Creative Love

Sandra over at Diary of a SAHM had this posted. The idea is that you are assigned a letter and you need to list 10 things you love, that start with that letter. The letter Sandra gave me was R.

1. Robert
2. red roses
3. rainbows
4. random acts of kindness
5. raspberries
6. reading
7. rice
8. roast beef
9. redwood trees
10. rhododendron's

If you want to do this, let me know in the comments and I'll give you a letter.

Can Bob build it?

I have shown several of Bob's carvings in the past and have posted about some of the other woodworking he does. A few people have asked about his workshop. About 12 years ago he put up this building to use. Until then he had been working in our basement. Here are a few pictures.

He has a wood burning stove so he is able to use it all year long. Near the door is a telephone. He also has an intercom system so I can page him and talk to him from the house. He has built tables and cabinets to use for storage of his tools.
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In the back corner is a dust collection system - very handy when you generate a lot of sawdust!
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The little hanging cabinet shows some of the antique tools he has collected.
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A few years ago, Laura bought this poster and put it up on his back wall. The black tool next to the poster is an old manual drill. It's special to us, because it was my Grandpa's.
Now you have seen where Bob spends a lot of time. He works on things from small carvings, to large pieces of furniture out here. I will do a post soon, showing you some of the bedroom furniture he made.

I've been tagged!

Mary, from Mary's Treasured Memories has tagged me for this Meme. Mary is one of those people you can tell is a sweetheart from her blog. When you have time, stop over and visit her! This meme is full of seven things. Here's my seven:

Seven Things I Would Like To Do Before I Die:
1. clean my house, top to bottom, windows and all!
2. spend more time with family - maybe more vacations
3. hold a grandchild (I know, Laura - not real soon!)
4. work less, volunteer more
5. finish the scrapbooks from my kids youth
6. visit the Grand Canyon and Big Sur
7. Visit Israel

Seven Things I Can Do:
1. Cook
2. play piano
3. sing alto
4. make up songs (not any that people would want to listen to, though!)
5. laugh
6. tease
7. take care of people

Seven Things I Cannot Do
1. wiggle my ears
2. speak another language
3. cartwheels
4. bungee jump
5. touch my tongue to my nose
6. draw
7. go for more than a few days without having to run to the grocery store

Seven Things That Attract Me To My Mister
1. his love of the Lord
2. he is so supportive
3. he's a wonderful Dad
4. his great work ethic
5. he is funny
6. he can fix most anything - except cars!
7. he loves me and puts up with all my quirks!

Seven Things I Say Most Often
1. I love you
2. Have a good day
3. Yeah - instead of yes
4. I'm running to the store (see above, #7 under what I can't do)
5. I'll be on the computer for a little while
6. See you later
7. What sounds good to you? (asked when I am doing my meal plans)

Seven Celebrity Admirations
(this is a tough one - I'll see if I can come up with seven!)
1. Steven Curtis Chapman
2. Michael W Smith
3. Ronald Reagan
4. Jimmy Stewart
5. Paul Newman
I'm sure there are others but I just can't think of any more now.

Seven Favorite Foods
1. Chocolate
2. mashed potatoes
3. chili
4. pizza
5. chinese
6. fettucine alfredo
7. hamburgers

That's all my seven's. Now I am supposed to tag 7 people, but I'm leaving it open to anyone who wants to do this.

What a week!

It's been a tough week. I mentioned earlier in the week that Heather had car problems. It turns out it's some security thing in the ignition. Her car thinks it's being stolen, so it won't start. Of course this is not a cheap thing to fix and although it was supposed to be done on Friday, it needed another part, so we are left missing a car, with people who need to go to work and school on Monday.
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My sister in law, Jan came home from the hospital on Thursday. She came home under the care of Hospice and remains very sick. She will need someone to stay with her while Rog goes to work, so there is much to be done in way of arrangements. Please continue to pray for her and the rest of the family.
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I have mentioned that we were having another state survey. Many of you will remember when I have told you about the crazy things we are cited on. I think our cites this time top the cake. We have been cleared of our last cites, but there always seem to be more things to find fault with. I don't like any citations, but we are humans and we do make mistakes. However, when it seems they are just grasping for things, and I hear about what happens in some other homes, I get really frustrated.
Here are some of the things we were cited on:

