Visitor?

This was a refelction of light through our side window onto a picture frame onto our hallway wall. We noticed it while cleaning today. Other than a dirty wall, what do you see in these pictures?







Kind of different!
Please leave a comment.

Grand Rapids Food Weekend

We stayed at the JW Marriott

12th floor

the room




View during a snow storm



Loved the bathroom!




Outside



Waiting on Dinner












That was Friday night.
Saturday went spent the day at a military event getting all the new info we need for the coming year. After we were dismissed we napped for a bit then headed out for dinner. We were told that Z's was the place in the area for "Good food and relaxing"
Sarge had

He loved it!
I had

They were touted as "The best ribs in town" yeah- well, after one bit I could not eat them. I did not complain, just didn't eat. The owner did comp my meal. How they are called the best I have no idea!! The service was wonderful and the Pineapple juice with Southern comfort that I had was amazing!
We went back to Six-One-Six for my meal


I am not a Blue Cheese lover, it was good but not my favorite thing there.
I ordered the Six-One-Six Burger

For dessert we shared a

We will be returning to this restaurant.
The storm passed and we headed home on Sunday

Cleaning

Who would have thought that my newest cleaner for the tub/shower would come from a food website? Not me!
I have tried everything to clean my shower and glass doors. Tilex, scrubbing bubbles, Ajax, steel wool on the glass (softly)...I mean everything I could think of. I had about given up and was using a scrub brush and elbow grease to get the weekly cleaning done. (Yes, we wipe it down after showers every day.)
Last week, I found a link on Pinterest for a simple cleaner that said it was the best. I battle soap scum and black on the bottom of my tub every week, so I just had to try it. I sprayed it on the tub and then on the shower doors. I went a head and used it on my sink as well. I let it set as I cleaned the potty (I use straight vinegar for this) while the mixture set on the surfaces. When I went back to scrub, no scrubbing needed! I wiped the surfaces clean and wha-la! White shower with doors you can see through again. Sink cleaned up just as easily and the faucet shined.
No- I am not going to show you pictures of my bathroom. Sorry. I am just happy it worked and passing this along to you.

Hodgepodge Wednesday

You too can join the fun

1. What is something you are loving right now?

This winter! I know it will change soon, but I love that there is no snow. I am able to drive without panic attacks, I am able to go outside without fear of falling. Yes, we need the snow for crops and trees and such, but this transplanted California girl is loving her green winter right now!

2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?

With these choices, I would say Venice. The water, the history, the story of the city...all romance to me.

3. Are you a romantic?

I have been accused of looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I am a romantic. I like to make people happy and I love that I am able to on occasion. I like happy endings, though true ending are never happy, I still like to think of them that way.

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?

I love a good love story. What comes to mind is The Notebook. Makes me cry but it was a very wonderful love story.

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question.

According to the quiz,



Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

However I think I am more like Owl. My favorite is Eeyore though.

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?

I love chocolate. I think it comes from not getting much of it when I was growing up. My mother was allergic to it, so we always had cherry or butterscotch items instead.

That being said, I like milk chocolate. Not dark chocolate and heaven forbid white chocolate- I really don't consider this chocolate, it is chocolate fat. (HA!)

My favorite chocolate is See's Molasses Chip milk chocolate bars. Second would be what we can find here, which is Sea Foam. YUM!

7. Share a favorite quote about love.

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” Robert A. Heinlein

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This week has had many turns. Yesterday I needed a hug, so I decided to knit myself one.

I am using this pattern and this hand spun yarn

I also needed warm hands, as we do not have snow but our temps have been quite chilly lately.

I hope you all get a hug today and that you stay warm where ever you are.

Ten Years

We made it!!!

Then



Now



For our anniversary Sarge got to take me to his work.
He had put up his employer for an award and it just so happened that they chose today for the small ceremony.

Hodgepodge Wednesday

Join in on Joyce's blog

1. It's that most wonderful time of the year...tax season! Do you complete your own returns or farm that job out to the professionals?

We leave ours to the professionals. Much easier that way.

