For Gina...

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For Gina, who asked...

"Janeen, what's up? No new posts?"

You're right... let me share my list of this weeks "To D0 List" with you...

1. My Niece Jackie who is my sister Melody's daughter, is getting married this fall and this weekend kicks off the first of her bridal showers, so I'm busy with that.

2. I am creating the games for the party

3. I made 2 batches of cookie dough last night that's chilling in the frig.

4. Tonight I am baking those cookies.

5. Tomorrow I am frosting those cookies so they can dry and be ready to bag in the evening.

6. Tonight I am finishing the assembly of the party favors.

7. This morning I made my children's ham sandwiches on hot dogs buns because I have no bread, therefore I need to go to the store to buy bread and other groceries.

8. Last week I started my Fresh Brewed Life Summer Book Club at church so there was a WHOLE lot of stuff to do in preparation for that; create folders, discussion materials, go to the Dollar Store and buy all the paper products needed, yada yada yada. God is good as it went great!

9. Brewed a pot of Mango Flavored tea but couldn't enjoy it because something else had to be done. So minutes ago I put it in a carry thermos to have ICED TEA in this HOT California weather!

10. Took the kids to the library to get their accounts straightened out, they both walked away with arm loads of books.

11. Tomorrow morning, I'm off to Melody's house to help set up her house for the party.

12. Call ladies who didn't make it to the book club last night and tell them I missed their smiling face and hope they didn't change their minds but understand completely if they did. Overall, I want them to know their sweet self's were missed by the group!

13. Need to get gas in my car.

14. Still trying to schedule a date with the PG girls... need a Rita, some chips and girlfriend time!

15. Get up at o-dark-thirty, make some coffee, grab my journal for the book club, go outside on the patio in the cool of the morning, light a candle and spend some uninterrupted time with my Jesus!

So that's what I have been and will be doing this week! I miss ya all but the great thing about bloggin' is that everybody is busy and no one takes it personal if you haven't been by in a week or so to comment. It's all good!

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Well ain't that something!

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My Beautiful Mother-in-Law who sent me this video (ya 'all are cracking me up so I'm going to clarify this here that the woman in the video is NOT my M-I-L. The woman is the actress from Gilligan's Island - Marianne) just shared this EASY way to peel a COOKED potato when making potato salad! Check out this 2 minute video here!

Wow, you learn something new everyday! I lurve it ~ What do you think?

UPDATE: I tried it and it works! We had bangers and mash Monday night - so easy now!

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Happy Friday - Schools Out!

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Last day of School! Yahoo!!

UPDATE: The kids were so excited today when I showed at up at the school to pick them up! Surprise! I'm always working but worked a half day instead to spend time with them and we had a great lunch together. It was sweet to see them say goodbye to their friends. Oh the highs and lows of the last day of school! As soon as we got home though they each went to the TV and have been chilling... ha ha

Well my Man just got home and we're off to go fishing until sunset!

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Need some tips

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My girl has REALLY gotten the bug to go to garage sales lately. Me, well not so much. I've only gone to a handful of them willingly and the last one was probably 5 years ago when I saw just what I was looking for and it was just down the street from me... an old, beat up, scratched up wooden vanity! Perfect for me who at the time had 2 very small children and needed something that I could sit down at in the mornings to get ready for the day and not worry if my baby boy would draw on it with a marker. I remember the lady who sold it to me for $25 said it would probably clean up pretty good with a little effort. I think I slayed her when I said it was perfect just the way it was... all beat up already. ha ha

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For several years I have also been looking for a small 2 seater couch to put in front of my vanity too. I've used folding chairs, rocker chairs and now I have a old swivel living room chair that I use. Why a couch? Because everyone wants to sit in my chair! Either I'm getting ready and they want to get ready with me OR they want to snuggle up with their Mama OR because it's cozy watching TV in it too but when you've got 2 kids, someone else has to sit in the un-comfy plastic green chair. I know the years are quickly approaching when they won't want to snuggle up with Mama on the couch but even when they outgrow it, I'd still like the little couch there for myself! Recently my Boy asked me if I had given up on looking for a couch and I told him, No I hadn't but our years of budget lock down had stopped my searching because I didn't want a hand-me-down couch unless I KNEW the house where it came from. Someday it will come our way!

