~~~ Happy New Years Eve~~~

To all of my BOGGIN' friends... Tonight is the night to bring in a New Year! 2010... Have FUN, Stay SAFE and enjoy your evening.... I want to thank all of you who have signed my guestbook and left your comments... It means a lot to me!

Thank you so much for a great year of posting and friendship...
My New Years Toast to you!

Wishing you a great new year…

filled with peace ☮ love ♥ happiness ☺ good health and fun!

Travel Safe

UPDATE: My surgery is this morning at 9:00 am... I may or may not be on in the next few days... Thanks to all of you who have wished me well!!!

☺☺☺More Snow, It Happens & New Year Luck☺☺☺

Hi guys... Guess what! There is more snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow... I think my husband has had just about enough of this... We were suppose to leave here this coming Sunday but like all of you no "IT Happens". I have been having trouble with my left knee since last March... It all began when I hurt my back just feeding the dog... I couldn't get out of bed and really twisted my knee in doing so. I went to the doctor and he said "Arthritis" and treated it with a series of 5 shots... Did it help? That would be a BIG fat NO... So we left for the summer and when we came to Arkansas to visit my daughter for the Holidays it was still killing me... a lot! So off to a new doctor here and he said "Arthritis". Please it didn't hurt before my back went out! So now after a cortisone shot, therapy, and medication he finally did a MRI... Guess what! Can you say torn meniscus and you need to have minor surgery, with 4 - 6 weeks to recover? So we’ll be here until February. OK… I am done whining and I’ll suck it up and soon we will be back on the road. Life of a full timer.... Got to be flexible!

For Luck in the New Year

Traditionally, it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. For that reason, it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. Parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.
So if you are a tall dark haired man (good looking wouldn't hurt) stop on by!

Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune. Sounds good to me!

Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.

We have the Black-eyed Peas with ham bone in it... And usually cabbage...
but this year I am making not only Black-eyed peas but kielbasa with sauerkraut... that is sorta cabbage isn't it... ☺☺☺ What's your traditional foods??

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy everyday!

~~~ Yes it was a White Christmas ~~~

It was my first White Christmas since I was 3 years old...

We spent the Christmas Eve with my daughter and it was rainy and cold... We made a BIG pot of chili and cornbread to keep us warm and played on the WII. Later that night we thought it was best for us to leave before the streets started to freeze up. I was so excited when we left our daughters house on Christmas Eve... There were light snow flurries in the sky and I was as giddy as a school girl... "Look! Look!" I said to my Honey who was NOT as excited since he was driving in it... By the time we got back to the campground it was a heavy snow... Our little Tiffy was not sure what was going on and walked ever so carefully on the ground... her little paws prancing like oh please what is this stuff... But she did manage to go potty. We went into Tassie and cranked up the heat... It was also her first time in the snow and she was shivering from the inside out... Thanks to some fellow RVers' (Margie) we had all our water lines wrapped up in insulation and was pretty sure we wouldn't freeze up. Plus we left the water on a slow trickle to keep it moving through the pipes...

We got on our thermal jammies and went to bed.... BURRRR!

When we got up the next morning it was a Winter Wonderland. After trying to walk Tiffy who wanted nothing to do with that white stuff I ran back in to grab my camera... OK I didn't run and I did slip on the ice and went down BUT no injuries... LOL

Here is a very short little video I took when we started driving out of the campground... It is not very good and my battery died right in the middle... But you can see how frozen the street was and the snow blowing in the breeze.

Have a safe and wonderful day!

~~~ Merry Christmas~~~

Our wonderful little warm front has left and snow is expected Christmas Eve.....
BUT somehow doesn't that sound just picture perfect...

’tis the season…to celebrate the birth of our savior, the wonder of Christmas and the joy of having a family & friends like you all. Thank you to all my followers... Your comments throughout the year has made my blogging experience a true treasure.

May the warmest smiles, the sweetest dreams, and the happiest heart

be yours at Christmas and always.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Love, Donna & Ralph

~~~ It's a WARM front ~~~

Here it is Monday and we are having a warm front... Today's high is going to be 58' and 45' tonight... YES my Florida friends that is a warm front here and I am excited. It has been in the 30's during the day and in the low 20's if not the teens at night so am I happy, you bet I am. I hope this last at least through Christmas day so that we don't have to hibernate inside... It would be a good thing!

We left all of our decorations in storage in Florida... So with a few stops I found a few little things to make it festive in Tassie... You gotta have some decorations RIGHT?

Well Suvivor fans what did you think of last nights outcome... I for one was thrilled that a sweet little girl from right here in Van Buren, Arkansas won... Natalie White took the million dollars from Russell Hantz, the snake, the rat, the lowest of life player that I really didn't care for... He did manage to win the 100,000 dollars for being a fan favorite... and I am sure that he will be on next season on the VILLIAN side... Yes in February the new season will be the Villians against the HEROS... Should be interesting for sure...

pictures of survivors from internet

I am one of those fans that think you shouldn't have to lie & cheat to win... Remember Ethan???

