Taylor Tuesdays...

I have been wanting to learn to play the guitar since I met Jim. So for the new season in my life, the one with no kids going back to school; I have been looking for something to set my sights on, so I have committed to guitar lessons on Tuesdays.

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man is even going to let me play his "Taylor Big Baby"!

Sweeeeeeet!!!

I will take them from a professional; we didn't think it was a good idea to have a husband and wife teacher/student relationship... just in case.

I can't wait for Taylor Tuesdays!

I hope he can teach an old dog new tricks!

A blast from the past...

We were looking forward to one of our favorite bands coming to the fair.

We have been listening to them for almost 30 years.... and they were one of the bands we both loved when we first started dating.

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They sang to us driving from California and Washington to meet in the middle of Oregon to see each other on the weekends. We have driven miles and miles to this band.

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They sang to us on many road trips and adventures with the teenager too, but we couldn't convince him to come with us.... Oh I wish he would have.

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And I have listened to my strong silent mysterious man play their music on his guitars since we had met.

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So when we heard they were coming to our State Fair... we just knew we had to go see them. I even gave up going to the big rodeo in our town (of which I have not been since we lived here... it was going to be MY YEAR to finally go to the rodeo), but we decided to get tickets to see .38 Special instead.

We love their music! They started out as a southern rock band, and play mostly classic rock music.

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My Strong Silent Mysterious Man does not like crowds, so we don't go to crowded places, like malls and markets and fairs, but the exception would be a really really good concert. And when he goes, he wants to be on the front row in the middle of the crowd, it is beyond me, and makes no sense, but he does.

So we went 2 1/2 hours early... (I am telling you, it's like I don't know him, ha ha).

And still had to wait in a line, of course that was my fault... he doesn't eat fair food (I KNOW!! he is a complete martian) so I made him go to a drive thru to get me food on the way... otherwise we would have been in the front, but he would have had to deal with me dizzy and passing out.


At least we had some entertainment watching people ride this crazy thing.
Um pass!

But the time went quickly and we were almost against the front stage... just a single layer of people in front of us. But definitely still very close!
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Before they started a radio station came out and I caught a tshirt that says "Bob" on it. I never win stuff, so that was funny.

Then the Navy Seals were there and dropped airmen from a plane, and one of the parachutes opened up a flag and they sang the National Anthem as it floated to the ground... that was really patriotic and special.

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Then the moment we had been waiting for..

The bassist reminded us so much of Jim's Dad Leon... looks but also his mannerisms and his Dad played the bass too. That was so cool.

Jim says this guys has been playing this same guitar for 30 years... the "relik"ing they do on the finishes of guitars in the shops now, look allot like this, but his was done from just playing it!

So cool!!!

His brother was originally in the band too, and has since died... and he played a tribute to him. Towards the end of the song, a white butterfly flew across the stage and right over my head, as if to be a sign of love and peace from God that his brother was safe with Him in heaven.

It brought tears to my eyes, so tender... so very cool!

Jim caught a guitar pick they threw out during the performance for a keepsake.

I tried to get the stage crew to pull up the set list for me to add to my collection with the one I got from our Ted Nugent concert adventure, but the guy rolled it up in the carpet and said it was part of the set, he had to leave it. Oh well, I tried!

We had such a fun time!

After the concert I did talk Jim into walking the fairgrounds, but we ran into some friends and he chatted with them... and then wanted to go home.

No animals, no fair food, no rides... I know, he is totally from Mars!

But we had such a fun night, a really good time was had by all!!

The final youth group activity...

Wednesday night the two older groups of youth had one last social activity before school started. And they planned an outing at the lake, boating, bbq, beach volleyball. It would also end up being "The Teenagers" last activity with his youth group before he moves on into another older group, with old people... like his Dad... ha ha ha. That will just be another adventure to blog about :)

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But I have felt really fortunate to be a leader with these young women and even more fortunate to occasionly get to work with the teenager in some of the group activities. It has been priceless to be part of some of these things with him. I will really miss it.

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Somewhere in the planning, the boat fell through... but we were at the lake, so we set up the bbq, and volleyball net, and after about 20 very awkward minutes standing around the leaders at the table, these kids finally warmed up to having some fun. I have no idea why they are so afraid to make a move in the begining... it's hilarious how long it takes them to begin to be social.

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Exactly why we still have to have "social" activities to help them learn and plan things with each other.

Once they get warmed up though.... look out... social butterflies!

They had fun in the water... it was 100 degrees out... but threatening 70 the next day, so perfect timing.

They were having so much fun... then somehow it turned into a mud slinging party... YUK!!!!

Grity sandy mud, everywhere!

I was happy to help man the bbq with a couple of the girls that didn't want to get wet.

Then one of the boys thought it would be funny to try and chug a bottle of soda pop.

Let's just say, it wasn't, and he paid the price.
I have no idea what those nuts on the back row are doing... they are such goof balls, but they always have fun.

I am all good with a silly picture, as long as I get a good smiley one too... oh well!

Silly it is! There is always one in a crowd.

At least I can say, I good time was had by all!

Mini Cupcakes...

I really love cute cupcakes, and cupcake decorations, and especially yummy tasting cupcakes.... but I will admit, baking is not my specialty.

I am probably at 50% flop, and 50% made it alive in my cupcake making history.

So it has to be a very special occasion for me to make cupcakes.

And since I considered my last few cupcake undertakings successful, the odds were probably against me. (graduation hats, birthday golf, and camo... wow it's really been a big cupcake year, for such a non cupcake maker... I am so glad I blog, I would have forgotten all those special cupcake making occasions)

But I think I beat the odds and might even call myself a cupcake maker now.Yay! I found these cute flower idea in a Better Homes magazine last spring and have been wanting to have a reason to make them ever since.

With no girls in the house, not too many occasions come up at home, but I was certain I would have an opportunity at church one day.

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Saturday at 830pm I found out someone was out of town that was assigned to make cupcakes for a class that was sending off one girl to college and receiving in another who had a birthday. So I knew that was my moment to reveal the flowers.

Yes, I was grumbling and grouchy at first, I don't do my best anything at 830pm the night before... much less make cute cupcakes. But that just shows how easy they really were.

I used milk in place of some of the water in the recipe... that made them really moist.

I used my mini cupcake pan... they are just fun and easier to eat (and secretly, if the flower idea flopped, I could have just thrown an m&m on top and called it good).

And for the flowers I cut mini marshmallows on the diagonal and dipped the cut edge into sugar crystals, they stick to just that sticky part of the marshmallow and don't get all over the rest. You don't even have to be careful. So easy!

And you could do regular size marshmallows and regular size cupcake pans too, for a bigger version of the same thing. Or even 3 mini flowers on top of a regular size cupcake... the possibilities are endless.

You do have to put the pedals the right direction though, or they look more like stars instead of flowers. If you look you can see a yellow on yellow in one of the corners... that just doesn't look like it belongs. But nobody noticed except me.

Now I just have to find a way to make them fit for all seasons not just spring or summer. Maybe just use only the colors of the season... red and green poinsettias for Christmas might work... maybe cut the marshmallows into heart shapes and only use red or pink for valentines day... also maybe take out the center and just put four pedals together using only green for St. Patricks Day... Hmmmm I will have to play with it... but they turned out super cute and yummy for the girls!

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I am pretty sure I would try these again, fun, easy , yummy and cute.