(recipe from the Longaberger cookbook)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed (or use minced garlic)

1 teaspoon dill

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, artichoke hearts, garlic, dill, and salt in a food processor (I just hand mix it in a bowl)….process for 1 to 2 minutes or until blended. Spoon into a greased baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown. For best results, use regular, not reduced-fat, mayonnaise and sour cream. Serve warm with pita chips.

Dad & Me

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend with their Fathers! I sure did….we started our weekend with a rummage sale Friday & Saturday at my folks house. Then over there again for Father’s Day on Sunday! Enjoyed every minute of it! Also, Briahnna’s birthday was Sunday, so we got to spend the afternoon with her and her boyfriend 🙂

The only bummer was that Kyle had to work all day so we missed having him with us. It’s hard when the kids grow up and can’t necessarily spend every holiday with the family…..but, on the bright side….he has a job!!

The wisdom and stories of the Saints are something to be studied and cherished. It just so happens our son, Ryan, chose Francis of Assisi for his confirmation name. I’d say he chose wisely 😉

 2012 Holy Rosary Graduates

Kevin, Dad, Me, Kyle, Mom and Ryan

What a great celebration last night! We started with mass, then awards, a delicious dinner,  and ended with a slide show showcasing the lives of the nine graduates. During Mass, Father George’s advice to them was to choose your friends wisely and keep God in your life…..although there was more, that was  the best advice of all. He was on the A-B honor roll all four semesters and has a bright future ahead of him. We are very proud of Ryan and what he has accomplished so far and confident he will continue to grow in his education and faith.

Buster wanted to help draw the name this time but those darn paws are useless with the little slips of paper so I let him pose with the winning name instead!

You have won the May give away! (pictured below)  Please send me your address so I can send your print right out to you 🙂

Since this print got folks so excited, I am offering up another one for the June give away! Just comment here or on my facebook page to be entered. Like my facebook fan page to enter twice…follow my blog to enter three times! Good luck!

8×10 print

©Teresa Kogut

Day trip to Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn Michigan
June 1, 2012

Joshua and Ryan

Sorry about the blur on Joshua’s face but I had a rain drop on my lens.

If anyone knows what kind of tree this is…please let me know. I love it and would love it in our yard!

Loved all the old buildings made out of brick, stone, painted wood, copper trim….so beautiful! Some of the building were moved there from England!

The Mill

The kids (and adults) learned many interesting facts about Thomas Edison. His goal was to invent a minor invention every two weeks and a major invention every 6 months. He has 1,093 patents!! No one has beat his record to date.

 The most interesting part of the village for me was the craftsman buildings. There were craftsman making pottery, tinsmiths making lanterns, and glass blowers making the most beautiful and delicate glass bowls and goblets. This was Ryan’s favorite, too.

After lunch we headed for the Henry Ford Museum….love all the old cars!

So much history at this museum…they had the car that Kennedy was shot in, the chair that Lincoln was shot in…..and 

Rosa Parks bus. We really needed a whole day at the village and a whole day at the museum. I felt rushed through the museum and didn’t get to read and absorb as much as I would’ve liked to. Oh well, another day…….

This was the last field trip…marking another step in Ryan’s life. He is moving onto a public school next year as a freshman…..bittersweet.

 Renee was Ryan’s sponsor and they are pictured here with Bishop Boyea of Lansing Michigan

 I had the honor of sponsoring Claire, pictured here with the Bishop.

 Renee & Ryan

 Claire & I

Last night was the 8th grade confirmation at Holy Rosary Parish. What a wonderful experience and what a pleasure it was to see so many young teens receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our son Ryan was confirmed along with many of his school mates and students from surrounding parishes. Bishop Boyea gave a passionate and very inspiring homily. He spoke of how the holy spirit dwells in us and gives us self control and confidence in order to do what is right and just in this troubled world. He told the teens before the ceremony started that once they receive the Holy Spirit to ask God what his will is for their lives and surely they will learn what that is…..maybe not today or even within a year but if they continue to seek God’s will, it will be revealed to them. He said each and every one of us on this earth has a special job that God needs us to do and if we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done…..no one else can do that particular job but us, so continue to seek God’s will for your life. (great advice not only for the teens but for all of us)

Confirmation, a sacrament of initiation, establishes young adults as full-fledged members of the faith. This sacrament is called Confirmation because the faith given in Baptism is now confirmed and made strong. During your Baptism, your parents and godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on your behalf. At Confirmation, you renew those same promises, this time speaking for yourself.

During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles on Pentecost and gave them courage to practice their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms Catholics during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts.

Traditionally, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, and chastity — human qualities that can be activated by the Holy Spirit.