HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEBBIE ANN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DEBBIE ANN!!!!

My daughter's partner - Debbie celebrates her birthday today ... I'm very, very excited that very soon Debbie will officially be my Daughter-in-law as Betsy and Debbie travel to Hawaii in November for a formal commitment to each other. I'm so thankful to have Debbie in our lives. There isn't anything in the world that makes a mother more happy than knowing that her children are happy...and I'm blessed to have such happy, peaceful adjusted children....

Happy Birthday Debbie - I love you!!!

Friday's FIVE!

I had a business event in Indianapolis this week and enjoyed a few days in The Circle City! As an Alumni of IUPUI/Indiana University School of Medicine - I have a strong affection for our capitol city. Indianapolis is a great city with so much to do! This week's Friday's FIVE! is a few of my favorite Indianapolis activities - places and events.

1. St. Elmo Steak House -

I love St. Elmo's... not just for the delicious steaks, signature shrimp cocktail - excellent service and the atmosphere... but also because it has been a part of downtown Indy history since 1902.

http://www.stelmos.com/

2. Arts and Theater District -

From concerts to broadway plays... A show in downtown Indy is always exciting!

http://www.discovermassave.com/home.cfm

3. Shopping, Shopping and more Shopping!

The shopping is always good in Indy... Downtown Indy - at Circle Center or Northern Indy at the Fashion Mall - http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=163

http://fashion-at-keystone.mallsite.us/

4. Indiana University Pudue University Indianapolis -

My Alma Mater

I drove to downtown Indianapolis from north Marion everyday for 2 1/2 years while I was completing my degree in Occupational Therapy. The thrill of the sunrise hitting the downtown buildings every morning never ceased to excited me! http://www.iupui.edu/

5. Indianapolis City Market

I love the fresh foods and the atmosphere of City Market - I can remember vividly making myself sick on a too many grapes when I was pregnant with Katie after a trip to Indianapolis City Market. http://indycm.com/

Honorable Mention

• While Verizon Wireless Music Center is really in Noblesville - most musicians consider it Indy - and I love any concert at Verizon - http://www.livenation.com/venue/getVenue/venueId/338
• Indianapolis Zoo - http://www.indianapoliszoo.com/
• I'm not a big football fan - but to discuss Indianapolis, without mentioning the Colts would be close to blasphemous - http://www.colts.com/ now playing in the new Lucas Oil Stadium http://www.lucasoilstadium.com/

and a few other places of interest...

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/
• White River State Park http://www.in.gov/whiteriver/
• Indiana State Fair http://www.in.gov/statefair/
• Soldiers and Sailors Monument http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Circle

Weigh-In

I wasn't able to Weigh-In at my own WW class this week because of a business trip to Indianapolis - however, I found a class in Carmel - and the timing was perfect for a quick

Weigh-In before I checked in at the downtown Indy hotel. I had a gain this week of .2 lbs. That is 2/10ths of a pound - I'm not happy with a gain - however, I do understand that long term weight loss is a result of long term weight gain. I also understand that slow weight loss results in a higher success rate of maintenance. I don't like a gain - but I know why I had the gain. I made some good choices this week - but I also made a few not so good choices.... but it was my choice - and I recognized that in the process. Smelt is not CORE - and I chose to eat SMELT!

There is a Smelt Fry at the Silver Inn one time a year... and I made the choice to eat the SMELT...and that choice resulted in 2/10th of pound...the important part for me though - is that I'm okay with that. I made that choice, and I expected the result - without giving up the whole CORE program. While I didn't have a 'scale' loss... I do have a NSV to report...(Non-Scale Victory) - While shopping in Indy during this convention... I was able to buy (and wear) a pair of jeans... significantly smaller than I have been wearing!!! WWHhhooo HHHoooooo!!!!!!

Yellow Creek Sunsets!

I LOVE Sunsets on Yellow Creek Lake...and as the season winds down - there isn't much that I enjoy more than a few cold beers with Bruce at the helm and Millie on the bow of the pontoon as we make our way around the quiet lake enjoying the view of the YCL sunset! Life is Good!!!

Friday's FIVE!

