memories | Keeping up with Kate

Summer Vacation

Posted on July 28, 2014 by keepingupwithkate91

Remember when you were younger and you went back to school in September you had to write about your summer vacation. I’m not back in school and it isn’t September but thought I’d share with you some of my summer vacation highlights.

For the past 5 years I’ve been going to Ocean City, NJ for 2 weeks. We stay on the south end of the island. This year I really tried to check-out from work, social media and blogging – I did really good checking out on all 3 – blogging wins the prize.

Here are some of the highlights from the vacation – in no particular order:

Spending time with family, extended family and one of my college friends
Beach Yoga – including having my college friend join me the first week
Getting out on my road bike
Girls vs. Boys Wiffle ball game (with my Uncle as the official pitcher) – Girls lost – bummer!
Impressing my nephew that I have a blog! I earned some street cred with him. 🙂
Mr. Muscles (one of our neighbors – my Aunts’ named him) 🙂
Trying a recipe from Pinterest (thanks LDK – it was yummy!)
Cabana Boy – My Uncle is a great sport – he takes all the beach stuff down and sets up.
Chillaxin’ on the beach
Coffee on the porch early in the morning
My Aunt’s homemade gravy (aka spaghetti sauce)
Surviving Hurricane Arthur – he wasn’t much of one – and he moved through quickly – watching the surfers post Arthur
Enjoyed some of my favorite places to eat – (I’m doing another post on favorite spaces and places)
- Peter Shields Inn
- The Lobster House
- A la Mode Ice Cream Parlor – Waffles and Ice Cream!!
- Hula Grill
- Kohr Brothers Custard – my favorite is Vanilla with Chocolate Jimmies
Shriver’s – seeing them make vanilla salt water taffy and bonus got to sample it!
Making Vanilla Salt Water Taffy
Watching the World Cup – cheering on the US and Argentina!
Mummer’s – Avalon String Band on the Boarwalk
Avalon String Band in the OCNJ Boardwalk
Watching fireworks from the beach
Walking the beach
Beating my brother in FitBit on week 2 of my vacation (he went back to work)! 🙂
Sitting on the beach watching and listening to the waves crashing on the beach
And many more!!

As you can see I had a great summer vacation! What did you do on your summer vacation? Hope you had a great time. Cherish the memories – I know I will and do.

Happy 100!

Posted on September 26, 2013 by keepingupwithkate91

Happy 100th Birthday Mom-Mom! I can’t believe it has been 11 years since you joined Pop-Pop.

I have so many fond memories growing up from our trips to LBI, spending a week with you during summer vacation, to all the wonderful Barbie clothes you made for me, to eating Thomas’ English muffins with your homemade strawberry jam watching the birds feed at the window (to this day I know what a Tufted Titmouse looks like), knowing there was always Breyer’s ice cream in the freezer (although not very good anymore), our Thanksgiving traditions (I’m still pretty much in charge of setting the table, the relish dish and cranberry sauce) and so many others.

The memories didn’t stop in childhood, they continued as an adult. I always enjoyed our rides up to my parents house at Christmas (listening to the Christmas carols) when I was living in NJ, VA and even Dallas (and of course the pizza before the drive), Ash Wednesday McDonald’s Fish Sandwich run, sorting the homemade Christmas ornaments (with your watchful eye making sure I was splitting them up fairly – my tree has my beautiful ornaments on it every year) and so many others.

My beautiful Christmas tree with many of my Mom-Mom’s (and Pop-Pop’s) ornaments

I have little reminders throughout my house so you are always nearby wheather it is things you made, some of your knick knacks and of course my favorite – the diamond earrings Pop- Pop gave you – one of my most cherished items because I know how much you loved them – I love them as well.

I think of you often whether I see or hear something that reminds me of you or something you would say or do. It makes me smile.

My Sweet 16 with my Mom-Mom – we must be related with that head tilt.

Happy Birthday and I hope you are enjoying a nice cold one with Pop-Pop! 🙂

Still a Kid at Heart

Posted on June 23, 2013 by keepingupwithkate91

Since 2009 (I’m pretty sure that is when we started), my niece and I have been going to my church carnival. It is something we both look forward to every year. I don’t know which one of us gets more excited?!

We’ve had rain and storms (the first year we had to cut the rides short due to a T-storm – thank goodness we were in walking distance to a Friendly’s). This year the weather was perfect.

We have a set routine – face painting is our first stop. This year’s choice was a heart on one side and a whale on another. Then off to the rides. I love rides (I still remember when the SuperDooperLooper was the scariest ride out there!)! Our first ride this year was the Scrambler (when I was my niece’s age I found $5 at my grandparent’s church carnival – no such luck this year – I think we were the first ones on the ride). The next ride was the Tornado – it is a flying ride and you turn so your car spins. I will tell you it is the first time I’ve ever thought sick on a ride – ugh – a sign of getting old – hopefully maybe just a one time thing I hope. I hit a total of 5 rides (and luckily the Tornado was the only one with an issue – whew)!