1. The kitchen sent out sandwiches wrapped in foil. These were for a snack and as such were passed out to people in their rooms and the hallway. The state says they should have a paper plate with them and it is a dignity issue.
2. Our silverware is wrapped in a napkin. The state says the residents should receive another napkin. This is also a dignity issue.
3. The residents had bananas with a meal. The aides peel them and help them with eating them. It is (yes, you guessed it!) a dignity issue to have a banana peel next to them while they are eating! Of course, if you get up to throw the banana peel away, you have to wash your hands before you come back to the table and the resident has to sit there and wait.

We only got a few other citations, but you get the general idea. Another reason this is frustrating is that these people are like judge and jury. There is really no one to complain to, and the regulations are not in black and white, so each person reads them a little differently.
So - now we go back to work and write a plan of correction, so we are ready for the next visit!

What do you think?

I've been trying to figure out what to put on my dining room wall, since the things I had there before no longer match and are a bit outdated. I picked up the two shelves and a new clock which I really like. I also love the plaque which says "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". Now I need to figure out what to put on the shelves. I will need to replace the pumpkin with something else in a little while and I know the little candle holder is too small. Bob thinks they need a little ivy trailing down, but I know fake ivy is considered taboo. What do you think? Any brilliant ideas?

I've got the best family!

Isn't this a cheery flower arrangement? I found it on my table when I got home from work tonight. It came from my sister Cheri, with a note saying that she knew I was having a tough week and she wanted to send a little cheer my way. That isn't all she did for my family today. Heather went to school and when she came back to the parking ramp she discovered that her car didn't start. She knew that neither Bob or I could leave work today, so she called Cheri who came to the rescue. Thanks Cheri!
I am singling out Cheri tonight, but my sister Terri and my brother Duane are also always willing to help out. (I am also blessed with a great family on Bob's side) It is really a blessing to have a family that cares and is willing to show it!

Several of you asked how things went at work today with the inspectors. I could feel your prayers. I was watched for the morning med pass and it went well. Any questions they asked throughout the day I was also able to answer and I didn't feel stressed. It's a good thing, because the 3-11 nurse was unable to come in and I ended up working a double. The inspector watched me give an injection during the evening but then watched the other nurse. It was a very hectic night so I'm glad to be home and ready for bed. The inspectors will be with us through Friday so you may keep praying!

"Sisters, they are blessed with an extra sense that whispers when the other needs them."
--Annie Danielson

Updates

I thought I should let you know how things are going with a few things I've posted about previously. First, I thank you for your prayers for my sister-in-law Jan. She is still in the hospital. It's been a little over 2 weeks and she is making progress in little "jerks" in her words. The progress is slow with an occasional step backwards, but improvement can be seen. The infection is stopped, but she has a couple of wounds, one quite sizable that now need to heal. Her blood counts are still not good, so this makes healing slow. She is still undergoing the plasma phoresus and it is doing what it needs to do. When these issues are under control, they will be starting her chemo treatments again. Please continue to pray for her and her family.
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Many of you know that things have been difficult at the long term care center I work at. We had a state inspection which happens yearly. They always come back for a follow up visit, but this year, shortly after the state was there we had a federal survey. They choose places randomly and this year was our lucky year. In the middle of this we have been changing all of our paperwork and forms because we were bought by a new corporation. There have been more consultants there than employees it would seem and they are not always too pleasant to deal with. I had today (Tuesday) off, but got a phone call that the state surveyors are back for their return visit. This means that on Wednesday, they will be following me, watching a med pass and asking lots of questions. They tend to be quite intimidating so I would really appreciate your prayers for the ability to remain calm and do my job as I need to, under a stressful situation.
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Many of you have asked how my son Andy is doing. For those of you who don't know him, Andy is in the army, stationed in South Korea. He works on arming and maintaining the Apache helicopters. He really enjoys his work and has been able to see some of the beauty of Korea. If you want to check up on him, he has started a blog that you can visit here.
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Last, but not least I received this cute award last week, from my friend Sharon at Quiet Reflections. Thanks Sharon! I'd like to pass this to anyone reading this who enjoys Fall.

