Friday Favorites

It has been many months since I joined up with the gals for Friday favorites.  Hope you enjoy today's favorites.

I love wall vases and these are two that I have recently found on Etsy.  Of course, the arrangements did not come in them but my local floral designer created those for me.  I have one hanging on the foyer wall and one is hanging on the guest bedroom hall wall.  And, I'm sure you notice that both of these have a bird of them.  That makes them even more of a favorite for me.

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I do Pulled Pork often but I've never done Pulled Chicken.  I see these packets and just decided to give it a try.  I used 4 large chicken breasts and it made enough for about 3 meals and it was DELICIOUS!!  I may even like it better than pork.  And, it freezes beautifully so it's great to fix, freeze and pull out when you need/want it.  

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This is a piece of my maternal Grandmother's tatting along with her tatting shuttle (on bottom left).  This piece hangs in one of our guest bedrooms and I treasure it.  I well remember sitting and watching her tat when I was a child.  I was so amazed at how she could create such pretty pieces out of basically string.  She never sat down that she wasn't working on a piece.  It is truly a keepsake.

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I love popcorn!!!  Let me repeat that, I love popcorn! And, this is some of the best in my estimation.  I generally have 2-3 bags in the pantry and most every night I will have a cereal bowl full.  I do add just a little salt but otherwise, it needs nothing.  And, of course, it's so low calorie and that's always good.

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Okay, let me tell you about these.  A gal that I went to high school with and her husband do gorgeous quilting.  They do from an 8x8 size all the way up to full size that can be used for wall hangings.  I chose these 4 8x8 originals that they had framed in 14x14 frames.  I had a spot at the top of the stairs going to our guest suite where they fit perfectly.  You need to go and check out their website, Pops and Momma Rose Art.  Their work is flawless and done with attention to every detail. 

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My Gran girls introduced me to this drink some months ago.  And, when I found it in the "light" version I was on board.  My favorite flavors are Peach Mango and Blueberry Pomegranate and they have good nutrients in them as well.  

I saved the best for last!  When the nutritional shakes and teas came out 2-3 years ago I didn't "get" all the "hype" at all.  I sort of thought it was "much to do about nothing."  That is, until I tried them.  We had one of the nutritional shoppes open about 3 miles from our house back in Feb.  I was next door to the shoppe shortly after it opened and decided to try one of the teas.  Well, that was the beginning of a "bad" habit. ~chuckle~  Then after a few of the teas I decided to try one of the shakes.  Oh! my goodness! it was divine!  It has become my lunch about 3-4 days a week.  These teas and shakes are made with ingredients from Herbalife and have a lot of good things in them.  And, the teas have about 5 calories and the shakes about 200.  It doesn't get much better!  If you have never tried a nutrition drink then I urge you to give them a try.

And, there you have it.........a few of my favorites on this Friday.

Have a super great weekend! And, I leave you with this..........

A Hawaiian Hodgepodge

Yea, for me, this is my second week in a row to join in with the Hodgepodgers.

1. July 5th is National Hawaii Day...have you ever been to Hawaii? Any desire to visit or make a return trip? Pineapple, mango, or guava...what's your pleasure? 

I have been to Hawaii twice and our first visit was in 1984. I just happened to find the above photo from that trip.  Goodness, they were 4 and 7 years old. ~teary eyed~ 

I do not imagine we'll ever return, we certainly do not have any plans to but we sure enjoyed the two times we were there.

I'll take either pineapple or mango and they do serve the most delicious drinks in Hawaii.

2. Last time you were 'thrown in at the deep end'? Explain. 

The first thing to come to my mind was 11 years ago this past June when my Daddy was diagnosed with Guillian Barre Syndrome.  It hit him out the blue and he was pretty much completely disabled over night.  I knew I had to sink or swim and I put on my "big girl panties" and did what I had to do.  It was a long and difficult journey, long, long hospital stay, then transitioning to a nursing facility.  But, God had other plans for him and Daddy made a complete recovery over the course of a year, moved into an assisted living facility where he remains today at the age of 91.  It was truly a miracle and we came out on top of the "deep end".  I really won't mind if I never have another "thrown in at the deep end" experience. 

