Works for me Wednesday

It's time for Works for me Wednesday and today is a special edition. It's all about best summer recipes. I know we eat differently in the summer and I bet you do too. I have posted these recipes in the past, so if they look familiar, there is a reason! They are summer favorites for us and I hope you like them too!

Tuna Macaroni Salad
1 cup shell macaroni
2 hard boiled eggs
7 ounce can tuna fish
1 can cooked peas
1 tablespoon chopped pickles
1/2 cup salad dressing
shredded, cheddar cheese
In 2 cups boiling water, boil macaroni until tender. Place in colander and drill with cold water. Toss together tuna, peas and pickles. Cut eggs fine and add macaroni and salad dressing. Toss with fork and add cheese to taste. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
We have this with a sandwich for a light supper on those really hot summer days.

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Teriyaki Chicken
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry cooking sherry
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Combine oil, soy sauce, dry sherry, ginger and garlic in large zip lock bag. Place chicken in bag, removing air from bag and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, drain marinade from meat and grill.

For more summer recipes, stop and see Kristen at We are THAT Family.

For my Canadian friends - Happy Canada Day!

Proverbs - the kids way

A first grade teacher gave each kid in the class the first half of the proverb, and asked them to come up with the rest. Here is what the kids came up with:

People in glass houses shouldn't . . . run around naked.

Better to be safe than . . . punch a 5th grader.

Strike while the . . . bug is close.

It's always darkest before . . . daylight savings time.

Never underestimate the power of . . . termites.

You can lead a horse to water but . . . how?

Don't bite the hand that . . . looks dirty.

Laugh and the world laughs with you...cry and you have to blow your nose.

A miss is as good as a . . . Mr.

You can't teach an old dog . . . math.

If you lie down with dogs, you . . . will stink in the morning.

A bird in the hand...is going to poop on you.

The pen is mightier than . . . the pigs.

An idle mind is . . . the best way to relax.

Where there is smoke, there is . . . pollution.

Happy is the bride who . . . gets all the presents.

A penny saved is . . . not much.

Two is company, three is . . . The Musketeers.

None are so blind as . . . Helen Keller.

Children should be seen and not . . . spanked or grounded.

If at first you don't succeed . . . get new batteries.

You get out of something what you . . . see pictured on the box.

When the blind lead the blind . . . get out of the way.

Aren't they funny? And true!

More Time Wasters!

There are a lot of ways to waste time on the computer, and I know you all have lots to do and not enough time! However - if you find yourself bored and want to try a few games, here's a few for you.

A friend recently sent me an e-mail with the link to this game. The purpose is to get a circle around the cat without letting it get out. It turns out to be pretty difficult, although I did succeed once. I'm thinking you can all give it a try too.
Circle the Cat
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This game involves pumping up drops of water till they burst, and take out other drops, clearing the screen

Splash Back

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In this game, the guy is trying to get a job and he needs to smash defective merchandise on a line, before it reaches the end.
Hiring Day
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Do you like jigsaw puzzles? At this site you can do puzzles, choosing the difficulty level.
Daily Jigsaw puzzles
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Enjoy!

Are Women born this way?

My friend Kim posted this on Facebook and it's so funny I had to share it. Enjoy!

Slow Cooking Thursday

It's Thursday again and that means Sandra is hosting Slow Cooking Thursday again. I don't cook big meals as much in the summer, but it really is nice to use the slow cooker now because it doesn't heat up the house like the oven does!

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
4.5 ounces sliced mushrooms, drained
16 ounces Alfredo pasta sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 ounces spaghetti or linguine
2/s cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine chicken and mushrooms. In medium bowl, stir together Alfredo sauce, broth, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over chicken mix in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Stir Parmesan cheese into chicken mix in slow cooker. Serve chicken mix over spaghetti, topping each serving with green onions. Makes 8 servings.
For more slow cooker recipes, stop over at Diary of a SAHM.

Simple Pleasures

Bonnie from Simple Beauty shared pictures of 6 things that are simple pleasures for her. These are things that are not vital but bring happiness! She challenged us to do the same.
I recently did a list of things like this, but finding pictures adds a new dimension. Here's what I came up with:

1) Spending time with family! This picture taken last summer at Lake Michigan. In the picture are Heather, Bob, Laura and Aaron. Right after this was taken, Andy called from Korea, so in a way we were all together.
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2) Flowers make me happy! Seeing them blooming outside is always great and a vase on the table in the winter, adds cheer to the cold months.
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3) Our kitten, Oliver. He is the funniest thing to watch. This picture was taken after he fell asleep on Laura's lap. He sleeps in the craziest positions!
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4) I don't have a picture, but music brings me so much joy. I love to play the piano when I have a little extra time. I sing a lot, although my family doesn't always appreciate it. Hearing a favorite song on the radio will always bring a smile!
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5) Beautiful mornings! I enjoy the time of year when the sun is coming up as I go to work. Seeing the world around me in such a beautiful way is the perfect way to start the day.
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6) I really enjoy trees. They have a different beauty in each season, and I think they get more interesting the older they are. I think the rough bark of an old tree is similar to the wrinkles in an older persons skin. They have both been around for a while and have a unique beauty to show for it!
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Do you have any simple pleasures to share?