Sunday was a wonderful day! Our youngest grandson, Trevor was baptized at First United Methodist Church in Marion, Indiana. It was a wonderful service - with a wonderful message delivered by Pastor Kaye Patton - Family surrounding Trevor at the alter included his Great Grandmother Isabel ... and his Great Grandparents, George and Dubie .... His GREAT Great Grandma, Mildred Myers, Trevors Grandfather, Steve and his partner, Kent... Trevors Paternal Grandparents, Mike and Michelle Morgan - His Paternal Great Aunt and Uncle ... and his MeMe and Grandpa Bruce and of course, his Mother and Dad and his brother Tyler! Following the service - we all gathered at a local restaurant for a Sunday dinner to celebrate the day!
Trevor was baptized at our family church where I was raised and baptized, the same church my mother was raised... and the same church Trevor's mother and Aunt Betsy were raised and the same church where his brother, Tyler was baptized. So in honor of his baptism - this Friday's FIVE! recognizes five significant events that have occurred at First United Methodist Church in Marion.

1. Our family has been a part of First United Methodist Church for five generations. My mother was confirmed as a member of the "First Methodist Church" in Marion in 1949 under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Benedict. My Mother and Dad were married at "First Methodist Church" May 5, 1951 by Dr. Graham.

2. Although Steve and I are no longer married... We are the parents of Katie and Betsy - and we are the reason our legacy continues in these beautiful grandchildren. Steve and I were married at First United Methodist Church in Marion on July 31, 1976.

3. Katherine Marie Fennimore was baptized in August, 1980 by Rev. Phil Stephens

4. Elizabeth Jean Fennimore was baptized in January, 1983 by Rev. David Byrum

5. Tyler was baptized at First United Methodist Church in 2000.

More than Corn in Indiana!!

Marion, Indiana is not a big city... however - it is still a 'city' and it is where I was raised. When I was growing up as a 'laker' - a childhood friend of mine that lived on a farm near the lake used to call me a 'city kid'. I never really thought of myself as a 'city-kid'.... however, that is what I was. My children were also raised as 'city-kids'. Living in the city meant - the library was within walking distance, Taco Bell was less than 5 minutes from our house, our mailman walked from house to house with a mailbag on his shoulder - our house was next to the hospital and sirens were frequently heard... ingredients for a recipe was easily obtained within minutes if it wasn't in the pantry.... and a neighbor was less than 200 steps from the front door. Living in the county is different than living in the 'city'. The same childhood friend that called me a 'city kid' is now my neighbor (although his house is across the lake - if I were to walk, it would be about a mile and a half to his front door).... If we hear a siren - we check on everyone because we don't hear them often. We don't eat Taco Bell anymore because it would be cold by the time we arrived home from the 15 mile trip. A recipe isn't prepared without checking for every ingredient and putting it on a grocery list days in advance. Every trip to 'town' is thought out - because 'running' in to to pick up milk or a dozen eggs doesn't take just a few minutes. Life is definately different for the country mouse and the city mouse - but both has it's benefits...
One of the things I love about living in the 'country' is watching corn fields that surround me...watching the fields be plowed and planted - watching the corn grow up in rows - and watching the harvest of the corn... while the sea gulls flock behind the combine to catch a loose morsel of corn. The childhood friend that is now my neighbor that called me a 'city kid' is also the same farmer that farms all the fields for miles around us....and those fields are usually full of popcorn! There is a lot of corn in Indiana around us - but the corn that grows in our backyard is Popcorn - and it won't be long before it is ready for harvest. Our neighbor shares a few ears of the popcorn with us - and there isn't any better popcorn ... than the corn that comes straight from the field!! I love living in the country - and I'm looking forward to the harvest of the popcorn, I've been enjoying the harvest of the delictable Indiana Sweet Corn and I've certainly enjoyed watching it grow!

Weigh-In

Another good week! -1.2 pounds this week! Total today -28.4 pounds! I now have 21.6 to go to reach 50 pounds in my 50th year!
One pound at a time ... Living life HEALTHY!!!!

Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band!

