Loopy Eddie Ann

Eddie Ann had his surgery today.  I took him at 9:30 and Dr. Crawford saw him right away.  He weighed in at 12 and one half pounds.  I could have sworn he weighed 25!  He is a hand full for me to pick up and the girls really have a hard time holding him in their arms.  That doesn't keep them from trying though.  :)

Please keep Eddie Ann in your prayers as he recovers over then next few days.  He is resting comfortably now with some medicine that is making him a little loopy.  Getting neutered is no fun I'm sure and recovery won't be a picnic either.

I was thinking about how God gave man charge over every living creature and how He said everything He had made was good.  We are the caretakers of all that God has given us.  That's a BIG responsibility.   I did not want to take Eddie Ann to the vet to be neutered but it is a requirement from the shelter he came from.  I know why the rules have to be this way for we have so many animals that are born and few people to take responsibility for them.  Some animals are born to live just under God's protection out in nature, but those animals we have bred to be pets don't have the skill set to be out in the wild so we have to live up the the charge that God gave us and do the responsible thing.  To spay or neuter pets when they should not have offspring is a good thing for them as well as our earth.

Eddie Ann makes himself at home

Eddie finds his way around the house.



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Anna Claire, Carley Ann and Eddie Ann

Getting to know each other.



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Carley Ann and Eddie Ann

New family member

Welcome Eddie Ann Franklin.  I had been dreaming about getting another cat ever since Cocopuff died last summer.  It was a sad time for all of us, but I'm sure that this new cat we are calling Eddie Ann will find his way into our hearts too. 

I know you will want to know why his name is Eddie Ann.  It's because Carley Ann wanted him to have Ann in his name like hers and Anna's.  I think it's cute.  Another artist friend of mine has a black and white shorthair that she calls Eddie.  I had been dreaming about having a cat just like hers and when friend Janet Pitts told me about a black and white at the local shelter; well, he just had to come live with us.  :)

Happy Birthday Carley Ann

Happy Birthday wishes to Carley Ann Franklin my beautiful and sweet 7 year old granddaughter!  Your MeMama loves you more than you will ever know. 

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Getting ready for Christmas 2011

Carley Ann and Anna Claire

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Fall leaves and squirrel cookies

Carley Ann and Anna Claire had a fun time this afternoon making cookies for Thanksgiving day.  I don't think the cookies will last until Thursday though. 
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Jumping

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Anna Claire turns 5

Can you believe it.  Sweet Anna Claire has had another birthday! 

Happy Birthday Anna Claire.  Your MeMama loves you so much. 

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Anna Claire

Carley Ann

Carley Ann

Mexico Beach

video not working?

.:.Trying a fix. :)

Carley Ann turns 6

Tonight Carley Ann and Anna Claire helped finish the birthday cake for Carley Ann.  What wonderful vision Carley Ann has.  She knew exactly what she wanted and if I made a mis-step, she told me how to fix it.  I think, and thank goodness, she thinks it looks great!

Tomorrow is her birthday party! 

This cake is white marshmallow fondant for covering the cake and making the present and, bow and red fondant dots and initials which was Carley Ann's request.

Carley Ann even trusted Anna Claire to help with decorations.

Marshmallow Fondant

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

First remember that this fondant is placed over an already iced cake that has been iced as smooth as possible. Most cooks use buttercreme icing, but to speed things up I just use store bought icing.

Ingredients:
· 1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows
· 2-5 tablespoons water
· 2 tsp white vanilla or other flavoring (not necessary to the success of the fondant)
· 2 pounds (about 7- 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
· 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.


Microwave the marshmallows and water for about 20 seconds.

Take out and stir with spoon and put back in microwave for 10 seconds more if lots of the marshmallows haven’t melted.

Add vanilla if desired.

Add the sugar and mix and fold until all is incorporated and it is no longer sticky.

You will be using the vegetable shortening to grease your hands and the kneading surface. Remove from the bowl and knead until all the sugar is incorporated usually 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fondant roller or a regular rolling pin and roll out as thin as you want your fondant to be. If you have taken care to get your buttercreame icing super smooth, you can make your fondant very thin. This type of fondant is cheaper and easier to work with plus it has a great taste. After you roll out your fondant in a circle as thin as you like and have taken care to measure the diameter of your cake and know you have your circle large enough, you can fold your fondant over your rolling pin and then place over your cake and smooth down. There are several videos on the internet that show how to do this easily so if it’s your first time, watch a couple and you will be a pro your first time. If you have ever worked with play-doh you can work with this fondant. It will have the same consistency.

You don’t have to use this fondant for just cakes, try it on rice krispy treats in various shapes. The last cake made at my house was a monkey birthday cake and monkey pops made using cocoa rice krispys for monkey heads placed on popsicle sticks and fondant monkey features for eyes, noses and tongues. Have fun.

Cocoa Puff Birthday

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I forgot to post that Cocoa Puff had a birthday on March 1. We think she was born in 1998, but not sure. That makes her 12 this year and she is doing okay... but sleeps a lot more than she once did. She deserves to rest when she wants to. :)

Squash Casserole

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SQUASH CASSEROLE

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick of butter
1 can water chestnuts drained and chopped
2lbs yellow squash sliced
1 small jar of pimento
2 cups onion chopped
1 8oz ctn. sour cream
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9in glass pan. Melt butter toss with dressings.

Cook squash and onion till tender drain well. Mix soup,water chestnuts,pimento,& sour cream. Fold into squash mixture.

Layer 1/2 dressing mix into baking dish, add squash, then cheddar cheese. Top with rest of dressing mix bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Look what we did Daddy!