Anyway, back to garage sales... my Girl thinks that they are the greatest thing EVER and thinks that the $2.00 in her pocket is going to enable her to walk away with an amazing item. I told her I would take her a few times once summer arrived and so I'm asking my Veteran Garage Sale bloggy friends out there for any advice tips you can share with us!

Thank you in advance and have a great day!

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Swooning Amore'

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I'm swooning amore' with this new coffee creamer! Have you tried it yet?

I've been using the Creme Brulee flavor for about 2 years but my Man recently brought this home, its Coffee-Mat'se new special edition flavor ~ Nestle Coffee-Mate Sweet Italian Creme! Mmmmmm Right now it's only sold in the 16 ounce size but I sent a message requesting them to upgrade to the king size version!

And while I was there, I saw this recipe posted... oh you've got to try it too! It kind of reminded me of a Orange Julius but only better and EASY! Next on my list is a recipe they had for Coffee Cake using the powdered creamer, it got 5 star reviews!



Ingredients:
2 cups ice cubes 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup Italian Sweet Crème Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Liquid Coffee Creamer

Instructions:
PLACE ice, orange juice and Coffee-mate in blender; cover. Blend at high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

Memories

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In preparation for my upcoming summer book club, I was going through one of my journals recently and found this funny entry/memory from a 5 - years ago!

The time is Midnight:
(Isabella) Mom, I had a bad dream, can I sleep with you?
(Me) Yes, get in.

1 am:
(Isabella) Mom, I want to pick out my clothes today, okay?
(Me) Yes, that's fine.
(Isabella) But I still might need your help, will you help me?
(Me) Yes, that's fine.
(Isabella) Mom, Nate was mean to Jordan today, he kept pushing her baby doll.
(Me) Isabella, Go to sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning.

1:30 am:
(Isabella) Mom, How much money do you have?
(Me) Why?
(Isabella) We need $150 so I can ride a horse for an hour. But I don't want Grant to go, okay? Just me!
(Me) Isabella, go to sleep, we'll talk about it later.
(Isabella) But Mom, do we have enough money?
(Me) No, I only have $17.
(Isabella) Okay, Mom, we need $150, so can we save that?
(Me) Yes, let's try but that means you won't be able to buy anything on Bake Sale Friday's at school for awhile.
(Isabella) Hmm, okay, can I do a few Bake Sale Fridays and save for the horse?
(Me) Yes, now go to sleep.

2 am:
(Isabella) Mom, I have homework tomorrow!
(Me) Go to sleep, we'll talk about it tomorrow!

?? am:
(Isabella) Mom
(Me) (I'm not answering)
(Isabella) Mom, MOM!
(Me- annoyed) What?
(Isabella) I love you.
(Me) I love you too, now go to sleep!

3 am:
(Isabella) Mom, can you pick me up from car line tomorrow?
(Me) No, I have to go to work. I'll be picking you up at daycare like I always do. Now go to sleep!

3:15 am
Isabella get's up to go to the bathroom. Then from down the hall I hear Grant wake up and starts coughing. I get up and make sure he's alright. He seems fine and wants to come into my bed. Okay, that's fine. I tell Isabella to go back to her bed. Then I realize that he has wet through his diaper. So, I get him cleaned up and wipe him down and put clean clothes on him. I'm too tired to strip his crib with new sheets, so he is definitely coming into my room. Isabella gets up again to see what's going on. I'm frustrated at this point and I tell my Man who has been sleeping through all these hours of interuption, TO GET UP AND HELP ME! He's up and out of bed in 2 seconds and changing Grant's crib sheets.

3:30 am:
(Isabella walks back into my bedroom) Mom, you know what?
(Me) I know your gonna be in trouble if you don't go to sleep!
I get up and walk her back into her room.
(Isabella) Mom, will you lay down with me?
(Me) Yes.

