PUNKED by the Wind!

Although I really wish I had a video to share with you of this hilariously funny story, I do not so I shall type it out. I went to the gas station and got gas so that I could mow the lawn. It is extremely windy today...not kidding...crazy windy. So I am equipped with long socks, old tennies, my winter coat and hat I knitted and put the gas in the lawn mower. I start, or should I say try to start it and NO WAY...ughhhhh battery dead???? I give it a few attempts and knowing David has the jumper cables at work in his car I decide to move on to cleaning so I get my big container/bag that I usually keep in the back of my car and see if there are any unnecessary items in it that I can unload or toss. I set it down in the drive, and the wind flips it over and things start flying. This is where I keep my "green" bags that I take to the grocery store (20 of them) with me. I run across the street grabbing what I can out of the neighbors yard, come back start putting it back in and another gust...BAGS, neck pillows, umbrellas. At this point I'm looking around to see if anyone is potentially recording this and I'm gonna be on a viral video later today. Finally get it gathered up again. Put it on a shelf in the garage, because at this point if the wind takes it again I might just let it go. In the process of putting it on a shelf I knocked off a giant bucket of around 200 golf balls. YEP SURE DID! Again, looking around to see if perhaps I'm being punked. Got the golf balls picked up...went after the lawn mower again and found that the battery was charged but that there was LOTS of corrosion on the battery and cables which I was able to remove with a paste of water and baking soda. I'm a part time amateur mechanic in my spare time. And voila lawn mower started! Got all the grass done, kids to activities and fettuccine alfredo DONE! What caused a little stress in the beginning ended with laughs and a feeling of accomplishment! A video would have been great tho right?????

I'm Retiring...

I've pondered over how to go about doing this. And in the end I decided to start by telling a few people to make it real for me and then adding more and more to the list. And now what's left but the internet. I have decided to retire from Wishes. Retire sounds so much better than quit. I don't every want anyone to feel like I "quit" on them. I have taught under Kelley for 12 years and what an amazing journey it has been. I have some of the most amazing forever friendships and have been lucky enough to meet some of the most wonderful, caring and loving parents and kids through the years. My love for my students will stand the test of time. Once a student always a student! I will always care what you are doing and how you are so if you see me out and about make sure to stop me and say HEY! We are in the process of moving to a different home closer to my husbands office. However, we will still be in Fishers so let's go dancing at the Free Summer concerts...OK????? I have also always had a passion for photography and have started my own business which I'm super excited about. This way I can still hang out with kids which is my favorite thing to do, be creative and make amazing photos at the same time. And there's no doubt there'll probably be some dancing going on in a lot of my photo sessions! I will be at the studio, picture day and Paramount theatre through the recitals. I'm so glad to share my last recital with such an amazing group of students. Every one of you mean so much to me! I'm working on gathering lots of photos of me and my students through the years so if you have any I would love it if you would send them to me at moody_lydia@yahoo.com I am FB friends with some of my parents but if you know of anyone else who has been a student please pass this along. LOVE YOU ALL! Miss Lydia

Josie's 8th Birthday

Corynne's 6th Grade Overnight

I have been having a BLAST learning about my new macbook and making movies, slideshows, editing music etc.  So here is one of the slideshows I've made.  Stay tuned for more

Bonnie Boor's Strawberry Pretzel (salad) Dessert

I always thought it silly that it was called salad so I prefer to call it dessert:)

I like to make a little extra crust so it's a little thicker because that's my fav part:) The glass dish I used this time was a little bigger than 9x13 so I just did a little extra of all the layers

2 cups crushed thin pretzel sticks
(Crush with rolling pin or use food processor (I prefer FP)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups boiling water
1 package (6 ounce) strawberry flavor gelatin
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipped topping
2 heaping cups sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Combine crushed pretzels with 3 tablespoons sugar and butter. With a spatula, press pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan to form a crust. Bake 6 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Pour 2 cups boiling water over strawberry gelatin. Stir until melted and let cool to room temperature.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and whipped topping until combined. Spread evenly over cooled crust.

Add strawberries to cooled gelatin and let thicken slightly. Spread strawberries and gelatin over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm.

Cut into squares to serve.

Easy peezy Christmas treats

Round pretzels as many as u can fit on a baking sheet. Set a Hershey's kiss in middle...be creative with flavors. Bake on 170 degrees for 3-6 minutes. Push an M&M onto melted kiss. Again be creative with flavors. I put in freezer for couple minutes to quick harden.

We did menthe filled kisses with mint M&Ms and Carmel Filled kisses with regular M&Ms. Tried cherry cordial kisses but didn't work to well as the center was to liquidy.