WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

                  Annie, our daughter in law, goes all out when we come to Montana.                                                    She makes us THIS!
             Her pizzas takes no back seat to any of the pizza here in Chicago.

 THEN AFTER DINNER, WE HAVE OUR LITTLE MAID CLEAN UP THE MESS. 

Look how she is standing on her tippy toes! soooo cute!

JUST CHECKING.... JUST CHECKING

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PICKLED GREEN BEANS

This recipe is one of the best pickled beans I have ever tasted. They are easy and quick so that makes them even better. I give a jar as gifts to many of my friends who often call wanting to know if I have another jar I can spare.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
• 2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 bunch fresh dill weed
• 1 Thai pepper (optional) I like the way the peppers look in the jar.
  
• or 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
  

Directions

1. Sterilize 6 (1/2 pint) jars with rings and lids and keep hot. Trim green beans to 1/4 inch shorter than your jars.
2. In a large saucepan, stir together the vinegar, water and salt. Add garlic and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. In each jar, place 1 sprig of dill and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Pack green beans into the jars so they are standing on their ends.
3. Ladle the boiling brine into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the tops. Discard garlic. Seal jars with lids and rings. Place in a hot water bath so they are covered by 1 inch of water. Simmer but do not boil for 10 minutes to process. Cool to room temperature. Test jars for a good seal by pressing on the center of the lid. It should not move. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal properly. Let pickles ferment for 2 to 3 weeks before eating.

Brittney and Mike Kropp's Wedding Pics

OUR DAUGHTER GETS MARRIED.



yOU LIKE HER SHOES?

mE AND MY SON-IN-LAW

Mike's family... mom Beth.. sister nic name is Roo and Dad Kerry

you have to admit it dont you.. Brit is very pretty!

Brit and her new sister Rachael.

ummmm already giving advice to the son-in-law.

Brit and her Dad

Brit and her brother Alex



Here is Us...............

Happy Parents
Me and my son
Dave and son-in-law Mike Kropp

GRANDMA HAVING FUN WITH HER RYLAN

Rylan loves chicken but SHE REALLY LOVED HER FIRST CHICKEN BONE!
I was cleaning up the table when I tried to take the bone away from her. She told her grandma "NO" very firmly!


Grandma loves taking shots in the tub!


NEVER TOO YOUNG TO HAVE A TEA PARTY!





MUD PIES? GRANDMA IS TEACHING ME SO MUCH! MUD PIES ARE FUN....





SHE LIKES HER NEW WASH CLOTH GRANDMA GOT HER.

THIS IS RYLAN SAYING "CHEEEEEEEESE" TO THE CAMERA!


FUN IN THE PARK!

RYLAN LOVES SWIM TIME AND DRINKING JUICE IN THE POOL

MAKING MY OWN DESIGNS

I keep looking at those public changing tables in the woman's bathroom. YUCK! It gives me the creeps to think of a baby laying on that. So here was my answer to the problem and what a sweet and fast gift for a new parent .The project is fast and I used up a few scraps I just cant throw away. BONUS!

This wonderful quilt is NOT my own design. I love this block. It is very easy to do but It looks so complicated doesn't it? This little boys quilt is the last of my over zealous cutting of blue and tan strips.
My friend Jean and I were collecting blues and tans and by the time we were done collecting we had a gazillion different patterns,tones and colors of blue and tan to choose from. It was a BEAUTIFUL box of strips! I had enough 2 1/2" strips for 1 queen size quilt, 1 double bed size quilt and the last of the strips was used for this baby quilt. The boy holding the quilt... his name is Sammy. He is a first time UNCLE. He is really proud of his nephew but not to excited about getting his picture taken.
I love making picture frames. You can use us so many scraps . They can be quilted with such colorful threads. Freemotion practice is great of fabric frames.

People love these when I have given them for gifts. Just think of using a fun pet fabric for the neighbors loved dog. Or... baby fabric for a new born. How about sports motif for a T-Ball player or a wonderful gold velvet for a 50th anniversary photo frame gift? A couple of years ago, 5 of us girls friends went for a Florida weekend. We drank alot of strawberry Margaritas and now can u guess what the frames motif was for our group shot? Yep.. Margarita glasses under Palm trees!
I will be teaching a Picture Frame class at Quilter's Heaven in North Brook IL in November. Come and join the fun.