3. Sun, sea, sand, salt...your favorite when it comes to summer? 

It has been years and years since we've been to the beach and I often think I would like to go.  I'm not a fan of the sun or the sand but there are ways to limit the sun and I can endure the sand if I have to.  I love the sounds and sights of the sea, especially in the early morning and late evenings. 

4. Bury your head in the sand, the sands of time, draw a line in the sand, pound sand, shifting sands...pick one and tell us how the phrase currently relates to your life in some way.

I'd have to say shifting sands.  I'm about to be 69 and Hubby is 74 and we're witnessing some of the tough things of aging.  We've been blessed thus far but we're seeing friends decline in health and even lost some very dear to us through death.  We see our Grans getting older and their interests shifting.  All of this is a part of life but some of these shifting sands can be mighty tough.

5. On a scale of 1-10 (1 = make your own rules and 10=like a warden), how strict were your parents? If you're a parent where on the scale do you land? 

Oh, wow! I'd say my parents were about an 8.  I pretty much just compiled with the "rules of our house" and have fond memories of growing up but I'm quite sure my parents would have been defined as "strict."  Remember, my Daddy was a minister and that might have well played a role in what was expected of us. ~smile~

I think Tommy and I were probably about a 5.  We definitely had rules and thankfully our two played by those rules for the most part.  It would be interesting to see how they would rate us.  I think I'll ask them. ~chuckle~

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

You may remember 3-4 months back that I mentioned our dear friend Charles and asked for your prayers for his healing.  Well, Charles received that complete healing on June 25th when he entered heaven's gates.  Our hearts were and still are so sad but we rejoice that he is now made whole and no longer in the weak and frail state that the past 7 months of illness had caused.  His celebration of life service was so uplifting and such a tribute to a great and Godly man.  He leaves behind a wonderful legacy.  Gerri, his wife, is finding her way and navigating waters she's never traveled before.  It is definitely a time of "shifting sands" for her.  He would have been 78 tomorrow.

Prime Purchases

I sure did miss this last month but we were with our kiddos and Grans celebrating our 50th.  So, you are getting a "double dose" with this post.  Aren't you excited? ~chuckle~  Hope you find something that you "need" too.

EXTRA  LARGE  COOKIE  SHEET

Oh, my goodness, this is the "granddaddy" of all cookie sheets my friends.  It is 15" X 21" and holds lots and lots of cookies.  Most of my cookie recipes fill two of these and sometimes a little more.  I love the extra size as it has reduced  the cookie sheets I use by half.  And, Chicago Metallic is so heavy and such a great pan.  I just love it when I find something that enhances my cookie baking even more.

AMAZON

MICROFIBER  HAIR  TOWEL

I have used these turban towels for my hair for years and years but I needed to replace the ones I had.  They had seen better days for sure.  These are so nice and I love the stripes.  They are so, so soft and absorb super good.

AMAZON

COLORFUL  JUTE  TWINE

I love twine and use it a lot in packaging my baked goods.  I had never seen it in so many colors until I ran across this package of 15 different colors.  I even like to use 2-3 colors together.  So cute!

AMAZON

GIFT  TREAT  BOXES

These boxes are great for all kinds of things.  I use them some when giving cookies to someone and I've used them to put a gift in.  They come in two sizes and are so, so cute.  The larger size will also hold the mini-bundt cakes.  They come flat which is a huge space saver and they are "easy peasy" to turn into the box shape. 

AMAZON

LOUNGING  PAJAMAS

If you are looking for a cute pair of lounging pajama's for summer then you might like these. They are so soft and have the cute trim and are my "go to" for evenings while at home.  They come in 4 colors.

AMAZON

5 X 7 SELF  SEAL  ENVELOPES

I decided that I was going to be "one step ahead" with my Christmas cards this year.  Christmas cards are SUCH a process and a self seal envelope is a MUST for me.  And, I don't believe I've ever seen a colored envelope offered with any of the photo cards. I'm all about colored envelopes and these fit the bill.  They are colored and self seal!  They come in several other colors as well.  I like colored envelopes because they stand out in someone's mail.  And, I did cute recipient labels and already have those on these pretty red envelopes.   I will have everything done except for ordering the card, stuffing it in the envelope and sealing it.  I think I'm going to be real glad that I did this early on when Christmas card "sending time" rolls around. 

