40 Years of Marriage

Boy is it a cold and rainy day in Mid-Mo. I woke up late last night to rain and it was still raining when I left for work today.

It’s that time of the year I guess. Rain, sleet, snow, high winds and lots of holiday traveling through it all.

Speaking of traveling, my husband and I are taking a ride down to southern Missouri Friday. This Saturday my sister-in-laws, Audrey and Kara, me and my husband and my brothers will be hosting a “surprise” 40th Anniversary party for my parents.

I can mention this on my blog because my parent’s do not have the internet (they aren’t very computer savvy, nor do they care if they ever are). So, I can mention this surprise to all of you.

About 4 months ago I began making plans with my siblings on hosting a party to celebrate our parent’s marriage of 40 years, which I think is a HUGE accomplishment. Can you imagine: 40 years! I can’t. They experiences they must have had together, raising and teaching 3 children, watching those children grow up, become their own person and then those children having their own children. WOW! That’s all I have to say. I just hope that I will have a marriage as strong and loving as my folks.

Back to the party. I made the initiations, which read:

On November 27, 1966 a very special
couple said, “I Do.”
Now forty years later their hearts are
full of happy past memories
and bright future hopes.
Our family warmly invites you to join us
for a night celebrating 40 years of
marriage between our parents

Janith Lou
&
David L Baldwin Jr.

We will be hosting a
“surprise” anniversary party on
November 18, 2006
at 6:00 P.M. at the
Lions Club Community Building
in Ava, Missouri.

The invites were printed on vellum paper and on the back of the invites, I tied a wedding photo of my folks. Needless, to say the invites were as “classy” as both of my parents.

To get my parent’s to come to their “surprise” party I also made a “fake” invitation, which invited my folks and their children to attend two of their friend’s 50th wedding anniversary. Same date and place, just arriving 30 minutes later than the original party for them.

Everything is a go for the party this weekend. We are decorating the entire place in fall décor with pumpkins, Indiana corn (from my garden), straw bails, gourds, leaves, wonderful smelling candles and tons of fall color with ribbons, flowers, tablecloths, candle holders and everything else you could imagine.

Their anniversary cake is being made by one of my sister-in-law’s mother. The cake will be adorned with fall colored leaves and a classic white color.

The menu includes: Croissant sandwiches (which we had catered in), chili (my brother Dave is making this), lettuce and pasta salads (my sister in laws are bringing these), Mexican Layered Dip (my cousin Lana is providing), Deviled Eggs (my Aunt Norma is making), Fruit Tray and Dip (from my Aunt Pat), punch, soda, Missouri wines, Champaign, whiskey, beer……I need to stop.

For my part of the food, I am making Melting Moment cookies, Chocolate Zucchini Breads, a Cheesy Potato Casserole, a few cream cheese dips for cookies and fruit and Pomegranate Punch.
We are expecting 96 people as of today. Besides hosting the party, my siblings and I also had Dogwood Video put together an anniversary video for my parents. I organized more than 200 photos, beginning with my parent’s growing up years, their wedding, honeymoon, the births of all three children and so on. Also on the video are video clips from each of our own families. We rented a big screen tv to play the video for them at the party.

It will be a very joyous occasion and I’ll be sure to post photos from the party next week. So, be looking for them.

I’ve got three very simple recipes from more of my co-workers today. A simple Oven Steak Supper is perfect for this time of the year, since grilling season is kinda over. Julie brought in these wonderful oatmeal bars the other for me to nibble on and Georgia has a great recipe for more holiday cooking.

Oven Steak Supper
by Susan Phillips

1 ½ lbs. round steak
1 envelop dry soup mix
6 carrots (quartered)
2 stalks celery (halved)
4 medium potatoes (halved)
2 T. butter
½ tsp. salt

Place meat in center of 3-ft. length of foil. Sprinkle meat with soup mix; cover with vegetables; dot with butter and sprinkle with salt. Fold foil and secure to hold juices. Place on baking sheet; bake for 1 ½ hours at 375 degrees.

Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
By Julie Harker

Oatmeal Mixture:
2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 and 1/2 c. whole oats
1/4 c. water (optional)

Chocolate mixture:

1 pkg. dark chocolate chips
1 c. sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chopped pecans

Oatmeal Mixture: Mix brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flours, baking soda, salt and oats. Stir in water if too dry. Reserve 1/3 of mixture for topping. Press the rest into the bottom of a 13 x9 pan.

Chocolate Mixture: Melt in pan over low heat the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and butter, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt and nuts.
Spread over oat base. Top with clumps of reserved oatmeal mixture.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350, 'til top is browned. Don't overbake. Let cool then cut into bars.

Pecan Pie Bars
by Georgia Munsterman

4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 cup of butter (softened)
1 ½ cups flour

Mix top 3 ingredients until blended. Spread on cookie covering bottom.

Mix:
1 egg slightly beaten
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Spread on top of dough
Bake 25-30 minutes
Drizzle w/ chocolate almond bark.