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Archive for June, 2010

Thanks, Dad!

Why I have a mouth full of fillings...

See that basket full of candy? My Dad brought it to me last month when he and my mom came to visit for Mother’s Day.

Every single piece of tooth-decaying sweetness is something my Dad and I shared many times when I was growing up. You can read about  those adventures here.

I was impressed he not only brought me the candy, but that at 79-years-young he artfully arranged them himself. Not bad for a retired farmer!

My Dad - showing off his boots. Notice the hat cocked to one side. He still wears his hat like that. If I wore a hat, pretty sure I'd do the same thing. That's why Hubby doesn't let me have one.

As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, I wanted to say thank you to my daddy. There are so many things he taught me and so very many good memories I have of him. Summertime and my dad just go hand-in-hand. It was one of his busiest times on the farm, but also when I got to spend the most time with him.

I also have my dad to thank for making me an unrelenting optimist. Things will always look better tomorrow, something exciting is always coming around the corner and what’s the best that can happen? That is definitely from my dad.

My dad can also be given credit for the weird way I walk when I’m in a hurry. Catching a glimpse of myself in a store window the other day was not only an abrupt realization that I should never walk in a hurry, but that I walk just like my dad (which, to clarify, is great for a guy, not so great for a girl wearing platform espadrilles).

He can also take credit for my bizarre sense of humor, my love of stories, my sometimes strange fashion sense, my completely odd fascination with family history and my inability to eat spicy foods.

Then there is the sweet tooth issue. That is from my dad. He never met a dessert he didn’t like. He has been known to say that he only likes two kinds of pie: hot and cold.  It is true. Unlike Hubby, my dad will eat just about anything (minus the spicy food). But sweets are always high on the list. So thanks, Dad, for all the cavities – and all the great sweets I wouldn’t have had even during the no-chocolate years.

Thanks, Dad, for being a great father, for creating all the wonderful memories I have of you and fun times we spent together, for living a good life and for staying young-at-heart. You are the best!

Love ya!

Your “Sweet” Daughter

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I love June.

Really I do. It is the official beginning of summer. We get to celebrate our dads. And then there are the weddings.

I love weddings almost as much as I do June. If at all possible, I never turn down an invitation. Maybe it has something to do with being a hopeless and incurable romantic, but weddings are just special.

So my Wednesday shout-out this week goes to a song that is a natural fit for wedding season. No, the song isn’t new, and yes, my existence under my rose-colored rock does cause me to miss out on a few things.

When I first heard “Even Then” by John Michael Montgomery a few months ago, I thought it was absolutely lovely.  Every time I hear this song, it makes me think of weddings and love and all sorts of gushy, emotional, wonderful things.

If you are searching for the perfect wedding song, I encourage you to check it out here. Or you can purchase a download here.

And no, this is not a paid advertisement for anyone. It is just a really great song!

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If you are planning to do some entertaining this summer, why not incorporate a fun summer party theme?

It creates a whole new level of excitement for your guests and makes the entertaining process much easier on you. When you choose a theme it narrows down the work and thought you have to put into your party because it creates some boundaries. Instead of choosing from thousands of recipes, you can select those that go along with your theme. A theme also creates guidelines for decorations, invitations, and color schemes.

Here is an A-Z selection of summer party themes. Have fun with them!

Summer Theme Party Ideas

Around the World

BAD (Beverages, Appetizers, Dessert)

Chocolate Tasting

Drinks & Divas

Easy Living

Flip Flops & Fun

Garden’s Bounty

Home on the Range
Ice Cream Social
Jazz Fest
Kid’s Day
Luau
Marshmallows & More
Night in Paris
Ocean Escape
Picnic Time
Quesadillas
Rainy Day (create your own rain with sprinklers outside in front of a picture window. You could even put it close to the front door so guest would get wet if they don’t have their umbrella.)
Sippers & Sandals
Taste of Tuscany
Under the Stars
View the Sunset
White-Out (this could be quite lovely – use all white, cream and clear glass serving pieces with white linens and ask guests to wear white. The food would provide brilliant pops of color. Would be beautiful outside with the colors of nature as the backdrop.)
Xmas in July
Yummy Bites
Zucchini Fest  (Okay – so this one is stretching it a bit…. but it could be quite tasty: fried zucchini for an appetizer, maybe some eggplant Parmesan with zucchini for a main dish and, of course, chocolate zucchini cake for dessert!)

Whatever themes you use for your summer entertaining, have fun with them!

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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A Merry Heart…

The Word of the Week is mirth.

[murth]

–noun

1. merriment or jollity, esp. when accompanied by laughter
I spent Saturday with my BFF and let me tell you, when the two of us have all day together there is a lot of mirth, merriment and laughter and downright silliness that goes on. It was awesome and just what I needed!
Who makes your heart merry?

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