AMAZON

HIGH  SHINE  SHEA  BUTTER  LIP  GLOSS

I use a whole lot of clear lip gloss and this is one of the best I've ever used.  AND, it's a mere $3.40 a tube.  I wear the long lasting lip color and all of it requires a gloss over it.  I don't always like the gloss that comes with the lip color so I found this that is high gloss and NOT sticky.  I can.not.stand.sticky.lip.gloss!!!

AMAZON

LOUNGE  DRESS

Amazon calls this a lounge dress or sleep dress.  Oh, my goodness, surely no one would sleep in this but whatever............. I use mine for lounge wear.  As I have stated before, if we are going to be at home in the evenings I am in my lounging clothes shortly after we eat dinner.  This comes in several pretty colors and wonderful rayon fabric.  It makes me feel "queenly." ~big chuckle~

AMAZON

CORDLESS  MINI  MIXER

This is the neatest little gadget.  I like the Nutrition Teas that seem to be on every corner these days.  I often buy them "dry" and then put them together here at home and this little "doozy" works great in blending them before adding the ice.  They are definitely not made for anything thick but for liquids they work great. It sure beats getting my hand blender out.

AMAZON

10 X 13 ZIP PLASTIC BAGS

I love zip top bags and Amazon has them in sooooo many sizes.  Ziploc is great but they have limited sizes and sometimes I need a size that Ziploc doesn't make.  I am often finding a use for these.  I also have them in the 9 x 12 size.  So handy to have!

AMAZON

ERASABLE  PRECISION PEN

Call me old fashioned  if you want to but I still have my trusty wall calendar where we keep all our appointments and activities written.  These pens are so great for using on it because if anything changes once I've written it there, I can erase it.  Sure beats using "white out." ~chuckle~

AMAZON

DENIM  JACKET

Denim jackets are just the greatest and go with EVERYTHING.  I have 3-4 but did not have a black one.  I love this one.  It's a shorter cut and I like that and the fit is average, definitely not slim cut. I am really happy with this find and they have several colors.

AMAZON

Okay, that's it for this post.  I'll see you back the first Tuesday of August for more Amazon Prime!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

A Patriotic Hodgepodge

I've been missing from the Hodgepodge in recent weeks but it's good to be back today.  Joyce always comes up with the questions and then we answer them.  

1. It's been said the best things in life are free...are they? What are some of those things? 

Indeed! If you mean they cost zero money.  The first ones to come to my mind are : salvation (the free gift of eternal life), love, hugs, friendship, 

2. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Apple pie or home made ice cream? Do you like hotdogs? If so, what do you like on yours? 

I'll take stars and red.  And, apple pie and ice cream will be fine once in a while but neither is a big favorite with me.  I love hotdogs but am VERY particular about them.  I'll take mustard, non-greasy chili, onions and shredded cheddar on mine.  Yummy!!!

3. One thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen soon? 

I do not have a summer bucket list.  I haven't even thought about making a summer bucket list or really any other bucket list.  Perhaps I should consider making one.  Stay tuned.........

4. What's your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one. 

Here Comes the Sun from the Beatles in 1969

We have had SOOOOO much rain here in our area and, while I know we need rain, I'd be just fine if we only got enough to survive the rest of the summer.  It's such a great pop-folk song!

5. What's something you love about America? If you live outside of America, tell us something you love about the place you call home. 

My freedom of choice, and freedom of worship, guess I should say all of our freedoms.  These have been "put to the test" in recent months and it's made me love and appreciate them even more.  Sometimes it takes things being threatened  for us to really know how much we love them.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This is a beautiful stretched canvas given to us by our children for our 50th anniversary.  They sneaked and got pictures from throughout our 50 years and had this canvas created by a vendor on Etsy.  It's such a neat idea and a real treasure.

