Pumpkin Patch

You make me happy! I love you.

How are you today?

People asked me that all day today and I kept saying fine. After I talked to my mom on the way to the gym and we cried together I started answering how I really felt. Today is October 30 and it would have been my parents 23rd wedding anniversary. I miss my dad. My mom misses my dad, Shari and Jon miss my dad and all his grandchildren miss him too. Some days are harder than others and today is a hard day. It is the kind of day I just want to get in bed and pull the covers up over my head. I miss him. Each day I miss him more. I am so sad.

Darth Vador-Happy Halloween

I took Andrew to get his Halloween costume yesterday. What fun we had picking it out. This year he will be none other than the evil Darth Vador. Trick or Treat!!!

Welcome Margeaux

Meet Margeaux, named by Cathy Chung at the crop the other night at K2. She is the new store mascot and we think she is quite the girl. I was given the big task of dressing "bare naked lady" as we previously called her. It soon became a group design team effort and Megan, Nikki and Cathleen stepped in. Some rolled paper, pop dots, packing tape and ribbon later she was dressed. Notice her very classy bling necklace. Margeaux in naked form is part of the new line from Creative Imaginations Bare Elements which K2 just got in. Margeaux is currenly being photographed professionally for her city wide debut. Margeaux will then travel from home to home and be part of an on line circle journal at K2. Margeaux is also the inspiration of a new class at K2 where you can make your own bare naked lady. For more info on that go to www.k2scrapbookstudio.typepad.com

Thank you Andrea!

I have had the honor to know my friend Andrea for over 6 years. She is an incredible person, wife, mother and friend. For the last year Andrea has been getting healthy. This is a picture of the two of us last December 2005. Just wait til this December. For the last two nights I have walked with Andrea on her 4.5 mile fast walk through the neiborhoods we live in. The weather has finally broken and we have had the most fabulous walks and talks. Thanks Andrea for getting me out there tonight. We are going to do it. Get healthy for our families and for ourselves!

No Quick Kutz for us!

Megan and I always joke that we have it all when it comes to scrapbooking. We have every paper, embellishment and piece of cardstock, we have all the pens, newest tools and totes, BUT the one thing we don't have is Quick Kutz. When I met first met Megan over a year ago we both marveled at the fact that neither one of us had a cutting system. Give us rub-ons, stickers and ribbon anyday.

Well last week we took a class at a scrapbook store in St Pete and they sell lots of Quick Kutz. Now don't think we are against QK, they are just not for us. We say if you use QK and love them, good for you. The women at the store marveled that we didn't use QK and said they would convert us by the time the class was over. We told them right off the bat, don't even try. It is not going to work. We are just not QK girls. We loved the project we made and there were even a few QK embellishments we used, but when we left that night we left without QK. The majority of the girls we regulary scrap with don't use QK either. So when Megan checked out that night they put her purchases in a QK bag as a joke. I am intrigued that QK dies become retired like beanie babies and then people hunt them down on ebay.

Thanks Leisa for a great class. We had so much fun. I love my finished project.

My son the soccer player

Something about a little boy in his uniform that just melts my heart. This is my sweet son Andrew who plays soccer. My husband Jeff is the coach this year and their team is the Golden Eagles. Soccer games in Florida are either really HOT or really COLD, right now we are in the really HOT games. Go Golden Eagles!!!!

Pumpkin Bars - to die for

I got this recipe from my friend Connie who I play Bunco with. I have shared this recipe with Megan who went nuts for these. So now I am sharing with the world (or anyone who reads my blog). These are to die for. I made them tonight for Bunco which I am hosting tomorrow night. They rock. I even made a small plate of mini muffins for Megan. She begged me.

4 Eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar, oil and pumpkin. Beat for 2 min. at med speed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat for 1 min. at low speed. Pour into pan. Bake for 25-30 min. Cool.

Icing

Beat 3 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup butter
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla- until fluffy

Add: 2 cups powdered sugar. Blend. Spread over bars.

Yizkor-To Remember

Today is Yom Kippur and a day to reflect and remember. Tonight the fate of all jews are written for the next year. I spent a lot of time today remembering. I remember my mother, Marilyn Udell who died when I was only 14. I remember her smile, her love of life, her laughter, her hands, her eyes and that she was here and made a difference in my life. I remember my Nanny, Anna Topper and all the fun we had and how hard she worked and how much she loved us. I remember my grandfather Sam Topper and what a wonderful cook he was and how he called me Princess. I remember my dear Aunt Paula and how brave she was battling cancer and how much she loved my son Andrew and that she gave me the greatest gift of all, a future that would not include ovarian cancer. But most of all today I remember for the first time on Yom Kippur I remember my daddy, Marvin Udell. I can hardly believe it has been over 2 months already. I miss him everyday. I will miss him for the rest of my life. I remember how good and kind he was. What a loving husband and father and Poppy he was. I remember his hands, his arms, his smell, his laugh, his eyes. I remember my father and can hardly believe he is gone.

We fast on Yom Kippur to make you more aware of your surroundings and of G-d. I pray for my family and for a healthy and happy year for everyone. I pray for Isreal and all it people. I pray for our country and those serving our country. I pray for peace.