We had a great evening last night!
Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band
http://www.milemarker24.com played at Spikes Beach Grill http://www.myspace.com/spikesbeachgrill in Warsaw.
Howard Livingston is a Marion High School graduate - and some of his band members also have Marion roots. He now lives in Key West - and lives on "Key West Time"...
The group is an all orginal tropical island band... that plays at Tiki Bars in Key West in the winter - and tours the midwest area in the summer. We were married in Key West so the island sound is special to us - and we are also from Marion - so the hometown connection makes us big fans!
They frequently play at Schooners Wharf in Key West http://www.schoonerwharf.com/ - which is the local Key West spot where we celebrated after we said our wedding vows. We are planning a trip to Key West this winter - and hope that we can find Howard Livingston and the MM24 Band playing in a Tiki Bar!!!

Friday's FIVE!

I grew up at Yellow Creek Lake as "Laker"... I lived for summer and my summer friends. Our 'lake' season usually started on Memorial Day weekend - We would usually close up around Labor Day weekend. I can vividly remember the trip home after closing up for the summer... I would be tearful thinking about my friends that I had to say goodbye to for another year ... and at the same time, it was the longest trip home of the season.... It was long because Daddy was on the hunt, we had to take the long route, the back roads - because the search was ON for the ever elusive... highly desired....ELDERBERRY!! My Daddy grew up eating Elderberry pie - his Grandma Ballard made Elderberry pies! Now my Grandsons are growing up with Elderberry pies!!! While I dreaded the long trip home hunting for Elderberries... I also enjoyed the reward of the dark purple berry pie. When Bruce and I became 'residents' rather than lakers, I had the opportunity to spot many of the wild shrubs that grow along the fence rows along quiet country roads where we live. I still love Elderberry Pie - and I look forward to picking them and gently rubbing the berry off the spray. So - while the Elderberries are still green right now, they will ripen to a dark purple color quickly and be a delicacy for the birds - so it's time to start looking for the shrubs and keeping an eye on them for the perfect, short lived picking time! This week's Friday FIVE! is a collection of Elderberry related recipes, including my Great Grandma Ballard's handed down recipe for ElderberryPie!

1. Grandma Ballards Elderberry Pie

3 Cups Elderberries

3 Tablespoons of Flour

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Cup Sugar

Few 'dots' of butter

Pastry for a 9" 2-crust pie

Combine ingredients and and fold into a 9" Pie shell. Top with second crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes with edges covered with foil. Remove foil and bake 25 more minutes. Cool and serve.

(This is the traditional family recipe that has been passed on for generations)

2. My Favorite Elderberry Pie

1 quart Elderberries

1 Cup of Sugar

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

2 T lemon juice

2 T Minute Tapioca

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 stick butter

Pastry for a 9", 2 Crust Pie

Combine ingredients and let stand for 10 minutes. Fold into pie shell, dot with butter and add second crust. Vent the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes at pre-heated 425 degree oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 more minutes.

(I like the nutmeg in this pie - and the tapioca thickens the filling more than flour and is a nice balance to the crunchy seeds of the elderberry)

3. Mom's Pie Crust

2/3 Cup Crisco

2 C Gold Medal Flour

5-7 T Cold Water

1 tsp salt

Divide and rest for 1-2 hours before rolling

(My mother has always made the most beautiful pie crust ever - so perfect that they appeared mass manufactured - I've never been able to replicate her tasty crust!)

4. "Aunt Nicki's" Pie Crust

3 C Flour

1 C Shortening

1/2 tsp salt

3 T water

1 T vinegar

1 egg

Stir together water, vinegar and egg. Allow to chill while measuring other ingredients. Sift together salt and flour. Cut in 1/2 C mixture until it resembles course meal. Cut in 1/2 /C shortening until resembles peas. Toss with cold liquid until mixture sticks together. Dive into 2 balls, flatten slightly. Roll between two sheets of wax paper.

(While I love my Mom's crust - this recipe of Nicki's was always easier for me to perfect. This is a great, no-fail, flaky pie crust - but I still can't make it as pretty as Mom's!!!)

5. Elderberry Jelly

3 1/2 lbs. fully ripe elderberries

3 1/2 c. juice

1/2 fresh lemon, juiced, strained

7 1/2 c. sugar

1 box powdered fruit pectin

Remove stems from elderberries, wash and place in a large kettle with 1 cup water. Crush berries. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Place in jelly bag and strain. Do no squeeze. Discard pulp. Pour elderberry and lemon juice in large kettle. Add sugar and stir to mix. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, bring to full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into sterilized hot jelly jars allowing 1/4" head space. Follow manufacturer's instructions for preparing 2 piece lid. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Start timing when water returns to a boil.