Moments later...
(Isabella) Mom, my class is going to have Bake Sale this month.
(Me) Yes, I know, go to sleep!

3:50 am
My Man gets up for work and comes into Isabella's room to tell me what time it is.
(Me) GROWLING... Yes I know what time it is!!!!!

4am
I return to my bed and Grant is sleeping in it.

4:10 am
Grant starts to cough again and this time throws up in my bed!

Ah, we have a sick child! At last I KNOW that I won't be able to go back to sleep now!

5 am:
(Isabella) Mom, I'm going to go to sleep because the sun still won't come up and I don't want to wait for it anymore, okay?
(Me) That sounds like a good idea baby, I will wake you up for school.

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Because you asked...

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Here is an example of one of the birthday cakes I made for my Boy 2 years ago. I took these with my cellphone camera at the time because I didn't have a digital camera yet so the pictures are kind of fuzzy, but you get the idea...

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His theme was a Pirate party and he saw this Ocean cake in a magazine and he said, "Mom, here is one you can do, but can you put some sharks on it!?" It's sweet how much faith they have in me. Little do they know, I don't sleep for days trying to figure out how to create it. ha ha

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Here the bears are swiming in shark infested waters. Some are scuba diving and others and floating on colorful intertubes and playing ball in the waves.

Splish... Splash... S-H-A-R-K... secure the treasure!

Fish swimming through the kelp and seaweed.

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Here is the picture from the magazine... like I said, not exact replica's but darn good for this Betty Crocker!

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Here's your sign!

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Oh yeeeeeeeeeeeeees, definitely! Case in point... I was in a public restroom, all quiet in my stall... when a fellow patron came in... talking... obviously on a CELL PHONE!

Me... well I'm not one to complain... but I couldn't hold myself back on this particular occasion. So what did I do? I DID NOT SAY ONE WORD but instead... began flushing my toilet REPEATEDLY! Oh yes, it was bliss! After what seemed like a constant 2 minutes of flushing, interrupting her "What did you say?" the fellow patron said to her caller... "Let me call you back, I can't hear you, someone is making so much noise in this bathroom!"

Yep, that's me! I'm such a little stinker aren't I? (tee hee)

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Awe-Summm Award!

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Thank you, Nana Trish at Nana's Living the Dream for such an Awe-Summ award! (Pun intended!) You KNOW I lurve the bling-bling crown, it's soooo me and the retro look of the drawing is right up my artistic alley too!

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The idea here is to list 7 things that make ME Awe-Summm!!! (Hmm, this took 3 hours to do, so it's not as easy as you'd think!)

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1) I rarely complain about anything. I can thank my Mother for that learned behavior.

2) I have the gift of discernment and it has served me well in life.

3) I can make the birthday cakes my children request at their birthdays. Not exact replica's from the pictures but they are pretty darn close!

4) I am Betty Crocker in the kitchen. When I go out to eat at a restaurant, all I ask is that the chef make it better than me. That shouldn't be hard, right?!

5) I host Afternoon Tea Parties that are filled with fun, laughter, good food and memories!

6) I could be Nancy Drew! I see things that others often miss. I can accurately guess the outcome of CSI shows and mysteries 99% of the time. Kind of takes the fun out of it though too 'cause I know what's going to happen.

7) I love, love, love my Jesus! Without Him, I would NOT be Awe-Summm or Cha Cha!

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You're right Nana Trish, that was not easy. It's always easier to see the wonderful traits in others, rather than yourself. Now the rules are to tag 3 people with this Awe-summm award! This is difficult because I have MANY Awe-Summ bloggy friends that I could tag, but I will choose 3 ladies who consistently visit me and leave comments that make my day: Cynthia at Muse-Swings, Lavinia at Birdbath Chronicles, Sparky at My Thoughts Exactly!

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First fruits of the season

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Strawberries are one of my favorite berries and this weekend I got our first basket of the season. We went through them pretty quick and when there was just enough left to do something with, we made strawberry shortcakes!

