Last Chauffeur Day of the Year

It's Winter Break, and I have free time, so that means I'm back to being my Gram's chauffeur! 

Where to, you might ask?

To organ class, where else?!

And might I tell you, it's not just any organ class as my gram would put it, "there are no beginners in this class... we all play very well and are quite experienced!"

after all, it is the advanced class

Typically,  she has classes every Wednesday 

(but due to the Christmas holiday and all, it was moved to Friday ...just for this week!)

Pretty snazzy looking for pushing 92, eh?

It was too funny. Last night I got a call from her. 

"Erin, I'm just checking again, you can still take me and pick me up from Organ tomorrow, right?"

..."yes gram, I'll be there promptly at 10:00am!"

that was the fourth time she reminded me.

In one week.

So, I got to thinking. Which is never good. But really. Listen to this.

My gram has two hearing aids. Without them, she is deaf. literally. 

When she plays the organ at home, you can hear it from three houses down.

I wonder how loud it really must be in the building where they play...

oh dear. I can't imagine.

Any who.

After her organ class, she goes out to lunch "with the girls" 

(cute, huh?)

She calls me from her little jitterbug (a.k.a old persons cell phone!) and fills me in on her where-a-bouts. 

It's always one out of three places.

i Hop

Garden Cafe

Fernando's

Today it was good ol' i Hop :)

When I go to pick her up from one of those three locations, I always have to sit and chat with the girls for awhile. I mean really, old people LOVE to talk and hear stories. I always have to budget for at least a good 30 minute conversation before I can leave.

Today, I brought them some goodies in a cute little mason jar, pulled tightly with a bow, for a late Christmas treat!

Santa's Chex Mix

Craisins

Pretzels

Peanuts

Corn Chex

(drizzle white chocolate and let cool)

add M&M's and mix together.

Santa-Hat's

Buggles

white non-parcels decorations

red (white chocolate candy melts)

mini-mallows

Click here for the full recipe

It was good to see the gals, but some were missing due to Christmas parties, traveling and all. Stay tuned Wednesday for pictures of the girls and some funny stories!

Until then, check out some older posts and funny stories from my gram this summer here and here. 

Can you believe TOMORROW is New Year's Eve?

My recap of the year in tomorrow's post.

xoxo

Labor Day Weekend

.It's been a long Labor Day Weekend.

I picked up a babysitting job to make a little cash, and let me tell you...that kept me busy!

It has been quite some time since I have: changed a diaper, watched hours of Dora The Explorer and Nick Jr, played with sidewalk chalk, blew bubbles, and played house and hide and go seek...

After the long weekend, it made me realize just how needed naps really are!

I wish that as adults, we could still get an occasional "nap time break". 

I mean heck, people get smoke breaks, we should be allowed nap breaks!

{yes, I am totally kidding...}

---------------

My mom and gram are in the good old sunny state of Florida visiting my family while I was left here. By myself, working, sitting around, not doing a lot  -  

Here is the first card she gave me before she left. 

It was nice...I even got a gift card :)

...and then I get this one!

My mom loves to make me smile and crack the jokes! 

When my best friend went on her first date, she got picked up at my house.

(first of all, that was a mistake!) 

He rang the doorbell and my mom answered with underwear on her head, while contiuing to talk in some weird foreign accent saying something along the lines of  "Oh hello boy, are you here to pick up the good old Lisa? Where are you taking her and what are your intentions"

Sadly, no, I am not fibbing. She really did.

You know what's even better? I can't wait to embarrass my kids someday :) 

**I pick them up later tonight and made them a little welcome home snack!**

♥ photo credit

*please note that this beautiful picture was not the result of my oh so fab baking skills. 

They tasted just as good; however, they didn't quite look that way - 

so I thought I would share the professional pic ; )

*Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies*

Yield: 24 small brownies

What you will need:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  

Line an 11″- x 7″-inch pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth.  Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar.  

Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.  

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test.  

Cool completely before cutting.

-enjoy

Goodnight friends :)

xoxo 

-erinj0