Guest Post: Suzie Q’s Points to Ponder

Since Mr. G is coming home tonight and I CAN NOT WAIT (stop making a grumpy face, Mr. G), Suzie Q is taking over with her first offical Points to Ponder guest post!

Take it from Suzie Q – she has many lessons we could all learn from – especially when it comes to the weird sh*t kids say. Enjoy, folks! (Suzie Q picked out her own images!!) 

Suzie Q's Points to Ponder

Overheard during a 7^th
grade research project:  “Jelly Fish
don’t do much but you can put them on peanut butter sandwiches!”   Note to readers  -  Never
eat anything a 7^th grader offers you!!

I got up late on Thursday and what I REALLY worried about was
“Do I have enough time to make coffee?  Do
I?"

When I finally DID get to work, I spent the morning with a colleague
that cusses like a truck driver.  (I miss her!)

Note to CHAD (this is my brother whom I'm pretty sure doesn't read my blog yet…) –
Never send your Mom a text message that says “Mom  I need  your help” 
Did I mention it was sent at 11:00 at night??

I had a class come in and I did a “Book Talk” for 2 books (NO
ONE checked out either one of them!)  As
the teacher was leaving she said “Do you ever do any Book Talks??”  True story!! 
Just Happened!!

I am off to make coffee and my own pbj! And it
looks like I better brush up on my Book Talks!

Happy Reading!!

SuzieQ

The 31st Year: In which Suzie Q and DS allow me to crash their wedding anniversary dinner again…

This weekend, Mr. G and I traveled to Flag City USA (aka, Findlay, OH) to crash join my parents for their 31st wedding anniversary dinner. Sadly, I have been doing this for four years now. I can only get away with doing this because A) I am DS' favorite child (DS stands for Daddy Steiner, by the way. He asks that we call him this), and B) Because I am unbearably adorable and fun to be around.

They go to this super fancy place called Mancy's in Toledo (the cream of the crop here people) and I get to order steak AND dessert. But this isn't about me – it's about them, and their endless love for one another. Actually, it really is. I know a lot of people don't get to find what they have found, and for that I am truly thankful. Here, let's look at a picture of the happy couple at this year's dinner:

Note: Suzie Q and I decided we were going to have her wear every. single. bracelet DS has ever bought her. We had to stop eventually because Suzie Q's arm was becoming extremely heavy, and she looked like a hippie. Regardless – there were some major stones on that arm. Way to go Suzie Q.

The only rule of the weekend is that DS is NOT to call Suzie Q "Sweet Thing" in front of me. And Suzie Q is NOT to call DS "Wild Thing" in front of me, or Mr. G, because we'd like to at some point remember a world of innocence and happiness. However, they almost always break these rules, which is just absolutely unacceptable no matter how much their nicknames for each other make one another happy. I digress…

Anyway – at these dinners we drink a lot of wine. And sometimes Suzie Q, DS and Mr. G end the dinner with Grand Mariner (I don't go NEAR that stuff). So, in the morning, we typically need some aspirin and a good breakfast. 

Well, God Bless you Suzie Q – you knew just the treat to serve. Friends, let me share with you the most sweetest treat to indulge in the morning after a bottle of wine shared among… yourself (Suzie Q used the Pillsbury.com recipe, and I adapted it a bit). 

Here is what you'll need:

• A cup of coffee and an aspirin (This is for you to enjoy immediately upon waking up)
• 1/2 package of low-fat cream cheese, softened 
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (like… normal sugar)
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup of fruit filling of your choice (Suzie Q used cherry pie filling. I am going to try raspberry preserves)
• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough (the kind without the seams!)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp skim milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Find a non-stick cookie pan (or grease one). In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add almond extract and stir. Add fruit filling and stir. Set aside. Unroll the dough onto your cookie sheet, and spread so it fits the pan. Spoon your cream cheese mixture evenly down the center of your dough (about 1/3 of the rectangle. Like you're making a taco). On each side of the dough, make cuts 1 inch apart to the edge of the filling. Fold opposite strips of dough over the filling and cross in the center to make it look like a braid. Seal the ends. 

Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown (watch it the last few minutes!). Remove from the oven, and let it cool (you can use a cooling rack, but we didn't. Our heads hurt). 

In the meantime, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth (like the frosting you get with Toaster Strudels) and drizzle it over the cake. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top. Slice a piece, put it on your plate and thank god it's time to sit back down. Phew!