attached to this recipe that I must share. Sorry Mom. My mom loves this stuff but she hates to cook so when my sister makes it mom is in heaven. Now for the funny part. You know sometimes you forget something is in your fridge and it gets pushed towards the back. C'mon, I know you've done it too. And the stuff stays in there for a couple weeks growing all kinds of hairy little creatures. Well, my sister had made this pasta and the leftovers had been sitting in her fridge for about 2 weeks. My mom came to visit her and decided to raid her fridge while my sister was out. Guess what she ate! Deserves her right for eating without asking.

This is a delicious chili and pasta recipe- just don't wait two weeks to eat it.



Valerie’s Chicken Chili Pasta

2 to 4 chicken breasts
1 medium red bell pepper
6 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies or jalapenos (drained)
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (14 oz.) can navy beans (drained)
8 oz. bow tie pasta
olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder

Boil chicken breasts until cooked, then shred. Cook and drain pasta. While chicken is boiling, broil whole red pepper in oven until black (turn as needed). Put red pepper into paper bag to cool. (This helps to remove the skin). Remove the outer skin and dice red pepper, onion and garlic. Sauté in olive oil until onion is just translucent. Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, chilies or jalapenos, chili powder. Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in navy beans and pasta. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with garlic bread or toast.

Italian Sausage Soup

Now that my stomach is back to normal I can resume my favorite activity, thinking about food. Since autumn is approaching soups come to mind and this is one my sister shared with me. I think she found it online at Allrecipes. I entered this recipe in a local contest a couple of years ago and won. Thanks Sis! And being the wonderful sister that I am, I didn't share my winnings with her or credit her with finding the recipe. So I'll redeem myself now. MY SISTER FOUND THIS RECIPE AND IT IS REALLY GOOD!


Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 oz.) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 oz.) can Great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 cups spinach, packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt & pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat, add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes

29 And Holding

This picture was taken before the "Dreaded Stomach virus" hit us. See, we are still smiling.

This is my sister, my mom and me and the professional photographer was my 11 year old nephew. Nice job Seth. And look, he even captured the only flowers I haven't managed to kill. I do not have a green thumb or green grass or green money or green anything. Green is just not my color. Except the time I tried to color my hair and then I think I had green hair. One of many hair colors I have cried over. If you've ever had a bad color job I'm sure you can relate to what I'm saying.


My sister and I just discovered today we are twins. What a day of discovery. I can't understand why it took mom so long to spill the beans but gosh it's nice knowing that even though she is 8 years younger she is still 29 too. 29 is such a good age and one worth holding on to. Don't you agree? Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

A Billy Barfing Weekend

See this little guy.

And all his cuteness.

See this family

And all their smiles.

Look closely at this picture. See anything that might wipe the smiles off their faces?

Look hard.....harder......See it? Yeah, that's what I thought. Didn't find anything did you? We didn't see it either but lurking on and around that cuteness mentioned above was the germ called"THE DREADED AND HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS STOMACH BUG".

My weekend started out so nice. I took Friday off to get ready. My son and his family were coming Friday evening. I haven't seen them since January so I was excited they were coming to visit. My sister and her family were also coming on Saturday along with my parents and my daughter and her family. One big happy family.

Then that little guy and all his cuteness got sick and it was down hill from there. He was sick on Friday evening and Saturday. That uninvited germ had made its way into my house and must have decided it liked our family. Monday my nephew got sick, Monday night my mom and my daughter were ailing. Not to mention yours truly. Tuesday my niece caught it. Wednesday my brother-in-law and Thursday my son.

I hope everyone feels better soon.

I hate germs!

My Billy Parent's

In case you've taken time to look thru some or all of my posts I'm sure you will see that I love family photos. These two people are my parents, Eva Grey and Carlton. They are the best! Of course Billy Head says they are Billy's and they are but he has also named my mother Evil Grey. Which is funny, because that is what I called her when I was in high school. I thought she was the meanest mother in the world. Little did I know, parenting is a tough job. And that is putting it lightly. I am so glad my children are past those grueling years. I love them dearly but oh those teenage years. I would have sold them to the traveling circus for a nickel but they were full. I guess other parent's had the same idea.

I know I caused my parents many a sleepless night breaking curfew, backtalking, skipping school, hanging out with some very undesirable characters and some other things that don't deserve mentioning. Thankfully I did grow out of that stage and become a responsible adult. Most days. So if you're the parent of a teenager, take heart. This too shall pass. Keep your chin up and put the circus number on speed dial.

Spicy Dijon Marinated Chicken

I found this recipe from a local grocery store and modified it by adding horseradish. My all time favorite spice, or food, or vegetable or whatever the heck it is. Anyway, it's really good and worth trying.

4 boneless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. horseradish

Make a marinade with the last seven ingredients. Mix well. Place chicken breast in a bowl and pour marinade over it and refrigerate for 2 hour. Heat grill to medium-high heat and cook until nicely browned and until internal temp is 170.

Happy Birthday Granny

Meet my Granny who turned 93 on Saturday. My dad and I went to visit her and of course I couldn't resist pulling out my camera to capture the moment. I tried my best to get a smile from her but I think she just wanted to stare at me.

I think the camera finally sparked an interest and she told me to come here. This was the look I got for the second shot. She can be a little stubborn when she wants. She wasn't going to smile and that was final.

My Granny suffers from dementia and on most days doesn't know her family. She is mom to five children, granny to ten, great-granny to eighteen and great great-granny to five. My daughter was the first great-grandchild to make her a great great-granny and therefore we were blessed with five, yes five generations. (I was a child bride you know).

This picture is of the five generations.

My Billy Son

This is my son, Jamerson.

He is my youngest and I always said if he had been my first there would have been no more. My daughter did everything by the book so to speak and was pretty easy to discipline(until the teenage years and that is a whole new chapter). Then this little guy came along and said the heck with a book....I write the book around here.

He was a tiny terror but cute as a button. See.

Where does time go? It certainly doesn't take long for kids to grow up, does it? I can remember this photo like it was yesterday. He was pouting because I told him to get out of the car.

Is it me or do you see a serious case of "ATTITUDE"? That's my boy!

My Billy Daughter

This is Greta, my firstborn. Isn't she sweet?

Today she is a mom herself to three little billy's, Carson, Hunter and Caden.

She is a beautiful girl and has her hands full raising kids as a single parent. I am very proud of her accomplishments and her stamina. Raising three kids is no easy task I don't care who you are. She and her brother were all I could handle. I can't imagine having a third one. I would probably have a few more gray hairs than I do. Did I say gray? I meant blonde. Blonde, Blonde, Blonde.