(I LOVE to can and 'put food up'... Elderberry jelly is a great way to enjoy the rich flavor of the late summer berry when the snow is flying in February!)

Weigh-In

It's been a tough week - but I managed to lose 1# this week...
I'm now down 27.2 with 22.8 to reach my goal of 50# in my 50th year.
I made a few - "not so CORE" choices this week - but overall....my habits have significantly changed to include healthy lifestyle choices - and that is ULTIMATE goal!!!

Fall is in the air!

The temps are starting to dip in the evenings a little -we have two red trees on the lake that turn very early and they are beginning their fall display... the geese are practicing the "V" formation - and....my Purple Martin's have gone... I miss them. I miss the songs... and the activity.

We enjoyed them so much this year - we had at least 3 nests this year - and the antics of the birds was certainly entertaining. There is a roost that has been seen on Nexrad Radar near Wabash - and I wonder if that is where they went! I'll certainly look forward to their return next spring!!

Friday's FIVE!

I love my Mama! I've always been a Mama's little girl - I loved my Daddy ... but my heart belonged to my Mother. Mom and I have always spent a lot of time together - and I love that I have so many wonderful memories with her. We have laughed and we have cried - and I have shared all my secrets with my Mom. My mother celebrated her 76th birthday on Sunday this week and today's Friday FIVE! is a celebration of five things I think of when I think of my Mama! Happy Birthday, Mama - I love you heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and....

1. When the girls were little, Mom and I went out to lunch every Tuesday! We would often go to Mr. Steak in Marion or MCL in Muncie. Mom was always watching her weight and she would get a salad or fish for lunch - but there was always room for a little cinnamon roll or date bread with cream cheese!!! What fun memories those days are!!! We still enjoy lunches out together - but my work schedule makes it a less frequent event than it was when I was a 'stay at home' Mom. Because we don't do it very often - we cherish the minutes we have together when we do have the chance to be together for lunch.

2. My Mother is an avid reader - and she has been all of my life. My mother always has a book in progress. I can remember when we were children - Roger and I would get her books for her birthday and we would pick out any book with a woman in a negligee running frantically away from a castle. Books have always been - and still are a very significant part of her life.

3. Neatly manicured - long fingernails. My mothers fingernails have been a trademark for her.
They used to be very, very, very long - but she always kept them neat and painted. Even during summer gardening or holiday cooking - her fingernails would be pretty and neatly manicured. My Mother still has long manicured nails - not nearly as long as those really, really long nails of the early 1980's - but she usually has a nail file in every room in the house!

4. COOKIES - COOKIES - AND MORE COOKIES!!! My Mom has to be one of the best cookie makers in the whole wide world - I can remember Christmas cookie platters that would put Martha Stewart and Good Housekeeping to shame. There would be chocolate chunk, oatmeal carmelitas, a very rich dark chocolate with a coconut filling, a smal rolled cookie with nuts on the outside and a dollop of frosting in the center - and powder sugar covered Mexican wedding cakes.... oh yum... yum... those cookies were wonderful!

5. My mother loves clothes and she has has always loved to shop! We used to shop after our lunches on Tuesdays - we would shop for clothes or we would shop for fabric to make clothes. I can remember shopping in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Chicago - When I see brightly colored scarves and red and pink or gold colored clothes...I think of my Mother!

Happy Happy Birthday Mom - I love you so much!!! XOXOXOXOXOX

Weigh-In

I was down 1.8# this week - for a total of 26.2. I love the WW CORE program. I love the challenge of 'whole' foods - and just really getting in the habit of making healthy decisions. Weight Watchers rewards you with a key chain when you have achieved a 10% Weight Loss - and then you recieve 'charms' for the key chain for specific milestones thereafter. This week - I recieved the a silver 'medallion' for my keychain to recognize my greater than 25 pound loss!!! I'm extremely proud of this weight loss - as this is has been done by good, old fashioned healthy living - and my goal is to truly learn habits that I will live with forever!! I'm wearing clothes now that I haven't worn for quite sometime...and that is certainly rewarding, but not nearly as rewarding as the energy I feel!!! I'm now down 26.2 with 23.8 to go to achieve my 50 pounds in my 50th year!!!