Tips on Tuesday

Sandra, from Diary of a SAHM has started a new Tuesday feature. It's called Tips on Tuesday. Here is what she says about it:
"If you want to join in, you can and I would love it too, you can post a tip about anything, cooking, cleaning, homemaking, kids, marriage, travel....whatever you wish."

I have a tip that I have probably shared before, but it works out really well for our family, so I'm sharing it again. When I make a roast dinner, I buy a large enough roast to ensure that I have leftovers. I then shred the leftover roast and put it in a 9x9 pan. I pour some leftover gravy over it and then sprinkle on some seasoned salt. I put whatever leftover veggies we have on that, seal it tightly with foil and freeze it. When I am going to use it, I thaw it and put a package of Bob Evans ready made mashed potatoes over everything. I cook it at 350 degrees for about 30 - 40 minutes. It tastes really good and doesn't feel like you are eating leftovers, plus you have a quick meal when you need one!
Remember to visit Sandra to see what other tips she has!

Have you ever?

My sister Cheri had this on her blog. I thought it was fun and decided to do it too. There are 200 things on the list and the things that are highlighted are the things I have done. I think you should do it too!

Have you ever:
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someones mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt- (a very small one!)
129. Lived in a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Ran a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Awards

I need to do a little work at my blog today. I've received a few awards and need to pass them on, so here goes:

This award came from Mary at Mary's Writing Nook. Thanks Mary - and I think you are pretty awesome too! I want to pass this on to:
Kae at All My Blessings.
Lynn at Rohal Call.
Mel at There's no place like home...
Sarah from Short Stop.

This award came from Melody, of Pennies in my pocket. To translate the meaning from Portuguese to English, it means: "This blog invests and believes, the proximity"(meaning, that blogging makes us 'close' -being close through proxy). Isn't that true? I've really enjoyed making friends through blogging! Thanks Melody!

Post this if/when you award this to others: "They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and friendship; they are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize, and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate?" Then let's try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text."

I am passing this award on to some blogs I've recently been introduced to:
Demara from Demarablog.com
Kristie from This life I lead
Linda from Growin' With It
Linda from Linda and Jake

I got this award from Deb, of Riding Free with Deb. Permio al Esfuerzo Personal is translated to mean Prize to the Personal Effort. Thanks Deb! It has some rules that go with it.
Here are the rules:
Mention the blog that gave it to you and comment on their blog to let them know you've posted your award
Publish these rules
Share 6 values that are important to you and 6 things you do not support
Grant the prize to 6 people

6 values that are important to me
1. My faith
2. My Husband
3. My family
4. My church
5. integrity
6. loyalty

6 things I do not support
1. abortion
2. cruelty
3. lying
4. abuse
5. evolution
6. swearing

6 blogs I am passing this on to:
Amy from Every Day with the Kellys
Kayren from Everything's coming up Daisies
Jamie from Rose Cottage
Connie from Little Red Heats from God
Janel from He knows my name
Chris from An Unspoken Story

Johnny's Drive In

I have to tell you all about something fun we did Wednesday night. Every fall our youth group from church has a drive in supper as a fund raiser. It's called Johnny's Drive In, in honor of one of our old pastors. They serve hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, root beer floats, lemonade... They do the grilling just outside church and set up the parking lot as a drive in. Some of the girls wear poodle skirts and they wear their roller blades. There is 50's music playing to add to the ambiance. There are often people who come in their old cars which are always fun to see. It's a lot of work for the leaders, but the kids have fun with this and they usually raise quite a bit of money for the year. This year the weather was beautiful - just right for a night like this. I am upset with myself for forgetting my camera, as I planned to have pictures to show you!

Slow Cooking Thursday

The recipe I am sharing today is called chili, but it's a little different from the type of chili I usually make. It has beef chunks and carrots in it and has a little more liquid. I think you'll like it!