Wishing each of you a wonderful 4th of July as we celebrate our great country

Wednesday Hodgepodge

I've been missing in the "blogging world" the past 2-3 weeks but am so glad to be back with Joyce and the Wednesday Hodgepodge today.  

1. Something you've seen recently that's 'cuter than a June bug'?

I mean, do you not agree!  This is Case perched on one of the many HUGE rocks in Dogwood Canyon.  We toured the canyons during our time in Branson last week.  Case thought he was a big as the rest of the kids and bless his little heart, wherever they trekked, he trekked right behind him.  His Momma had just bought him his first pair of Crocs a few days before the trip and that boy loved them.  Yes, he truly is as "cute as a June bug." 

2. Tell us something about where you were and what you were doing in June of 1988? If you weren't born yet, June of 1998. Or if that doesn't work, June of 2008. 

Heaven's to Betsy, the above photo was taken near that time and it appears we were likely dressed and ready for church.  Big hair surely must have been "the thing" at that time or at least Bridget and I must have thought it was. ~chuckle~ But, I'm pretty sure we looked about like all the other Moms and daughters of that time.

3. A place in your home or outdoor space where you feel 'snug as a bug in a rug'? 

In my recliner with my afghan over me.  It is without a doubt my favorite place to land in the evenings.  If we have no plans for the evening, you will find me there between 6:00 - 6:30 PM and I'll likely be there until I go to bed.  I rarely sit down any other time of the day but come evening, I'm all about sitting and reclining.

4. June is National Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Month. Do you normally get your 4-5 servings each day? What's a favorite summer dish you make/serve/like to be served-ha! made with one of your favorite summer fruits. A favorite summer dish made with a favorite summer veg? How do you feel about cooking in the summer months? 

I definitely do NOT get 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies per day.

I'm not a huge fruit lover but I do enjoy blueberries a lot and I make a great Blueberry Nut Bread, delicious Blueberry Muffins, and a great Blueberry Pound Cake with fresh blueberries in the summer.  I enjoy all of them equally so it would hard to pick a favorite.

I am a veggie lover and corn rates right at the top of my list of an all time favorite, not just a summer favorite.  I'll take it creamy, in a casserole, plain but am not a fan of "on the cob."

I have to admit that I do not do much cooking for Tommy and me.  If I cook then we're likely having company and I do enjoy cooking for company.  We live off of grilled sandwiches, BLT's and the such in the summer.  I cook a whole lot more in the winter because we are big fans of soups, stews, chili and gumbo.

I love to bake and generally I bake cookies at least twice a week.  Thankfully I have a whole lot of will power and generally only eat one out of each batch then I package them in freezer containers and over time share them with friends.

5. Do you have a summer reading list? If so share a title or two we can add to our own. 

I just ordered these 3 because they were all recommended as GREAT reading by some of my friends.  And, Francine Rivers is one of my all time favorite authors.  I use to read all the time but haven't as much in recent years.  Maybe this summer I'll get back with it.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This is just a few of the many, many pictures snapped on our family trip to Branson, Mo.  Most of you know that the intent of the trip was to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.  And, celebrate we did!  We stayed at Eagle Ridge Bed and Breakfast (rented the entire house) and it suited our needs wonderfully.  The owner happens to be the son of Tommy's 1st cousin and he and his wife are exceptional cooks.  Breakfast comes with the stay and if you want them to cook any other meals they will gladly do so for an extra charge.  They fixed dinner each evening for us and hit it out of the ballpark each time.  It was the perfect place for our celebration and now we're working on our 51st year.