I grew up on the box drop biscuit version my Mom used to make...

... but now I'm my own baker, so we make them from scratch and if I don't make the scone version, I'll bake a drop biscuit version and put them in a muffin pan. They come out the perfect size too! Really it's portion control. ha ha

I usually use the cream scone recipe from MY favorite food recipe website of all time Joy of Baking but today I decided to try something different and went to my stand-by website for recipes, Southern Food - but if you choose this one, reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons, otherwise it takes like your eating aluminum - icko!

Voila - delicious anytime!

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For Today...

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FOR TODAY...

Outside my window
. . . is the sunrise. The coffee is brewed and I'm already on my second cup.

I am thinking

. . . how lovely it is to have peace and quiet in my home.

I am thankful for

. . . to be living in America, enuff said.

From the kitchen

. . . recipe for self rising flour pancakes. I HATE pancakes but I make them for my family.

I am creating

. . . a new theme for my tea party in July. I usually do a patriotic theme but I'm going to mix it up this year.

I am going

. . . to start looking for new everyday dishes. After 12 years, mine are definitely showing their age.

I am wearing

. . . the usual, blouse with jeans and my hair & make-up are done as always!

I am reading

. . . Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson. I'm leading a summer book club at my church so I'm preparing chapter discussions.

I am hoping

. . . my Mother-in-Law's feet are healed in time for her vacation later this year. She had bunion surgery on both feet, ouch! But so worth the pain, she'll be able to wear her closet full of shoes again.

I am hearing

. . . birds chirping VERY LOUD outside.

Around the house

. . . is a layer of dust that needs cleaning.

One of my favorite things

. . . is when one of my favorite magazines arrive in the mail.

A few plans for the rest of the week

. . . getting a little gift for the kids to give their teachers.

Picture this . . .

. . .Here are a few recent pictures we took... I am reading and making notes in my book club journal. And here's my girl just a few feet away watching the birds in the valley below.

What are you doing FOR TODAY?

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Spring Tea Parties!

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I've shared before that I am part of a small group of women with whom we rotate monthly tea parties with. Recently, Ann hosted a Mother's Day tea at her home and there was never a more generous out door feast to honor Mother's than Ann set out that day. To call it a picnic would make it seem trivial!

And can you believe I FORGOT my camera! I know, I couldn't believe it. I'm always taking it with me, it's as common as the cell phone in my purse! I was having a small tantrum of sorts and carrying on so much, that I exasperated myself to the point I probably resembled a rerun from I Love Lucy! (just kidding but I was very miffed at myself!) THANKFULLY, Sharon remembered her camera and took this picture so we could make a memory!

Recently, the Women's Ministry at my church had a Spring Tea where 11 tables were decorated in different themes. We had nearly 90 women total, whew! Here are a few of what the tables looked like... I'll save mine for last.

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This tables' theme was A DAY IN PARIS!

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This tables' theme was PRETTY IN PINK!

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This tables' theme was M & M! *

This tables' theme was TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME! *

This tables' theme was A WEDDING RECEPTION.*

This tables' theme was EASTER! *

This tables' theme was A BABY SHOWER. *

This tables' theme was A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY! *

This tables' theme was ROMANTIC ROSE. *

This tables' theme was CHINESE NEW YEAR! *

And finally.... my tables' theme was LEMONS AND LIMES!

This was actually very subdued to what I usually do at home with big themes and big displays and decorations but we are on budget lock down and this theme only cost me $5.00. The candy for my favors is what cost the most. (tee hee)

My party favor was filled with Lemon Heads candy and my recipe to make a glass of lemonade. You know when you've got just one lemon and you don't know what to do with it? Well make lemonade! I was asked what to make with a lime and I said very quietly... a cocktail! ha ha

I got some compliments from a group of gentlemen who came to help with set up/clean up. They said if they got to choose, they would have sat at my table because it was refreshing and it didn't look all foofy, like a girl's table. ha ha

Soooo, I guess if I ever hosted a MAN's Afternoon Tea, they wouldn't be offended by this table scape of decorations. I was told there is such a thing as a Man's Tea. Supposedly there was one on a episode of The Soprano's but I wouldn't know because I don't subscribe to Hells Box Office.