Texican Chili
8 bacon strips, diced
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cans (one 28 ounce and one 14-1/2 ounce) stewed tomatoes
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 ounce) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Brown beef in the drippings over medium heat and drain. Transfer to 5 quart slow cooker; add bacon and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
For more slow cooking recipes, visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

Does this look like neglect?

All summer long I've been showing you pictures of the flowers that have been blooming in our yard. Bob does a great job with them, keeps them weeded, watered and pruned. On the other hand, I am not so good. I start off every spring being faithful in watering and even fertilizing. As the summer goes on, I begin to slack. Some of my planters handle this neglect alright. Others - not so well. Below you can see an example of my plant care and 2 examples of Bobs work.

This was a beautiful fuschia at one time!
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This is our hydrangea tree - the flowers are starting to change colors
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This is a sedum plant, which also changes colors in the fall and becomes this rosy color.
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Now I'm wondering - if you were a plant, who would you rather have taking care of you?

6 Things

My friend Sarah, over at Short Stop did a fun little Meme today. It's all about being a Mom and things you know now, that you didn't before you had kids. I loved hers and thought I would share some of the things I've learned since I became a Mom about 25 years ago!

1. Before my kids were born, I had no idea how what a tough job motherhood is. I soon found out that it is a 24-7 job and babies don't allow breaks or nights off!

2. I found out that my parents were a lot smarter than I thought they were. I now know that they knew more about what was happening in my life than I thought, and I'm so much more impressed with the way they handled my siblings and I.

3. Your child may be a perfect angel all day, but at the time you really need them to behave or you are trying to show them off, they will become a monster!

4. When my kids were young, I remember my Dad telling me to enjoy them because they grow up so fast. You know, that's one of those things you hear a lot - the fact that they grow up fast. When you are in the middle of feedings, diapers, toys strewn all over, it doesn't seem fast. I did enjoy my kids when they were little, but oh how true it is - time really does fly. Now I wish I could go back and hold them, play with them, read to them... for just one more afternoon.

5. Once you are a Mom, you will always worry. I was told by a young woman who was expecting her first child that she couldn't wait for the baby to be born so she could quit worrying. I understood what she meant, but I did think, that really, the worrying was just beginning. You worry when they are sick, when they start school, when they have problems with other kids, when they are late... It's a good thing I know that God takes better care of them than I do and I can trust him to watch them!

6. You will never know how much you can love someone until you are a Mom. The love you have for your child is a different type of love than you have for your husband, sibling, parent or friend and that is what helps you through those sleepless nights, the worry, the work and anything else that comes along. It is a true blessing to be a Mom and something I wouldn't give up for anything!

Is she cute or what?

I have been enjoying watching America's got Talent this year. There is a 4 year old girl named Kaitlyn Maher who has made it to the final 10 and she is just adorable. Although I don't think a 4 year old should win, considering part of the prize is a show of their own, I just love to hear her talk and sing. Here is a clip from last week that I think you will enjoy too. Take note of her polite "Thank-yous". I can almost guarantee that you will be smiling as you watch this.

Thanks for the prayers

I just wanted to update you all on how Jan is doing. She has received a procedure called plasma phoresus 3 times. It's a procedure in which they filter out the plasma and add new and it is working well. They feel her kidneys failed because of the large dose of chemo she had, but expect them to start working again soon. The infection is also looking better, but is healing very slowly. She said she is starting to keep food down and is even feeling a little hungry. She thanks you all for your prayers. Please keep it up!

Prayer Request

I have a prayer request for my blogging friends. Would you please pray for my sister-in-law, Jan? Jan is a few days younger than me, she has a husband and 2 sons who are 16 and 20. She had breast cancer 2 years ago and had done well until a month ago, when they found the cancer had spread. It is now in her bones and liver. She received one chemo treatment and then had to be hospitalized when she developed a bad infection. She has now been transferred to a bigger hospital because of more problems. We got a call tonight telling us her kidneys are failing and they are trying dialysis. Please pray for Jan, and also her husband Rog and sons Christopher and Max. Thanks to all of you - I really appreciate it.