A Random Catch-Up

I've been MIA here at the blog the past 2-3 weeks and thought it was time for a "catch-up" post.  I'm sure you all were wondering where I've been and what I've been up to. ~chuckle~

Now, if you know me at all then you know I LOVE advance planning.  And, I pray that the above pictured marble stone is wayyyyy advance planning.  Hubby and I have discussed our personal desires for our final arrangements in regards to burial.  I decided some years ago that if I had my preference I would be buried in a mausoleum.  Everything is so neat, orderly and beautiful (well, at least the one where we bought our spaces is).  We began seriously discussing our desires a few months back and decided that we would go and secure our crypts  in a nearby mausoleum.  They only had a couple left that were at a height (from the floor) that we desired.  So, we bought them and had the brass lettering placed on them.  All that will need to added is our date of death.  I know to many this is likely rather morbid, but I love that our children or the surviving spouse will NOT have to make this decision and it has been decided and taken care of in advance of the need.  We  still have a few other decisions that I would like for us to go ahead and make in regards to our final arrangements.  We are both so pleased with our crypts and I'm especially happy that I will NOT be buried in the ground. ~smile~  Of course, I have such peace knowing that it matters NOT where I am buried, I'm going straight to be with my Lord and Savior and walking the streets of gold.

Our little Merry Sunshine (Andi Kate) graduated from Kindergartner this past week.  Seems it was just yesterday that she was born and now she's about to be a first grader.  Can I just say that her gorgeous red hair was so pretty with her green robe and cap.

And, this girl! Well, she just finished up 5th grade and brought home some awesome end of year awards.  She had the top award for Accelerated Reading, all A's for the year and was voted most Christlike.  Talk about proud!  And, the only award she knew she was getting was the all A's award, the other 2 were huge surprises.  She is blossoming into such a lovely young lady.

Clancy just finished up 6th grade with all A's and is now headed to Jr. High. So hard to believe! Last week he found some lumber in their barn and asked his Mom is he could make a chair out of it. Bridget told him to "go for it."  Well, I'd say he did a really good job for his first woodworking project.  He's such a multi-talented young man.

And, this little guy, well, he finished up Pre-K and can hardly wait to get to Kindergartner.  The day this picture was taken was PJ day and when Coleman smiles he definitely smiles with his entire face.  Such a cutie!!!

And, God love our little Case.  He recently took a tumble and scraped his nose and face.  But, bless him, he didn't let it get him down for long.  He was up and going and had a big smile.

I took the girls to see their Great Poppa the other day.  It was their first time to see him in about 15 months.  It was a sweet reunion.  So thankful this time last year is now a distant memory.

Some of you may remember that I've been having tear duct issues the past 2-3 months.  Well, I had tear duct surgery last week and, while I did survive, I thought I might have a nervous breakdown.  Not over pain (I was good and numbed up) but I could still feel what the Dr. was doing and it literally gave me the "hibby jibbies."  The upper tear duct on my right eye had never fully formed, so he basically made me a tear duct.  Yes, that's right, I didn't even know that we had an upper tear duct and I certainly didn't know that one could be made.  Goodness, modern medicine is so amazing.  And, I have healed beautifully, still have a bruise but it fades a little more everyday.  I never had pain, aggravating discomfort but hopefully no more dry eye for this gal. Yea!

AND, I end with this............Tommy and I will be celebrating our 50th, yes, 50th anniversary in just a few days on June 6th.  Above is pictured an 18 (6 weeks shy of my 19th birthday) year old innocent, immature, gullible girl who truly had no idea what she was doing.  But, hey, ignorance is bliss and thankfully I married an "older" guy (he's 5 1/2 years older than me) that did know what he was doing.

Thankfully he was a patient guy and supported me through many tears as I pined for family that lived 1000 miles away.  Remember that was wayyyyy before cell phones and email. We were poor as church mice in those days and I wrote long "snail mail" letters and called and talked to my parents every 2 weeks for a mere 10 minutes. 

To sum it up in as few of words as possible.........as with any couple, we've had our ups and downs, and our tears and laughter but, we both made a commitment that we WOULD be one until "death do us part." Thankfully, the Lord has been with us every step of the way and He has blessed us wayyyy more than we deserve and we give Him the credit for this milestone.

We will be celebrating this milestone with our kids and their families beginning this weekend .  They are our greatest accomplishment and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than for all of us to be together.  We have rented a beautiful  bed and breakfast in the  mountains of Branson, Missouri. It has the perfect accommodations for our crew. We look forward to a grand celebration!

And, that's it for this "Random Catch-Up."