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PFF - Friday - Memorial Day

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Thank God it's Friday

and PFF Day

hosted by my beautiful blog friend,

Marie at Cpaphil Vintage Postcards!

To our Men and Women in all branches of the US Services... I salute you!

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I love ironies!

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Have you seen the movie Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day?

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I rented it because it had one of my favorite actors in it.. Ciaran Hinds. He has a small supporting role in the film but as you see the character evolve, it packs a big punch in the end. I was pleasantly surprised by the entire cast actually. I don't recommend viewing this as a family film as there are a few risk-ay scenes but if you like a romantic comedies!

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The movie, well it's full of ironies and I love it when I can recognize them in movies! Heck, I love 'em even when they are in books! I've got this song... If I Didn't Care... stuck in my head now, such a romantic little tune. Enjoy!

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8 Things

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8 Things...

Yep, I've been reading and reading and reading some more. Visiting blog friends has been like so much fun! While visiting NanaTrish at Nana's Living The Dream she tagged me to play 8 Things... So I too will take the challenge!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward to:

1. 2 weeks vacation this summer

2. Planning my next tea party

3. Leading a summer book club

4. My niece's wedding this fall and seeing my adorable children as part of the ceremony

5. Redeeming my gift certificate to get a pedicure/manicure

6. Visiting my parents

7. Getting together with the PG girls

8. Sending a Thank You to a dear friend who gifted me dishes

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Went to church

2. Went to Costco for a cheap lunch

3. Visited my blog friends and left comments

4. Watched "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day"

5. Helped my boy memorize his project for Monday

6. Balanced the checkbook

7. Spent time with my Man

8. Read my Bible

8 Things That Bring Me Peace and Comfort

1. Reading

2. Quiet mornings with coffee wrapped in my shawl at sunrise

3. Working on a bible study

4. Making journals/scrapbooking

5. Being able to pay my bills (Good one NanaTrish!)

6. Prayer

7. Seeing my family happy and healthy

8. Enjoying Afternoon Tea

Okay, now consider yourself tagged and I look forward to visiting your 8 THINGS!

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Back in the saddle again..

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Okay, I think I'm back in the bloggin' saddle again.

Whoa, it's been a busy few weeks here with no time to blog (I have a lot of reading to catch up on!). And to top it off, I've got a cold that is giving me insomnia at night and I can't sleep! Grrrr!

My Mother's day was lovely...

Recently, the kids found a birds nest with eggs that we left undisturbed. I loved the beautiful way the nest was perfectly round and snug...

Spirit week at school was fun with all it's daily themes. Here are some of my favorites...

Armed Forces Day

Western Day

Pirate Day

And here is a picture I couldn't resist sharing with you. Last Christmas we received some gift's that were... well let's just say they would have been better left not given and it was the thought that counted.. right? One of which was a cookie jar but the cookie jar was so awful that it was immediately given a burial in the trash can. The next day, another relative of ours was given a similar cookie jar but instead of giving it a proper burial, decided IN FUN to re-gift it to us. You've never heard a group of people laugh so hard on Christmas Eve! Thus, this little turn of events has begun our own family's tradition of re-gifting the Snowman Cookie Jar. Throughout the year I have been taking pictures of the jar and our family doing various things and at the end of the year, all the photos will go into a nifty little album that will go inside the cookie jar and when we re-gift it again this Christmas, the next recipient will enjoy seeing the memories it spent with us during the year. The idea is to also encourage the next person to do the same and see what wacky and crazy pictures they can come up with each year. So instead of passing around a block of fruit cake, we'll be passing the Snowman!

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Here is a recent photo that will be included in the album... Snowman enjoying a box of donuts! hee hee

Do you have a item that you re-Gift each year?

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