Five Favorite Vacation Spots!

 
With Summer almost here .... time to think about vacations!!
Here are my Five Favorite Vacation Spots for FUN ...

Hocking Hills State Park 1. Hocking Hills State Park

Ohio has many beautiful State Parks. Since 2001 we have enjoyed visiting the Hocking Hills State Park with friends and their families about every other year. Hocking Hills State Park is in Logan, OH which is south of Columbus. It is a very scenic area and there are many free trails to explore the beautiful landscape.  They have 40 comfortable cabins and a large outdoor pool which are great for a group.


Caribbean beaches2. The Caribbean

I am a beach person ... so give me a beach and a book and I am all set!?!There are so many beautiful islands in the Caribbean with unbelievable sandy beaches and warm turquoise water! The all-inclusive resorts are luxurious!



Great Smokey Mountain National Park3. Gatlinburg, TN

The biggest attraction in my opinion in the Gatlinburg area is the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We enjoyed hiking the trails to see all the breath-taking scenery. There are also lots of attractions and good restaurants in the city of Gatlinburg. Last time we were there, we stayed in a condo in the city. From there we could easily walk to the city attractions. Next time we go, we plan to stay in one of the beautiful cabins up in the mountains.


New York City4.  New York City

I am not a fan of crowds, so New York City was not high on my places to visit. But my daughter has always wanted to go there so one year we surprised her with a trip to New York City ... and I LOVED it!!  We saw some of the attractions and Hairspray! One of my favorite parts of the trip was all the different kinds of cheesecake!! We definitely plan to visit again and take in more of the sights and shows.


Euchre Tournament5.  My Own Deck

As Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz says, "There's no place like home," and sometimes that is the case.  In recent years we've heard more of "staycations"... staying home for your vacation and enjoying your own home and surrounding attractions. So many times our own deck looks so inviting as we are rushing off to somewhere else. It's nice to kick back once in a while and relax in our own backyard ... especially with friends!! We even play some Euchre ;-)
                                  
  Comment below ...
What is your favorite vacation spot?
 
 
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Sombrero Cookies


Here is a great EASY recipe for your
Cinco
De Mayo Fiesta!!


Sombrero Cookies

Sombrero Cookies

Click here for details on making these easy Sombrero Cookies from the-wilson-world.blogspot.com  for your Euchre Tournament ... you only need 4 items and you can even start with store bought sugar cookies :-O




Image from http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com 

Black Bean Salsa


Here is a great EASY recipe for your
Cinco
De Mayo Fiesta!!


Euchre Tournament
I got this Black Bean Salsa recipe from my sister YEARS ago and everyone enjoys it when I make it!!  It's great served with Hint of Lime Tostitos chips. It will be a hit at your Euchre Tournament!

Black Bean Salsa

2 15.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed
2 tsp. minced garlic 

(minced garlic in the jar is ok)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed
1 cup diced onions (I prefer either red or sweet onion)
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
3 tbsp. minced cilantro (MUST use fresh)
3 tbsp. lime juice (fresh or bottled)


Mix all ingredients together.
Chill and serve with tortilla chips. (I like Tostitos Hint of Lime best)


Image from http://allrecipes.com

May Euchre Party Theme

Euchre Cinco de Mayo
Cinco De Mayo Fiesta!! Ole 

What better theme for May than Cinco de Mayo! There's so much you can do with this theme. Of course everyone can wear their sombrero and cha cha with their maracas to some FUN Mexican music!

LOTS of FUN food ideas too ...

What is Euchre?

Euchre, pronounced \yü-kər\

Euchre Tournament
For some of us Euchre Enthusiasts it seems incomprehensible that there are people who don't know what Euchre is!?! ... But that is the case!! If you are new to this EuchreFun blog  and are wondering "What the heck is Euchre?" ... here is a brief explanation ...


Euchre is a FUN card game!  It is popular in the Midwest United States, the United Kingdom and parts of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is similar to Pinochle but a bit easier to play. It uses 24 cards - the 9's through Ace's.  Usually there are four players who form two teams and each player receives 5 cards. One of the four remaining cards is turned over and that suit might be called trump. One of the teams will call trump and then try to get at least three of the five tricks. If the other team is able to take at least three tricks, they "euchre" the team that called trump and receive the points. Different numbers of points are earned based on different situations of the game.  A game can be played until either a certain score is reached or for a certain number of deals around the table.

Once you get the hang of it, Euchre is a fun card game that moves along quickly. It is great fun to have tournaments where there are multiple tables of four players! Players rotate throughout the tournament. Players may be teamed up with different partners for each game or teams will rotate and play each other. There is both luck and strategy involved. Because of many "possibilities", anyone can win!

Euchre is a very social game. Since it's not an "intense" game, there is time while playing to chat with the other players ... which usually evolves into LOTS of laughter!  I have met SOOO many good friends from the game of Euchre.  If you haven't played before .... I encourage you to give it a try!! ... then post a comment and let us know what you think of it!

You may also be interested in:
How to Play Euchre Card Game
General Euchre Rules
History of Euchre


Five Favorites .... for Ice Cream!!

 
With the weather getting warmer,
my attention turns to ice cream ...
so here are my Five Favorites for ice cream!!


1.
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  Erma's is open from April 1 to October 31.
If you are in Michigan and close by, you need to
stop at their location in Shelby Township or Warren.
They have 3 special flavors each week. Click here for the list.
All of October is PUMPKIN ... a MUST try!!
One of my favorites is their
Pumpkin Parfait with pecans and caramel!
 
2.
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Whenever we are on a trip, we have to stop at Culvers!
Their Turtle Sundae is my favorite.
Their salads are good too ...
maybe that helps me "justify" the ice cream! LOL
 
3.
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The mini-blizzards at Dairy Queen can't be beat.
They are just the right size to fill that craving
and they have LOTS of flavors!
 
4.
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Gelato ((pronounced jeh-lah-toh)
Gelato is an Italian Ice Cream with a
richer flavor and thicker texture.  It's very smooooth.
If you've never tried it ... indulge yourself!
 
5.
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For a step back in time ... I remember going to Farrell's
for special occasions and having their ZOO!!
There are still Farrell's around,
so stop in for a visit & a yummmmy ice cream treat!!


Check out other Five Favorites at MoxieWife.com ... 

Euchre Tournament
                                  
  Comment below ...
What are your favorite summer "treats"?
 
 
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