Wild Flowers

I've shown you pictures of the flowers around our house before, but today I though I would show you some wild flowers and weeds that are growing along the road and in the fields.

These little flowers were covering a bush on the side of the road.

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These little weeds are growing all over in the ditch next to the road. I remember picking these for my Mom when I was young. We also liked to play with the puffy seed pod.
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Isn't this beautiful? It looks like a wild rose. I found it growing wild near an old fence at the side of the road.
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I don't think I've ever seen this weed before. It kind of resembles a dandelion, but is bigger and when it is in bloom there are green spiky things sticking out from the flower. When it goes to seed it is really big and fluffy.

I've been taking a picture a day for my 365 photo blog and have found it amazing how many things I notice that I never would have otherwise. It shows me that God has placed beauty all around us. We just need to open our eyes and see it!

Blogging buddies

What a wonderful time I had Saturday evening! Sarah of Shortstop, invited me and my sisters Terri and Cheri, along with Ginger of One Mom's Heart to spend some time together in her lovely home.
My sisters and I had met Ginger before (and I went to school with her), but we had never had the privilege of meeting Sarah in person. I can tell you that she is every bit as warm and gracious as she appears to be in her blog. Of course, Ginger is always a joy to spend time with.
We each brought appetizers to share and none of them were disappointing.
Here is the table all set with the yummy food.

We had Maryland Crab dip, homemade salsa and chips, vegetable pizza, spinach dip with crackers, deviled eggs, BLT bites and chicken wonton wraps. As if that wasn't enough, Sarah made a delicious cake for dessert!
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Sarah's husband had taken her two older boys out but her youngest, Lincoln joined us for the evening. We were all in love with this little cutie by the time we left for home.
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Here is a group shot that pretty much sums up the evening. Lots of fun and laughter!
Front: Terri, Sarah
Back: Ginger, Mari, Cheri
We all agreed we would have to do this again!

Happy Fathers Day

Fathers are such an important part of our lives so it's nice to be able to pay tribute to them today! I've been blessed with some great Dad's in my life.
My own Dad has been such a great example of Fatherhood. There was never any doubt that he loved his kids. He taught us by example how to work hard, where to put our priorities and how important our faith is.
They say a girl often marries a man who is like her Dad and in many ways that is true for me. Bob is a loving husband and father. He's a hard worker whose faith is very important in his life and it shows.
Bob's Dad passed away the year before we met so I never had the privilege of knowing him. His Mom remarried Roger a little over 20 years ago. He's been a great step dad who is easy going and has handled 6 stepkids and their families well! Our kids grew up knowing him as Grandpa and he has been a big part of their lives as well as ours.
Happy Fathers Day to all the important men in our lives. Remember to pray for those who have lost their Dad's in the past year as well as those who wish to be Dad's and are not as this will be a hard day for them.

Good night, Sweetheart...

You have to check out this cute video. If you didn't see it, you wouldn't believe it. Enjoy!

Slow Cooking Thursday

Can you believe it's Thursday already? The days seem to be just flying by! Anyway - it's time for another slow cooker recipe. This is one that's good, but you can't make it too often because it's not so good for you, if you eat it too often!
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Creme Brulee French Toast

12 ounces sweet bread (Portuguese or Hawaiian sweet bread), cut into 1 inch cubes - about 9 cups
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
warm caramel ice cream topping or syrup
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Line a 4 quart slow cooker with a nylon slow cooker liner. Place bread cubes into liner.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Pour over bread cubes in cooker. Press bread lightly with back of a large spoon to moisten bread completely. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.
Remove from refrigerator. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn off cooker and let stand for 30 minutes.
Carefully lift nylon liner from cooker, using a plate to transfer French toast to a cutting board. French toast may be sliced or spooned into serving dishes.
Top with your choice of topping and enjoy!

Stop over at Diary of a SAHM for more slow cooker recipes.

I find the nylon crock pot liners in my grocery store, by the paper products. They are disposable and made by Reynolds. The French toast can be made without them, but your crock will be hard to clean.

Neighborhood critters

We've had a few different critters visit us in the last few weeks and I thought I would show you the ones we got pictures of. In addition to this we have plenty of rabbits and squirrels.
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This ring necked pheasant was in our back yard and Bob was able to get this picture. These birds have such pretty coloring.
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There have been a bunch of chickens wandering around. They must be "free range" because I don't know where they came from and I've seen them in the woods and in peoples yards. Last week I saw them across the street with this wild turkey that joined them and seemed to think he was a chicken. He wandered around with them and let me walk within 5 feet of the group without running off.
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This little chipmunk frequents our front yard, and often sits on this corner of our porch, nibbling on something. He sure is cute, but he drives Bob crazy by digging holes in his flower beds!

