Paper or Plastic?

Going through a nearby town the other day Rick and I stopped in this little grocery store. I wanted to pick up several things there rather than have to go to Wal-Mart the next day. (We don't have a grocery store where we live.) As we went up to the register, the checker greeted us with a smile. Then a sacker boy asked, "Paper or Plastic, Ma'am?"

Caught me totally off guard and sent me back about two decades. Made me smile, too! Just for the fun of it, I said, "Paper, please."

Boys and Their Toys

Flower Power

You may have already seen a gazillion spring flower pictures. But just indulge me...... I'm back home and wanted to share three itty bitty ones with you this evening out of my own shots taken on our trip.

Oh, and I wanted to throw in this one taken in the heart of Big Bend National Park.

Another Historical Stay

The Hotel Limpia in Fort Davis, Texas

We stayed here last night. This 1912 hotel provided a very relaxing atmosphere.

Big Bend Bound

Rick and I left yesterday morning on a road trip through the Hill Country and Big Bend. We are following some bikers in a car. Remember "we" sold our bike a couple of years ago. (No....I am not sad!) It was a good traveling day. We stopped and spent the night in Sonora.

After breakfast this morning, we were back on the road for another great sightseeing day. Tonight, we are staying in Marathon at the historic Gage Hotel. What a treat!

These two shots are of the Judge Roy Bean historical place and a great scene where the Pecos River flows into the Rio Grande.

Promised Sweetness

Here's the recipe I promised you several weeks ago for the Bluebonnet Cafe's Peanut Butter Pie. Do you remember "Happy Hour Pie?" Well, check it out at the original post here. This pie is amazing!!

Pastry pie shell                                   

4 eggs, separated

½ c. sugar

½ c. flour or ¼ c. cornstarch

½ t. salt

3 cups milk

¼ creamy peanut butter

¼ c. coarsely chopped peanuts

In saucepan,  combine sugar, flour, or cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat. Separate egg yolks from whites; set aside whites for meringue. Beat yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into yolks. Return mixture to saucepan; bring to gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour hot mixture into baked pastry shell. Make meringue for pie using the 4 reserved egg whites. Spread meringue over filling; seal the edges. Top with chopped peanuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool.

For cream pie, top cooled pie with whipped cream instead of meringue.

Entertaining Made Easy

Woohoo! I just won Suzanne's giveaway. It's a great entertaining bucket. You ice down your beverages and then the handy tray keeps all the condensation off the table or counter. This jewel will be out and ready to grab at all times.

Thank you, Suzanne!

Suzanne is a consultant for SLaHOME (soon to be "willow house" I believe). Her blog is such an inspiration. Hop over when you get a chance and say "hello."

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Ok, I'm headed to do my civic duty this morning. Recently got that little dreaded jury duty notice in the mail. Guess I shouldn't have said "dreaded," huh?

 

Update

Rain and more rain

All the fans "waiting"

Incredible meals

Nice facilities for camping

O-"zero" races

Under the canopies alot

Time with family and friends

On Thursday when we got to Texas Motor Speedway, I did one of my lessons from our "Victoriously Frazzled" ladies' bible study. Here's something I read:

" God allows circumstances in our lives that force us to give up control. While we may not have any control over the circumstance, we certainly have control over our response to it."

So when the rains hit the next day, I instantly remembered what I had just read.

Attitude is everything! By nature, I usually go with the flow. No way would a little rain (actually alot of rain) spoil the weekend for me. We just pulled out the cards, turned on the music, grabbed another Diet Coke and started playing.

And the rains came down.....

It's that time again. We call it our "Redneck Weekend." We are headed to Texas Motor Speedway today. There will be races Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Although I'm there, I usually don't go to but one of them. I stay back at the RV campsite. So you ask, "Why go?"

Well................

No work

A chance to “Be Still….”  

Sit around visiting with family/friends

Camp in the 5^th wheel RV

Awesome meals

Read back issues of magazines

Have a great weekend!

Give this one some thought

Oh, BTW, you DON'T have to forward it to 10 people within 10 minutes for good luck. (HA) 

There comes a point in your life when you realize:


Who matters,
Who never did,
Who won't anymore...
And who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

Color My World

Wow! How gorgeous was our weekend! I wanted to share with you what I am seeing out in our fields behind the house.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, 

and all who live in it.  (Psalm 24: 1)

A Dirty Job But Someone Had To Do It!

I am fired up! It finally dried up enough around here that the garden (or lack of) had really been on my mind. Our brother-in-law, Rickie, stopped off with a tractor and plowed it for us. Rick (not to be confused with Rickie) was elated that he did this because it was in such bad shape. Much rain throughout the past several weeks and no attention for months had made it one big mess.

This is the same garden area. Although it was a beautiful sunny day, there were a few clouds....thus the different shades.

After Rickie was finished, Rick then used the small tiller to make me some nice little rows. Now it's my turn! 

Mail Comes Bearing Gifts

There is nothing like winning a giveaway or two to brighten your day! Deb at Ladybug from Texas was giving this beautiful photo away. It just arrived at my home, and I can't wait to find a special place for it!

Thanks, Debbie!

Dianna at Free Sample Momma was giving away some notecards. These are from a new business of Paula's over at Snail Mail Notes.

Thanks, Dianna and Paula!

Friday Finds

I ventured outside for a few minutes this afternoon. I am sharing a few of my favorite sights and one not so favorite.

iris

mini roses

Mr. Goose

Mrs. Goose headed back to get on her nest of eggs

Tree stump Rick has been burning

And now I bet you can guess my least favorite sight!

Oh Happy Day!

May your day be filled with 

joy and blessings

from above.

Defrazzling

"Our God is a frazzle-friendly God! Not only will He enter into our stressful circumstances. He longs to be there to bring His relief, comfort, and joy."

This is taken from the opener of our new bible study, "Victoriously Frazzled," that I recently mentioned we are starting. For the first week as a fun "defrazzler," we are encouraged to do something to pamper ourselves. It might be for just a few precious minutes, an hour, a morning, or a day. Might cost money; might not. It's your choice. Could be anything! The possibilities are endless.

So I am passing the challenge on to you that I will be asking of them. Choose something to do to relax and take care of yourself. Yes, think of something right now......

Leave me a comment and let me share your pampering idea with them!

She's Always There!

Sisters are just like that. Marilyn cooked our Easter lunch today. I was still on pain meds and just couldn't help out. She brought all the food out here, and everyone came after church. A big thank you to her for providing an awesome meal. 

(How do you like those cool little dresses of ours?)

D.C.

We hit the ground running. We knew we had four days to cover as much ground as humanly possible. Marilyn had been there for eight days last year going day and night, and she didn't see everything she wanted to. She had made out a well planned itinerary for us to get the most out of our time though. By the end of the first two days we were grabbing the Advil. The second two days we continued the pace but it was easier on us because we had a couple of "riding" tours. Although it was impossible to get everything in that we wanted to, we did not feel cheated by any means. I think we truly wore our kiddos out! 

Some of the highlights included........

Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Arlington Cemetery Tour
White House Tour
Capitol Tour
Holocaust Museum
National Museum of American History
National Air and Space Museum
Union Station
City Tour

Mount Vernon

Old Alexandria

Here are a couple of my favs from the National Museum of American History.

Julia Child's Kitchen

Dorothy's Slippers

At the Lincoln Memorial

Capitol Hill

Around Town

Almost forgot I had worked on this post (before my surgery).

Again...thanks for your prayers and emails.

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It's Over!

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers on my behalf. I am doing well. This time around is so much better than the first time I had this same surgery. Thank the Lord for answered prayer! And...big hugs to you.