I get such a satisfaction when I make a quilt using my own designs. I adore prairie points and I find ways to include them into the body of the quilt not just around the finish borders.
We am having so many little girls born within our circle of friends this year. 6 little girls will arrive between July 2010 and Febuary 2011. Just one little boy is being born.
I have got to get busy and make gifts. Above is a little Princess quilt for a sweet little thing. I love pink and browns together.

I HAVE A NEW GRAND DAUGHTER

MEET KAYLAN FAITH POOLE.

She was born July 30 just before 2pm. She weighed in at 6lbs 7oz and was 19 inches long.
Big sister, Rylan is looking kinda curious.

lOOK AT THE LOVE IN MY SON'S EYES. IS IT SOMETHING ONLY I CAN SEE?

Kaylan with her mom and dad. Precious dont you think?

BLUBBERING GRANDMA...I know... I know.. not the best pic of me but you can see how HAPPY I am!
My daughter in law, Annie gave me the honor of being in the delivery room. I had the best seat in the house. Right next to the doctor! If I would have remembered my catcher's mit, it might have been used. Here's the story:

Annie was induced around 8am. At 12:30 nothing was really happening so Yvonne (Annie's mom) and I went to the hospital cafeteria for a quick lunch. John (Annie's dad) joined us shortly after we got there. We had just finished our sandwich when John's phone rang, It was my son, Jim.........ANNIE WAS READY TO PUSH!
Annie's last birth took 2 hours of pushing so we didn't run up to the room, we took our time while we chatted about how wonderful grand kids are. We opened the door to Annie's room and IT WAS FULL of nurses. One nurse told us we couldn't and were not allowed in. JUST WHO DID THEY THINK THEY WERE telling the grandparents they were not allowed? lol John was like Moses and cleared a path for the grandma's to walk through. (I'm still laughing remembering the look on the nurses face. She knew there was NO WAY she was keeping us out of that room.)

Annie was letting the nurses know that she was ready to push but....THERE WAS NO DOCTOR IN THE ROOM and was told that she had to wait. I whispered a little to loud, "WAIT? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ?"
The nurses were not kidding and a ugly look was shot my way by "Nurse Cratchit." (I christened the name to the nurse that told us grandparents that we were NOT allowed)
The doctor arrived a few minutes later....(now remember... I'm in the front row seat) Annie lifted her knees up to her chest to give the first push.....Kaylan had already crowned!
And 4 pushes (15minutes) later we were blessed with a beautiful little girl.

Grandma Dede had an experience of a life time. I was so honored and bless to witness such an awesome miracle.

GIRLFRIENDS FROM THE 60'S

Sue's Sweet 16 party is a sleep over with her posse. Sue is behind the birthday cake and Im the girl with the short blonde hair and those lovely plaid shorts. And of course, Most of us are barefooted... We are Montana girls afterall!


When I was around 15 years old a new family moved into my neighborhood. Up until that time, I was the only girl living on Mount Ave (Target Range area) in Missoula, Montana. I was so happy that Sue Wallace moved next door. We became friends right away. She soon became my best friend. We did so much together. We slept at each others houses all the time. We talked on the phone for hours. I was a year older so I got my car first. With a car... we had so much more to do. We lived in a rural area and a car was a necessity and it was like a right of passage. The best part of our weekends was taking a car full of girls (4 in the car and 3 in the trunk) to the Go West Drive-In and flirting with all the boys or putting miles and miles on the car driving up and down Higgins Ave (the drag) flirting with the boys. We sneaked booze from our parents cabinets. I dont know why we picked the Everclear and Dry Vermouth? We also experimented with Winstons and would skinny dipped very late at night. I was honored to be a bridesmaid in her wedding and she was maid of honor in mine. We loved each others babies like they were are own. So many of my girlhood and young adult memories were made with my bestest girlfriend. Thank you Sue for moving into my neighborhood and thank you for the picture that brought up so many memories.