Thursday Challenge

This weeks Thursday's photo challenge is

"TECHNOLOGY" (Machines, Gears, Engines, Mobile Phones,

Laptops, Wires, Toy Robots,...)

Tractors in Millwood Georgia

A few days after Dad's Griffis funeral his sisters and niece wanted to go to the old homestead and cemetery's. I've got several posts from that great adventure. I've got to take the time to sit down and put those posts together. But until I do I added these old tractors that were sitting on the property's. I'm using these photos as my Thursday Challenge.

Labor Day Weekend

I'm back tracking for a bit.

Our summer was so crazy that I didn't blog much.

So I will randomly be adding post that will cover our summer activities.

Just for journal-ing purposes.

We have season passes to Sea World, Orlando, Florida.

We usually go in January for Shelby's birthday.

Again in March for spring break.

Then we usually go the end of October or in November.

But we NEVER go in the summer time!!!

Just go sometime and you will understand.

BUT...

we went to Orlando for the Labor Day Weekend

and since we had season tickets, the girls put in to go.

We waited till around 5:00 pm hoping that the heat would subside.

I was hot but bearable.

Reagan was sure happy to be there!

She has been so funny lately, she throws her hands up like

this when I try and take her picture.

I show you this picture because I want you to see that cup

that Shelby is drinking from.

That's my Sea World cup that if you bring back each

time you come your drinks are only 99 cents!

And this made the 2nd year I remembered to bring back my cup.

No one else remembers to bring theirs.

Reagan and Auntie Jordan.

We were waiting for the acrobatic show to start
and they always come out and sell the flashing light jewelry.
For $5.00 each they got some way cool Dolphin necklaces.


So when the lights go out they really are cool.


Really great show.

The girls wanted their pics taken with some of the dancers.

Uncle Trav wanted his picture taken with the girls.

This is where my Mid-Week Blues picture comes in.

This is the main thing we came to see,

Shamu Rocks!!

I finally started just at dusk!

It was wild and loud with Rock n Roll music.

Interestingly enough no trainer got in the water with the whales :(

The Sweetheart really loved the music because it

was mostly 70's and 80's hits and lots of his favorite.

We really did Rock Out!!!

So much so that we got our pictures up on

the jumbo screen for every one to see.

I nearly died but the girls loved it!

After Shamu Rocks

the girls and Aunt Jordan and Aunt Emmy

rode a few of the rides.

The girls wanted their mama to have one of the flashing hats.

I'm surprised she bought one but it make them all happy.

Uncle Travis ended up carrying the girls out of the park.

We really enjoy spending time together as a family and we had a great weekend.

**I took these pictures with my point and shoot camera. I really missed not having my big camera for this trip.

Pie In The Sky

What's your favorite flavor moon pie?

Mine is banana.

Did you know that they also make Mint and Peanut Butter?

I've never tried them before but I sure would love too.

Last Night

We road over to catch the sunset from the St. Simon's Island Pier.

This was my view to the right.

A look back towards Brunswick and the Sydney Lanier Bridge.

Looking back over my shoulder to the left

is the St. Simon's Island Light House

With September's Full Moon.

After snapping a few pics of the Light House

I turn to go back to the truck

and this awesome oak was a beautiful silhouette

against the evening sky.

I hope y'all were able to enjoy the gorgeous full moon last night.

After viewing this post I got the following email:

John Gaster sent you a message.

--------------------
Gigi, your photos of St Simon's isle brought back childhood memories of our many visits to St Simon's. Back in the 1930s & 40s one of our uncles had a travel trailer & we had great fun camping in a trailer park about a mile from the beach & pier. Currently the beach has vanished, (just a large stone breakwater now) washed away by hurricane but it used to be so nice, a long sloping beach just right for kids. The old original wooden pier has been replaced with a concrete pier but the size & shape remains about the same.


We crabbed and fished from the pier, shrimp boats used to tie up at the pier to unload their daily catch. We would tie a galvanized water bucket on a rope and lower it down to the shrimp boat while they were shoveling & unloading shrimp. The workers would fill our
bucket full and running over for a quarter, just 25 cents.

When WW2 broke out the pier was used as a base for Navy PT boats to go out and hunt for German Submarines. What a sight for us kids watching the Sailors loading their machine guns etc. preparing the PT boats to go hunt German Submarines just off the Georgia
coast. In May, 1942 on the pier we watched (just over the horizon) fires from US oil tankers sunk by the German Subs. Usually the day after the beach would be littered with things from the sunken oil tankers, life jackets, cans and wood etc.

