USA All The Way!!!....

Can you believe that Swim Team??...Awesome! I was planning to go to bed at 11 on Sunday night....I'm glad I didn't!! You just can't watch those kind of moments of instant replay!

Proof that it's not really over till your race is run! (or swam or swum) I recall the announcer saying I don't think the US can pull this out...they aren't going to be able to catch up....wrong! It was an amazing finish.

I was a little unsure of Michael's swimsuit...I was afraid of a 'wardrobe malfunction"....

Keep it up USA...you make us proud!

WOW!!....

It's been a year since I started the Buckner's Buzz! It's hard to believe I've been at it for a year! Remembering back to it's roots.......Steve would say .....why don't you start a family blog? I would say...it's too hard....I don't have enough to write about....I don't have any deep thoughts......'blog' is a stupid word.......who would read it???......

Back on Aug. 6, I typed my first post! I have 25 daily visitors (some days more some less). My top viewers for a day was 50! I have posted 116 posts...that's 9.6 posts a month....2.4 a week!!!

People have viewed from all over the globe. It's a little freaky to think about someone in the United Kingdom reading about your life here in little Kent City!

But best of all it's been a great way to keep in touch with our families! We can't always call each other and who has 3 hours to talk through each event (I have tried though!). I know they can check in 24-7 and read about what we have been up too! There is a sense of continuity that forms when people know whats going on in your life.

Team Henderson (my sister & family) also has a blog and it has been a real source of joy to read about what they are......doing....accomplishing.....seeing.....loving.......involving themselves in. We just need to get 'Griffioen Gab'.....'IN Enquirer'..... to get on board now!

I can honestly say it's been fun and a wonderful connection. Thank you Steve for encouraging me to start up and keep at it! I would never count the time I spend posting, as a waste of time....never!! Try it out for your family.....you might be surprised how much you enjoy it! (and how easy it is!)

......all I can say is.....Thank you Al Gore!

Here it Is.....

This is what appeared in the Grand Haven Tribune on the Monday after the parade.

We spotted the photographer milling around our area. When the time was right, he snapped this picture of Trent getting a tattoo from a GH police officer.

The lady next to me said...mental note to self "get a flag painted on my face for next years parade!"

The Photographer then came up to me and asked Trent's name & town and told me what paper he was from.....Trent said "my Uncle Tod has a camera like that"


It was a great finishing touch on our already fun time at the '08 Coast Guard Festival. It will be hard to top the fun we had while we were there.....

For Carolyn.....

Okay...so a close up of my ankle doesn't look that pretty....but here is the design!

It's definitely not as dark as a regular tattoo......it only stains your skin!

August Recipe...

This is the August Recipe of the month.....

Fabulous Fruit Bars.........

Base

2-- pouches of sugar cookie mix (Betty Crocker)1-- cup butter or marg....softened

2-- eggs

1-- tsp. almond extract

Filling

1-- can pie filling

Glaze

1c. Powdered sugar

1 T. milk

¼t. almond extract

Mix base ingredients together. Spread 2/3 rds of base in a sprayed 10x15 pan. Top with pie fillings. Drop rest of base on top of pie filling...bake for 30 min or so at 350°

Drizzle glaze on semi-cool bars

Store at room temp...if any are left! *Ü*

Cooks Helps....Quick and easy!! In this picture I used peach pie filling (used vanilla extract).....but my personal favorite is cherry & almond. Blueberry would be good too!! Can also be put in 9x13 and baked a little longer. (just a thicker bar)

ENJOY......comment back your favorite flavor!

Rookies.......

Okay...here's where we met up with Grandma Elsie....The Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven. Dad and Linda attended with Trent and I...it was a beautiful day. It was an absolutely gorgeous day....most of the regulars told me it is usually so hot you can't stand it.

We arrived at 9am and quickly found a parking spot. I had spoke with G-ma's niece that has gone for many years and she gave me some pointers...parking, arrival time......

My thought...that wasn't so bad...until we tried to find a place to put out our chairs....that was a different story. Apparently they let you start 'saving' spots along the parade route at Thur. 12:01....and it's full by 12:03!!! We could hardly find a spot to put them down...but we did manage to secure a nice spot. After that we walked to the craft show and Trent got his face painted and I got a Henna Tattoo. We waited for probably 45 minutes for our turn. But it was worth the wait.....
We had 2nd row seats..... Dad, Trent Linda, G-ma, Janet & Jack
They actually let Trent and I come down and sit on the curb..that was sooo nice of the people that were in the front row! See the man with the camera...check back later so see why that is significant.....
This is a band made up of all plastic barrels and pails, they were very entertaining!
After the parade, we walked down to the waterfront and toured 3 ships that were there. Here's Captain Trent. They were pretty massive.....
Lots of stairs to climb and very steep.....

Dad and Trent ringing the bell on one of the ships......
This is a shot...which doesn't do it justice....of the sea of blankets awaiting the Fireworks show.We didn't stay for the fireworks show but they say it is pretty spectacular....maybe next year. They said 200,000 people attended the show and it is a nightmare getting out of town....so we didn't attempt it.....maybe another time!!

Beautiful Berries......

BIG, BEAUTIFUL, BOUNTIFUL, BRILLIANT, BODACIOUS, BLUE BEAUTIES!!!!!

My friend, Caryn and I picked blueberries at Aftons Blueberry Farm on Thursday while the kids were at VBS. The bushes were just full and they were sooooo yummy. They were jumbo sized berries...like that big one in the middle! Makes you want to reach out and grab it!

We were only there about 45 min. and each picked about 5 pounds.

I'm think about eating them all before Steve and the boys get home Saturday....that might not be such a great idea!!

We couldn't resist stopping at some garage sales before we picked. We didn't get much...just a few things. When we started picking, it was around 11am and I was regretting the black top I had on! It was getting pretty steamy out there....a better time would have been 8am!!

Grow those in CA!