I hope your day is as wonderful as you all are.... Sooooo

Until Later Have Fun & Enjoy Everyday

♥♥♥ We are Gliding into the HOLIDAY♥♥♥

We have gone over our list and checked it twice! Realized we are done with the hustle & bustle of the HOLIDAYS!!! Finally the Cards are all sent, the packages that needed to be mailed are on the way, the shopping for presents is done & they are wrapped and under the tree. Most of the food for the Christmas celebration is snugly put away in the fridge & pantry. So we will be cruising into the Christmas Holiday with ease... A first for me... LOL I sure hope that you my friends all are set for the BIG day and will be enjoying it with family & friends as we are...

I have always made some kind of special breakfast for my family on Christmas morning for over 40 years... I have many wonderful casserole recipes that I have used for years... Several years ago a dear friend of mine gave me this recipe for Baked French Toast and it has become our favorite. It is fairly easy to prepare and the best part is you make it the night before... In the morning you just stick it in the oven and bake it while you are opening presents... My Step grandsons love this breakfast and they are very picky eaters... I decided to share it with you all and maybe it can become one of your favorites too... I sure hope so☺

Baked French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

above photo borrowed from the Internet

1 Loaf french bread (13 to 16 ozs)
8 large eggs
2 cups half & half
1 cup milk
2 TBS. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping
Maple Syrup

Slice French bread into slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Praline Topping:

½ pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 TBS. light corn syrup
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and

bake for 40-60 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.

Serve with maple syrup but it is so sweet you may not need it.

It is hard for me to believe how fast the 4 months have gone by here in Arkansas visiting our daughter and grand kids. In just 2 weeks we will be pulling out in Tassie and heading towards Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

I am looking forward to the adventure BUT will miss all the kids.

Until Later... Have Fun & Enjoy Life

~~~Tis' the Season~~~

We have been enjoying time with our family and doing the things we all do so well this time of the year... Baking those wonderful cookies for the holidays and sneaking 2 or 3 when they come out of the oven with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate... Going out shopping for the things that have been on your list for months for your family, the kids and your friends... Enjoying the many pageants, parades, and special event of the season... Riding around looking at the Christmas lights... Watching all those wonderful Christmas shows on TV and listening to the sounds of Christmas... And most of all being with those you love!

I have enclosed some GREAT videos of the Amazing Christmas light display done by the Hodo family in Van Buren, Arkansas that is set to Christmas music. We took these one evening when riding around looking at Christmas lights... Hope you enjoy them and if your near the area stop by and visit. I can guarantee you will LOVE it!

Before you watch the videos scroll down to the bottom of the page and turn off my Christmas tunes... Thanks & Enjoy!!!

I hope that you all are having a chance to enjoy these priceless times too...

Until Later... Have FUN & Enjoy Life!

~~~ Litttle Rock Part II ~~~

After visiting the Clinton Presidential Library we checked out a few other sites in Little Rock. There were several thing we wanted to see & do but couldn't get them all accomplished in one day. We always try to visit the State Capitals and so off to the Little Rock State Capital Building we went. Here is a picture of Capital building which shows you how grand and impressive this building was. We usually like to take the tour inside but arrived there to late to do it.

We also visited Little Rock Central High School National Historic Landmark. Built in 1927 , it was the focal point of the Little Rock Integration Crisis of 1957. Nine African-American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, were denied entrance to the school in defiance of the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling ordering integration of public schools. This provoked a showdown between the Governor Orval Faubus and President Dwight D. Eisenhower that gained international attention. On the morning of September 23, 1957, the nine African-American high school students faced an angry mob of over 1,000 Americans protesting integration in front of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. As the students were escorted inside by the Little Rock police, violence escalated and they were removed from the school. The next day, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the 1,200-man 327th Airborne Battle Group of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to escort the nine students into the school. By the same order, the entire 10,000 man Arkansas National Guard was sent, to remove them from the control of Governor Faubus. At nearby Camp Robinson, a hastily organized Task Force 153rd Infantry drew guardsmen from units all over the state. Most of the Arkansas Guard was quickly demobilized, but the Task Force 153 Infantry assumed control at Thanksgiving when the 327th withdrew, and patrolled inside and outside the school for the remainder of the school year. As Melba Pattillo Beals, one of the nine students, remembered, and quoted in her book, "After three full days inside Central High School, I know that integration is a much bigger word than I thought." Little Rock Central HS was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 19, 1977, and was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 20, 1982. The school itself continues to be used as an educational facility. I was to young to remember the severity of this event and was shocked over details inside the museum that I read. It was one small step to the beginning of unity & equal rights in this country.

On our way out of town we decided to look for a pedestrian walk over a dam that someone we met had told us about. The Big Dam Bridge is built over the Arkansas River and is 4,226 feet long, the bridge over the Corps of Engineers' Murray Lock and Dam is the longest bridge built specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists in the world (the longest in the United States is the Chain of Rocks Bridge on the north edge of St. Louis, Missouri at 5,350 feet, but it was originally a highway bridge). The bridge connects about 17 miles of trail in the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, bridging the Arkansas River from Little Rock's Murray Park to North Little Rock's Cooks Landing. Sadly we didn't get a chance to walk up onto the bridge itself.

This was the rest of our day while visiting Little Rock... It is a wonderful city with historic landmarks, a Presidential Library and much more to see & do. We really wanted to visit the Riverside area but never made it there. Don't forget that to get a closer look at any of the photos just click on it and they will open up larger.

Until Later... Have FUN & enjoy life!!!