I love St Simmons, we visit each time we go to Georgia. Georgia is in my heart and I always feel at home once we cross the Georgia state line.

We had a great Griffis reunion this year, camping at 8,000 feet on the top of the mountain.

Love all of you,

John G (Aunt Shirley's brother)

and Clemons's first cousin.

One More Barn

Boyne Fall's, Michigan Hyw. 131 I thought you might need to see one more barn that I thought was just so beautiful. I've only got about 65 more barns to show you, one at a time. I don't even know when I got so crazy for barns, I just am.

Tasty Tuesday

MOM’S OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Bring to a boil - then simmer gently over low heat, for 15 minutes. Let raisins and liquid cool:

2 cups water

2 cups raisins

Mix together:

1 1/2 Cups of shortening or butter

2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

4 cups Oatmeal

4 Cups all purpose flour

Now add:

The cooled raisin mixture including all the liquid as well.

Mix together well, then add:

1 cups nuts (opt)

3 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 teaspoon of each of these: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

Mix together until well blended. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

Recipe Thanks to Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Happy 1st Birthday

Collin turns one year old today!

He is walking now!

And he is dancing!

And he loves birthday cake!!

This is his very first taste of cake, ever!

I can hardly believe my little friend is already a year old!

Store Bought Icing

The Sweetheart had to provide the refreshments for

Young Men/Young Women's combined activity last week.

Guess who baked and iced 60 cupcakes?

~~

I love to bake but not in mass amounts.

So, I did the Box Cake Mix thing.

I also didn't want to make that much icing, so I opted for store bought icing.

I H.A.T.E. the way it taste and never buy it!

But I had seen Sandra Lee from Simi-Homemade do this one time.

She added one teaspoon of Almond Flavoring to

the store bought icing and stirred it very well.

Believe it or not it tasted a lot better.

So try this some time if you need to ice 60 cupcakes.

~~~

I am using the yellow label on the Almond flavoring

as my Mellow Yellow Monday.

O Is For Orange

Where does he keep that wallet? Connie, do you think they wear "fanny packs" under those robes? And will you share your salsa recipes, please.

Amish Bread Pudding

Nattie Em's Old Town Cafe, in Brunswick, GA. is owned by friends and they make the bestest Bread Pudding EVER!

Brings back those old memories of my Grandma's bread pudding.

A taste that goes with a great memory.

When Dad passed away they brought a big pan of it to Mom Griffis' home.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

I've never made Bread Pudding before and I thought it was time I started.

I googled the recipe and looked at lots of them but when I found this one here, I though, you know, the Amish pretty much get most things right and how could I go wrong?? This was an easy recipe and one that I will use again. I do think I will try some of the other Sauces, like lemon or caramel, just to see if I like them too.

Amish Bread Pudding

2 cups whole milk (or 2 cups half & half)
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar

3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (french bread works best)

(I used Cinnamon Raisin Bread from the 'day old bread store' and then didn't add anymore raisins. It was perfect!)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.

2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture.

3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.

4. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

If you make the sauce to put on top of your bread pudding, adjust the sugar in the bread pudding recipe, change it to 1/3 cups sugar (the sauce has the other 1/3 cup in it).

Bread Pudding Sauce

1 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon flour
dash of salt

Mix everything together and bring to a boil for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding.

Remember Ammon?

He is still making these silly faces.

(You can check back here and see the faces he gave me when I was trying to shoot his older brother's wedding pictures.)

Well Master Ammon is the youngest Griffis GRAND~child.
And he turned 9 years old on Thursday August 12 the same day he started school and the same day his Grandpa Griffis passed away.
The next day we waited all evening for him to get here from Birmingham, AL.
His Grandma was happy to see him as well as the rest of us.

We had a little party for him and he was surprised.

And a little embarrassed.

But pretty excited to get a new suit coat,
he'd always wanted one like his older brothers.
He got some cash too and that was even better.

He is such a sweet boy.
~~~~~
I'm sure that his 9th birthday will be one that he will always remember.

Tobacco

Tobacco in the field in Douglas, GA. ...is such a stinky habit!

True Love!

HAPPY 54th ANNIVERSARY
to my sweet mama and daddy!
Love yall with all my heart!

Some Change Is Good

All 3 pictures have been taken in the last two weeks.

And this mother LOVES the change!

Cold Drink Anyone?