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Monday, August 30, 2010

Birthday Party at the Lake

Caught this cutie's reaction as we sang "Happy Birthday" to him during his party Saturday at Lake Ray Roberts.  It was a fun party with all the things he wanted---including cupcakes and cousins. (His mom made those great cupcakes!)

Yes, it was his party, but shhhhh...............



don't tell Glory!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Starting our Weekend Early!


Rick and I are at the lake. We will be enjoying some good times with family and friends! While we are there, we will be celebrating Jonah's 5th birthday.

Have a great weekend. I hope you get to do just what you want to also!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Smores Bars

If you have never made these, I suggest you go to the store right now and buy the stuff!! If you have made them, I've probably just thrown another cravin' on ya! They are so yummy. I made them for last night's bible study. Oh my goodness.....



1/2 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized Hershey's milk chocolate bars
1 small jar marshmallow cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluffy stuff. I made balls as if I was making cookies and flattened with a rolling pin and my hands then arranged them on top.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.


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Hey, if you are one of the Texas Blogging Gals, don't forget to get in on the giveaway! It ends September 1.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010


Quilts are home!

The little lady that I take some of my quilt tops to called me yesterday. She had finished the quilts that I pieced recently. Here you go. I am so proud of both of them.




I always enjoy visiting with this special little lady. Yesterday, she showed Marilyn and I a closet where she has over 70 quilt tops ready to be quilted. She has made hundreds of quilts. Some have been sold, some raffled for community projects, and some given to family members. The house is full of them. She is an amazing quilter by the way. I really need to get her an Etsy shop!

Monday, August 23, 2010


I Got My Angel

Rick was my angel yesterday (remember my last post on "National Be An Angel Day?").


Although we might not have had such BIG smiles, we cleaned house together after church yesterday. I had really needed some help catching up! So...... Thank you, Rick! Love you!

Saturday, August 21, 2010


Be An Angel

Tomorrow, August 22, is "Be an Angel" day. It is a day to encourage us to help others.



The goal of this day is to be like an angel, and do something good or kind for someone. It encourages us to be God's servant in doing something nice or kind for someone who is in need of help. The type of angelic help you can offer is not defined or limited. It can be physical, emotional, etc.

I'm sort of preaching to the choir. I know you will not only reach out tomorrow but the other 364 days of the year as well. That's just what you do!

Friday, August 20, 2010

School and Southernisms


Monday is the big day here. Our children and educators start their next instructional year.


This year is special. Jonah starts Pre-K. He is excited and definitely ready academically. "Meet The Teacher" was last night. Dad happily reported all went well!


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A whistling woman and a crowing hen never comes to a very good end. (be who you are)

Ain't that the berries! (that is great!)

As easy as sliding off a greasy log backward. (very easy)

Barking up the wrong tree. (you are wrong)

Be like the old lady who fell out of the wagon. (you aren't involved, so stay out of it)

Have a great Friday!




Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Smiling Swimmers

Glory and Jonah enjoyed showing off their swimming skills yesterday for Aunt Jenna and Ashley. (Thanks, Jenna, for making a special effort to come watch!) Jonah is swimming so well; he took lessons at the first of the summer. He is now practicing his diving and going down for rings. Glory will be 2 yrs. old next month and already loves the pool, too.

Although the time was cut a little short because of some rain clouds accompanied by lightening, they had a great time. The pizza that followed kept smiles on their sweet faces!






Ahhh, "Simple Pleasures" is what it's all about!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Oh yes, you must try this!

The ladies in our family love to eat at The Durning House, an area restaurant and B/B. Their lunches are awesome, and the atmosphere is such a "girly" thing. I wanted to share a recipe with you that was served on one of our last visits. I'm not sure I had eaten it before. But it's a "keeper." It's called "Shirley's Chicken Broccoli."



1 med. onion, chopped
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. grated sharp cheese
2 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. pepper
2 (10 oz) pkg, chopped frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
1/2 c. butter
 1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (5 oz) can evaporated mild
1/4 t.  Tabasco sauce
1 t. salt
2 T. chopped pimentos
2 to 3 c. cooked chicken
1/2 c. slivered almonds

Saute onion and mushrooms in butter. Add remaining ingredients, except broccoli, chicken, and almonds. Simmer until cheese melts. In large baking dish, layer chicken, broccoli, and sauce. Top with almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

I bet you agree now, don't you?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

J.O.Y.

Jonah and I had some fun this afternoon. First, I let him make a cake. He's always so "into" the frosting part. As you might remember, we always have to color some of it and finish it off with sprinkles.




Then we made a hop over to Burger King and Uncle Tim's house.

Late in the evening it was time for a cool down in the backyard.




This cutie is sound asleep now!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010



DOG DAYS.....

Have you seen this one? This is how hot and humid it is around here right now!


Monday, August 9, 2010

Craft Chatter

Hello, Everyone! I hope all of you had a fun, blessed weekend packed with all the things you had hoped it would be full of.

I thought I would share a couple of things from my "camp." Both of these as you will see are to wear when it is MUCH cooler around here. On the hoodie, I chose to use fabric with alot of color. I wanted to be able to wear it with a variety of colored t-shirts. The second one is another favorite. It has a detachable pin in the center.





Thursday, August 5, 2010


Crafts Camp


I'm going to disappear for a couple of days. Marilyn and a couple of other ladies will be going as well.  We are taking a bunch of supplies to work on some fun things. I'll share some pics when I get back.






Which one of these would you like? Just kidding.....I don't think any of these things are on the "To Do" list.

Have a good weekend!!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010



Birthday Times Three!

Jerry, Marilyn and I all have birthdays within 10 days. Mine was July 25, Jerry's was July 29th and Marilyn's is coming up August 5. Our mom always made homemade cakes with seven-minute frostings (and the cute little sugary letters and candle holders on top) for each of us.

Here are a couple of photos of all three of us together.  The first one was taken on our farm. The second one was taken at our maternal grandmother's (with her and a cousin in the pic).



And yes, I was doing something weird with my dress!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Melting......

As the Wicked Witch of the west in the Wizard of Oz said, "Help me. I'm melting!" That's exactly what we are doing around here in Texas right now. Today's forecast......107.