Retirement Surprises!

We had a retirement open house for my Mom over Memorial Day

at a coffee shop in the town I grew up in.

"We," I mean. My brother Tim and his wife Melissa did all the work.

My aunts and uncles came. It was great to catch up and see them again!

It was also fun for me to see old friends and teachers..even an old

principal from grade school!

But of course we made it a surpise for Mom! Telling her would

be so.....BORING!

Here's my sister Sarah (on the right), my niece (middle) and my

sister-in-law's mother (left- who also put in a lot of work)

as we WAITED for her to come around the corner! She didn't know

we were there!

Here's Lily and Katie as we waited for Grandma Marsha!

And here she is when she saw us!

We're not exactly sure what she was really thinking, but let's just

assume those are tears of joy...yeah we'll go with that!

Here she is thinking about all the lies we told her to

make this happen. Lying is wrong. Except for surprises.

I think.

I cherished watching my Mom have fun and celebrate. That's my brother
Tim standing behind her on the chair. He's not much of one

to have his picture taken...this will have to do. He and his wife

Melissa, as I said earlier, set this whole thing up and did all of the work.

Not to mention they fed all of us at their house Friday night and Sat. morning while

we were "in hiding."I wish I had a picture of Melissa, but I don't have a good shot.

Just trust me, she's beautiful. Here's their daughter:

This is my other brother Jess, chatting it up with Mr. Kerkhover,

my former (I shall stop saying "old," I think) Social Studies,

Geography, U.S. History and World History teacher. We REALLY

missed Jess's wife Sarah Beth and their four adorable kids back

home in Georgia!

This is my baby sister Alyse with Katie. Freakin' me out how

grown-up my daughter is looking. We are leaving the braces

on FOREVER!!!!

STOP GROWING UP!!!!

Stop it!

Half of the food table. We enjoyed that too!


Katie and the Strawberries. Shortly after this, Katie ATE

all the strawberries. All of them. Look at her face. She was

planning on scarfing them right as I took this. That's why

she was there! Sorry everyone who wanted strawberries.

Back at the house afterwards.

I am not as fat as I look here.

Great time.

Happy Retirement Mom!!!

And thanks to all who came!

Cheesecake Rules

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

I used this scrumptous recipe to snag my husband twenty years

ago...this, lasagna and fried chicken. That's all you need girls...

learn to make these three things and you can have any man

you want begging to marry you in no time. It's true! Well, almost.

Sometimes.

OK, well, even if the doorknob doesn't propose after the first

bite...hey, you have 10 more pieces of chocolate swirl cheesecake

to console yourself with!!!

Note: the chocolate shavings should be put on when the

cheesecake has cooled. I did it when it was warm. Mistake.

...but still wonderful....delightful....delicious...

Just ask Andrew. He eats a cheesecake a week these days.

Trying to "bulk up." Yeah.....I know....despicable. He gave

this recipe a thumbs up. In fact, I believe his words were,

"You can make this? Really?"

You see, I haven't made this in many a year... because I have

no longer been trying to get a husband. But now I can at least

impress my son....who is distracting me right now by giving me

his birthday wish list (he turns 16 on Thursday)> He either wants

a car (no), a jet ski (not happening)....or a slinky. I guess he's getting

a slinky!

Anyway, here's the recipe which is sure to win you rave reviews:

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Chocolate Crumb Crust:

1 Cup Vanilla wafer crumbs (30 cookies crushed)

1/4 Cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 Cup melted butter

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Combine ingredients. Press into bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.

Bake 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

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Cheesecake:

3 packages (8oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 Cup sugar, divided

1 Cup sour cream

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla, divided

3 Tablespoons flour

3 eggs

1/4 Cup cocoa

1 Tablespoon oil

1 jar of hot fudge topping (optional)

Chocolate bar for shaving chocolate curls (optional)

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Make crust. Set aside. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large mixer bowl, combine cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, sour cream and 2 tsp. of the vanilla; beat until smooth. Slowly add flour. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

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In a small bowl combine coca and remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 1/2 Cups of the cream cheese mixture, and blend well. Spoon plain and chocolate batters alternately over crust, ending with dollops of chocolate on top. Swirl with butter knife for marbled effect.

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Bake 10 minutes. Leave oven door shut and reduce temp. to 250 degrees. Bake 30 minutes. Then turn oven off and leave in oven 30 minutes more still leaving the door shut!

Loosen cake from rim. Cool. Chill.

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If desired, warm hot fudge slightly and spread over top of cake. With a carrot peeler, peel chocolate curls off of candy bar and place on top.

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This cheesecake is just as good the next day, or even the next, so you can make this ahead if you like! If you are a cheesecake lover, you have to try this one!