September 30,  2011

Well this is a huge, unexpected pleasure...an impromptu trip to Brookfield Zoo with hubby, all four of our grown children/2 spouses and all 5 grandchildren!  How special is that!  Turns out everyone has the weekend off, one daughter has enough guest passes  for everyone, so our only fees will be parking - $9 and a motorized wheelchair rental for me $22.  This is will be an all day/evening event.  Not bad for 11 people.  We'll pack a sack lunch, snacks and drinks for everyone.  Everyone will meet at our house early in the morning, about 8:30-9:00.  Get everything loaded in the vehicles, and off we go for a day of fun, adventure and lots of photo taking! 

Knowing one daughter's family of 6 would be staying at our house this weekend (they live a couple hours from us), we ran to the store last night for groceries to make dishes to feed everyone this weekend. 

Tonight I will make for the first time "White Chili" or "Chicken Chili".  I had it once before and it was delicious. Hopefully this will turn out as good.  I'll let you know and post the recipe if it's good.  I think it will be.  Should be a quick, easy meal to make. 

For tomorrow, knowing everyone will be tired when we return from the zoo, I wanted to make something in the slow cooker.  I bought a huge head of cabbage last week at a somewhat local farm (about 23 miles from where we live).  I wanted to use it before it's not usable and decided to make Corned Beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots in 2 slow cookers to make sure there's enough to feed everyone.  It will be ready to serve and eat when we return home.  I'll set the table before we leave in the morning so all we have to do when we get home will be dish up the food, put it on the table, pour drinks and enjoy.

Then Sunday, I'll make a homemade Lasagna by a new recipe I heard about.  I'll let you know how that turns out too.  That will take care of feeding everyone Sunday.  Of course, there's also breakfasts and lunches to be made.

Will be a great time for all I have no doubt.  We love being together.  Gotta go now and start preparing the table and house for this evening, our guests and our dinner.