Off to get some carnival food – we were pretty basic – burger and fries. While eating we got to watch the dunk tank – we even took some shots at it. I’ve completely lost my ability to throw a softball – quite embarassing since I played for probably 10 years (need to work on that)! Neither one of us knock him in. But it was fun.

It is interesting to see how my nieces interests have changed – she wanted to try out a game this year. She did really well – she didn’t win – but what annoyed me a bit is these were teen games and there were parents winning for their toddler kids (and there are games for the younger kids). My niece didn’t seem to mind – it was me who minded. She is a much better sport than me!

We both LOVE ice cream so we were off to get our annual softserve cone – we keep it simple – vanilla softserve – YUM!

We had time for one more ride – we usually ride the Pirate Ship or the Swings (and they have two swings) – to my surprise the pick was the bumper cars. It was fun – and I had an excellent driver – I was very impressed.

View of bumper cars – waiting in line.

I just love the fond memories this brings back to me growing up and going to my grandparent’s church carnival and the Holy Spirit Street Fair. I love that I’m creating great memories (I hope) for my niece! I cherish this time and hope we keep this annual tradition going for a very long time!

Love this shot – we never made it on the double swing.

Favortie Cookie Recipes – Nostalgic

Posted on December 10, 2011 by keepingupwithkate91

Throughout the years, I’ve added recipes to the base cookies. I started adding to the baseline when I lived in Virginnia and I made cookies for some of my co-workers. I really got into it when I lived in Dallas. One year, two of my friends and I made cookies for everyone on each of our team. It even included decorated, sugar cookies (that was a lucky year for my team – I didn’t make them again). The following Christmas I was on my own and back to my Black & Decker hand mixer – the following January I purchased my Kitchen Aid…what a difference that made.

I’ve decided to break-up my additional cookie recipes into 2 blogs: One Nostalgic (this one) and One New Age (more like recent in the last 10 years – and it will give me another blog).

The 3 recipes I’m sharing with you today are Peanut Blossoms, No Bake Cookies, Sugar (not the ones from my Dallas story) and Christmas Crunchies. Each one has a memory.

Peanut Blossoms: This is my Mom-Mom’s recipe. I remember making them as a kid with her (I’m assuming around Christmas time). At some point, I got the recipe (either from my Mom or my Mom-Mom’s recipe box). Here it is (this is my Sister-in-Law’s favorite cookie). 1/2 Cup Butter, 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter, 1/2 Cup Sugar, 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, 1 egg (room temp), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 Cup Flour, 1 tsp baking soad, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 bag of Hershey Kisses. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg; beat and add vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Roll rounded teaspons of dough into balls; then roll in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top each with a solid Hershey Kiss (I’ve even tried other Hershey Kisses) press down firmly so cookie bracks around edge. Return to oven and bake 2-5 minutes longer.

No Bake Cookies (also called stove top): I remember making these cookies at a friend’s house as a little girl (Becky Legg’s house – wow her last name just came to me…she only lived near me for about a year of so). I also think we made these cookies in Home Ec in middle school. These are my brother’s favorite. 1 1/2 cup sugar, 2 TBSP Cocoa Powder, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 cups quick cooking oats. In a large, heavy saucepan mix and bring to boil sugar, cocoa, milk and butter – stirring occassionally. Boil 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, peanut butter and oats; mix well. Drop by rounded tsps on wax paper or spread in a greased 9x9x1 inch pan. Cool a few hours or until firm (I sometimes put outside or in freezer to speed up the process).

Sugar Cookies: My roommate from college used to make these. The recipe came from her boyfriend (at the time) grandmother. If you read my previous post, I had the Tollhouse cookie recipe memorized – she had this one memorized. She would make these quite a bit…good thing we walked everywhere and had fast metobolisms. These are not your typical sugar cookies – you don’t roll them out – they have a sort of cake consisentency. The original recipe calls for nutmeg – I made them one time not knowing you don’t add the nutmeg…they so didn’t taste the same. 2 Cups Sugar, 1 Cup Butter, 1 Cup Milk, 3 Eggs (room temp), 3 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp vanilla, 4 Cups Sugar. Cream sugar, butter and eggs. Sift dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk to the creamed mixture. Baked on ungreased cookie sheet at 375. You’ll have to check on these cookies as the recipe doesn’t have the time. 🙂 These are great cookies to add sugar sprinkles or other decoration.

Christmas Crunchies: I’m not sure when I started making these cookies. I don’t think I’ve made them very oftern either. However, they have a special place in my heart as I received this recipe as a child in a Christmas card from my Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop (price on card was $0.35!). 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white (this is what is actually in the card) sugar, 1 egg (well beaten), 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp soda (baking), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup corn flakes, 1/2 cup coconut, 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans). Cream butter, add sugars then egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Last, add corn flakes, oatmeal, coconuts and nuts. Roll into small balls and place about 2 inches apart on cookied sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes.

Do you have any favorite cookie recipes? What are they? Let me know if you try any of the recipes and what you think of them. ENJOY!!

Have a wonderful Saturday!!