Some great exercise advice

I got this cute e-mail from my friend Shelly, and I thought it was so funny that I should pass it on.
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Walking can add minutes to your life
This enables you at 89 years old to spend an additional 5 months
In a nursing home at $7000 per month.
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My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is
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I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
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I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
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I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.
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Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
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I do have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
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The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die,
They'll say 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'
~~~

We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Slow Cooking Thursday

I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but here in West Michigan it has really cooled off. The past few days have been beautiful, but the high temp has only been 69-69 degrees. This makes me want to start making chili and soups again, so today I thought I would share one of my families absolutely favorite cool weather recipes. I have posted this here before, but it's good enough for a repeat! Hope you like it as much as we do.
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White Chicken Chili
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 (48 oz) jar Great Northern Beans
8 oz shredded Monterrey jack or Cheddar cheese
2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
3 c chicken broth


Melt butter in skillet and saute celery, onion and green pepper until translucent. In crock pot, combine broth, cumin, salsa, white beans, chicken and cheese. Stir together and add celery mixture. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with tortilla chips and additional shredded cheese.

*I use canned broth and frozen, cubed chicken to throw this together in a hurry.
**This can also be made quickly without a slow cooker. Follow same directions, but add 1 extra cup of broth or water and simmer on low for 45 min to an hour, instead of cooking in slow cooker.
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For more slow cooker recipes, visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

What works?

I want to share a new discovery with you. I recently purchased Dawn Simple Pleasures dish washing liquid. I love things that smell nice, but I was in a hurry when I bought this and didn't realize there was an added feature to this soap. I just thought it was a new type of Dawn. When I got home, I realized that the bottom of the container had fragrance beads in it. Once you remove the plastic strip along the bottom, it releases a nice, subtle scent. I keep mine under the sink and instead of that musty smell that I sometimes notice, it smells fresh and clean when I open those doors. The soap itself has a really nice scent too and it really cuts grease. (I bought the water lily and jasmine scent.) It almost makes it a pleasure to do dishes! Next time you need more dish washing soap, you might want to give this a try!

I love this CD!

My friend Mel, from There's no place like home, did a post about her favorite music. It made me think about what I'm listening to this week. I got a new CD last week that I am really enjoying. It is by Bart Millard, who is the lead singer of Mercy Me. The name of the CD is "Hymned". It's the old hymns I used to sing in church when I was young, but without the organ and a little peppier than they used to be in the church I grew up in. I love praise and worship music, but I also love this. To see what songs are on this CD and to hear a little bit, click here. I love to put this on and listen while I am working around the house. Bart Millard just released a new version of this called "Hymned Again". To check out that CD, click here. I can see that I'll have to add that one to my CD collection too. There is nothing like good music to put a smile on your face!

Preach it!

Here's a kid who has obviously sat through a few excitable pastor's in his short life. He's pretty funny to watch. I hope as he gets older he learns there is more to church and being a Christian than just yelling into a mike! What do you think?

The end! (almost)

I have such exciting news! You have all put up with my little progress reports for months now, but I am happy to tell you my kitchen is done!
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.After peeling wallpaper, fixing drywall, moving cabinets around, painting walls, painting cabinets, changing lighting, redoing electrical wiring and switches, putting in a dishwasher, new sink and faucet, putting down new counter top, tiling, removing old floor and putting down new - my wonderful husband has transformed my kitchen!

This is the before of the dining room. You see the green flowered wallpaper and border. Now my dining room looks like this:

The color on the walls is actually a Terra Cotta shade, although it looks red in this picture.

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This is the main part of the kitchen in the middle of the mess, but it shows you the color of the cabinets and what the counter top, sink and faucet looked like.

Here's what that same area looks like now. The cabinets used to end at the dishwasher and there was a small peninsula there. The kitchen is much more open now.

This is a closer view so you can see the tile backsplash and counter top.
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This is the vinyl floor that I really disliked for all the years we lived here, coming off!

And - here is the new wood laminate floor along with the area rug that is under our table.

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Here is one more view of the kitchen, taken as you come in from the back entry.
Of course, there are a few things to do yet - paint touchups, window treatments and some things have to go on the wall. I'm happy to have it done, I'm happy with how it turned out and I'm happy to have a husband who is able to do all those things.