2. This next question comes from Kansas Bob...he posed it in his response to something I asked in an earlier Wednesday post and I asked him if I could add it to the Hodgepodge some day. Today's the day....
Which do you think has changed you more-love or pain?

Oh my. Both have changed me. I think pain has changed me more though because I grew more in love with each pain that has been overcome.

3. Tangerine Tango has been named color of the year for 2012. Your thoughts? Would I find this color anywhere in your house? How about in your closet? If not, will you be adding this color to your life in some way in 2012? If you're not sure what tangerine tango looks like click here.

Oranges make me smile. I think they are my third favorite color. I added it in 2011 by knitting this shawl I have more of that color or ones close to it in my stash.

4. Are you a collector? What do you collect and does it get admired, used, and/or dusted regularly?

Yes. I collect yarn. It stays in my craft room until I use it. I also collect sheep and frogs. These are mostly decorations, but dusting is not in my vocabulary.

5. February is National Heart Month...besides a green salad what is one tasty heart healthy dish you like to prepare?

We try to eat heart healthy. Using good oils and avoiding the bad ones. We eat a lot of vegetables, chicken and whole grains. One of our favorite snacks is homemade hummus and we use veggies to dip and eat.

6. When was the last time you had car trouble?

Our 300 has been down for a couple of weeks. We need to get the front end looked at. I think it is a ball joint.

7. Have you been more demanding on yourself lately or less? Is that a good trend?

Less. It is a bad thing. I need to get back into my exercise routine. I also need to get back into a cleaning routine. UGH!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary. I am making my husband a deck of cards to take on his travels this year. On these cards, I am pasting 52 reasons why I love him. I will then punch holes and bind it with some wool I have spun up. I found this on Pinterest a few months ago and am trying to get it done today. Are you addicted to Pinterest? Add me as a friend if you are. I am CoggieTM there as well as everywhere else on the net.

Hodgepodge Wednesday

You can link up on Joyce's blog and play along.

1. The NFL playoffs were held this past weekend and this year's Superbowl lineup will feature The New York Giants versus The New England Patriots. How do you define 'patriot'?

Someone that supports the fundamentals of the country that they hail from and are willing to do what is needed to see that stand for future generations.

2. What's something in your life right now that feels like a 'giant'?

The amount of yarn that it takes to make myself a sweater.

3. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think back to being 18?

Freedom. 18 was my year of fun. I was not living at home. I worked full time but still had time to hang with my friends. It was a very eyeopening year for me.

4. Coconut-mashed potatoes-vanilla ice cream-mayonnaise...which white food would be the hardest to give up?

Mashed Potatoes!! I love mashed potatoes, they are my comfort food. I don't have them often, but when I do, I want them. Most of the time we have mashed Cauliflower instead, but nothing is better than mashed potatoes when I need a bit of old fashioned comfort. Another plus is that leftovers can be made into mashed potato soup, potato pancakes or topping for shepherds pie. mmm!

5. Describe an incident or a day you remember as the coldest you've ever experienced?

Coldest, as in burr- Yeah, I live in Michigan. Most of the winter it is the coldest I have ever been in. However, I do remember out in California when I was a teenager, our car broke down on the side of the highway. We did not have coats with us and it was freezing. Yes, California can be colder than Michigan if you are not prepared.

6. You're hosting a brunch...what's your favorite dish to prepare and serve?

Open faced egg sandwiches. It is an English muffin with a scrambled egg on it. On top you put two slices of bacon, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a slice of tomato. Broil. You can make about a dozen at a time on a broiler pan. So good!

7. How do you combat negative thinking?

To stop negative thinking, I try to climb inside a good book. There are times this is my only way of escaping problems that arrive in life. It also clears my mind so that I can face whatever problem that the negative thinking is caused from.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am excited to start the Fiber Sampler that I received in the mail this week. It is from Woolgatherings . For the next almost 6 months, I will be talking about a different breed a week on my podcast. Pictures of the study can be found here. This is different from other samplers I have attempted, as it is all processed fiber. I have found that I really do not like to clean my own fiber and will leave that up to people who do it better than I do. Please head over to Woolgatherings and order a sampler so you can spin along with me.