I Love you Jim Nikolai! :)

Jim and Charlene

I wanted to take the time to write to you and tell you just how much you mean to me and how very much I love you. It is very seldom that I have extra time to think about how wonderful you are, so while I was enjoying the quiet of the morning I thought I should share.

You have amazing qualities that all women look for.

You believe in truth. I feel that you do what is right, not for reward or acknowledgment, but for purpose. You are, as they say, "a stand up kind of guy". I can trust what you say and do because I know that you have strong convictions and your word is binding. Our kids do benefit greatly from you in this regard. You do set a wonderful example for them.

Your humor never ceases to amaze me. I have never met a person so willing to find humor in almost everything (and I mean EVERYTHING!!) I laugh when I'm with you and I smile when I think about you. I miss that when you are not home. You give me a reason to enjoy life everyday and I thank you for that.



Nathan, Hunter, Brittany and Jeromy

 Your endless knowledge. I never thought I would find a man smarter than I that I could stand to be around. LOL!! I learn form you even when you're not trying to teach me. You are always so patient, much, much more patient than I will ever be. This quality makes you invaluable as a father and a friend.
Your unending calm. I find that even when I'm panicking about even the smallest thing, you are there to soothe my fears and worries. You are a great comfort to me. You see the logical side of a problem and know how to explain it to me with out being belittling.

Your faith in my abilities. When I falter in my faith in myself, you're there to help me see the good in me. You're my rock when I really need it. You help me to see how much I can accomplish even when all I can think about is failure. I thank you for that.

Your dignity. You are proud of who you are and what you do. You refuse to lower you own expectations in order to raise the level of what you expect from others. You are proud without being prideful.

Your sensitive nature. You have compassion for all and you are truly affected by injustice and wrong-doing. You will do anything for anyone, listen to me complain, are always the first one to apologize even when it wasn't your fault, and you never let me down.

Your good looks. I find you more attractive now than the first day we met at the lake...oh so many years ago (it's probably that whole beard thing.) I am proud to call you my husband for the reasons stated above and because you're just damn "hot" baby! You have the most beautiful features and that helps to make beautiful babies.

You are a spectacular person, husband and father. I only wish that I could convey how much I love and respect you in a more meaningful way. I don't take for granted that not only am I lucky, but also blessed to have you as my husband and friend. You are my heart, Jim. I want to spend every day of the rest of our lives showing you the love that I have for you. We will look back and be able to see how our relationship has grown and evolved. You make me want to be a better person just being around you.

Love,
Char

Charlene's "Secret" Banana Bread Recipe

1 C Sugar
1 Stick of Butter -room temperature
2 eggs - room temperature
4 REALLY ripe Bananas
2 Medium ripe Bananas
1 2/3- 2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 ENTIRE package of chocolate chips
NO NUTS

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs until blended.  Add your REALLY ripe bananas and mix until it is all liquified.  Add your two ripe bananas in chunks and beat a minute...you WANT small chunks in the batter.   Stir in remaining dry ingredients until moistened.  Add chocolate chips and bake in 2 loaf pans at 350 for about an hour.  Toothpick test works best. 

Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced onion
4-5 strips of cooked bacon chopped in pieces
2 tsp garlic chopped fine
10 cups chicken stock
1-2 carrots, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
3-5 large potatoes, cubed
¼ of a bunch of kale (we use a full bunch of cilantro in place of Kale, but both are good, just make sure you chop into small pieces ...this can also be ommitted entirely)

Saute onions, celery and carrot, until onion is just turning translucent.  Add sausage, garlic and crushed red pepper and chop up as it is cooking (like you would hamburger for tacos) cook until browned.  Add bacon pieces, chicken stock, Kale (or cilantro) and potatoes.  Simmer until potatoes are tender.   Serves 4-6

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

1 pkg of burrito sized flour tortillas
2 - 28 oz cans of  Enchilada sauce (I use the Red La Victoria-Mild)
4-5 chicken breasts
Garlic powder
1 pkg (12 oz) Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 lb Mozzerella shredded cheese (reserve 1/2 for top of enchiladas)
Chopped Cilantro

Sprinkle garlic powder over top and bottom of chicken breasts and cook in non-stick skillet until done.  Let cool so you can handle them and cut into long strips like fajitas.

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (I prefer glass versus metal) with enchilada sauce about 1/4" deep...so they won't stick.

Enchilada assembly.  Take tortilla and sauce it like a pizza on one size with enchilada sauce.  On one end, add generous amounts of chicken and cheeses and chopped cilantro, roll up and put seam side DOWN in pan.  Repeat making enchiladas until the pan is full. It is best to squish them in the pan.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas, and sprinkle your reserved mozzerella over the top.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes until heated through and all the cheese is melted. 

Kenosha Merchants U14 at Simmons Field for 2011

Kenosha's Simmons Field (located at 7817 Sheridan Road, Kenosha, WI) formerly was home to the Midwest League's Kenosha Twins from 1985-1992, but the most famous team to call Kenosha home was the Kenosha Comets of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1943-51. Simmons Field, built in the early 1930s, became home to professional baseball once again with the arrival of the former DuBois County Dragons franchise after the 2002 season.

In 2007, ownership of Simmons Field was transferred from the Kenosha Parks Department to the Kenosha Unified School District. The district has since leased the field to the Kenosha Simmons Baseball Organization (KSBO), a non-profit group working to upgrade and restore the stadium. Initial improvements included a rebuilt infield, which was completed in the fall of 2007, and a new electronic scoreboard behind left field.

Today, Simmons Field continues to be called home by various Kenosha recreational and amateur baseball teams, including the Kenosha Merchants.
Despite its changes through the years, Simmons Field retains its classic feel. The historic grandstand behind home plate looks much like it did during the days of the AAGPBL and still evokes memories of the baseball greats who played in front of it. Indeed, Simmons Field is believed to be the last remaining field in its original configuration from the days of the AAGPBL.

Take a seat in the genuine wood box seats, listen to a train running on the tracks adjacent to right field, and you will feel yourself in an unmistakable old-time baseball atmosphere.