Mardi Gras?

Has Mardi Gras come to West Michigan? No, but it's starting to look a little bit like it in the Nursing Home where I work.
We have 2 men who are mentally challenged and they have discovered beads! They have been busy making necklaces, key chains and have now started on bracelets. If you were to visit us, you would see a majority of the staff, many of the residents and even some visitors wearing a necklace.
If someone forgets to wear theirs, they will most likely get another one to wear. If you look at the picture, you will see that I have one for Christmas, one for the Fourth of July and several for other colors. I was told that the wooden one would match anything, so I could wear one necklace everyday!
We have started taking apart the ones that look similar and our activity director bags the beads and gives them back to the guys so they can make more. Several of mine are going back for recycling this week.
They love giving these away and are happy when they see someone come in wearing one.

Congratulations to Heather!

Look what came in the mail! It's Heather's diploma! She finished college about a month ago, but the diploma's are mailed out, so she has been waiting for it. Since she has it in her hands, it feels official, finally.
Now for the hard part - finding a job! Jobs aren't too plentiful here and so far in her search, it seems everyone wants about three years of experience.
Heather - we are really proud of you - good job!
* Her degree is in accounting

Introducing Oliver!

You may remember this post from about 3 weeks ago when I told you about having to put our cat to sleep. We had told our kids that when Cleo died, there would be no more animals in the house. After all, we have had 1 dog, 3 cats, 1 dwarf hamster and 3 fish.
However - Heather wasn't happy with that plan and Bob and I found that we were missing having a pet around, too.
So - yesterday we got this adorable little kitten!

His name is Oliver. We were listing different names when Bob mentioned that one and it just fit. He is very friendly and snuggly. We are having a lot of fun, just watching him play and explore. I have a feeling you will be seeing more pictures of him!

Slow Cooking Thursday

It's time for Slow Cooking Thursday again. I found this recipe not too long ago in Simple and Delicious Magazine. It makes a great meal.

Chicken and Red Potatoes
3 tablespoons flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium red potatoes, cut in wedges
2 cups fresh baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 (4 oz) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 can cream of onion soup
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place flour in ziploc bag. Add chicken, one piece at a time and shake to coat. In large skillet brown chicken in oil on both sides.
Place potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chilies in a greased 5 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of soup mix over veggies. Place chicken in slow cooker and top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken juices run clear and veggies are tender.
Yield: 4 servings

For more Slow Cooking recipes, visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

A little Tag, anyone?

The other day, Joanna, who is facing the Fifty Factor sent me a little note. She was Rambling Stuff about wanting me to play a little game of Tag with her. I became a little Agile, Mobile and Hostile and told her that tag wasn't really a game I wanted to play. I suggested playing ball and even offered to play Short Stop, but she wasn't interested.
So I refused, because it is My Voice, My View, but then because I'm Living On Grace, I told her to stop in if she is ever In My Neck of the Woods. I reminded her that my life is Just Another Day in Paradise. Visiting me would give her a taste of Suburb Sanity, even though the neighbors are Diagonally Parked in a Parallel Universe.
I told her we could Dance Like Nobody's Watching on the Scattered Stones in my yard and after that we could go Riding Free with Deb. Along the way, we could stop at Marys Writing Nook and read Diary of a Stay at Home Mom by Penless Writer. If that wasn't enough of A Mom's Life, we could end up in my back yard and enjoy some Simple Beauty, because back there Everything's Coming up Daisies. Even though I'm not Just A Southern Girl, I'm still Blessed and am Growing With It and am able to Raise Them Up. (This Season's Flowers that is!)
And guess what? She agreed to my plan of Starting Over as long as we stop at the beach to pick up a Shell in Your Pocket, and to try a little Fried Okra. We plan to end at my place, because really, There's No Place Like Home.
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This is a new way of tagging people. If you see yourself in the story, consider yourself tagged, but only if you want to participate. If you decide to join, you need to write a story that includes as many blog names as possible. I had fun doing this, although some names are impossible to put in a story! Thanks to Joanna for tagging me!

Happy Birthday, Bob

Happy Birthday to my hubby! He is celebrating his 51st birthday on Tuesday.
Bob - I am blessed to be your wife and your friend and I am thankful that God brought us together. Hope you have a great birthday!

Awww

I was talking to my neighbor the other night and she said, "You have to come in so I can show you something".
Surprise - look what she had to show me. She is a Physical therapist and when she was at her office, 2 girls from the adjoining office told her to come see something. It was this baby skunk, just stumbling around outside. There had been 2 other skunks removed from the property the day before, and possibly one of them was the Mother. This baby could hardly get around on it's own yet.
My neighbor is a "rescuer" so she took it home and found someone who takes care of wildlife and then releases them. The baby skunk was spending one night with them before moving on to the wildlife release place.
I must admit, that it is quite cute. When she assured me it was too young to spray, I even held it!

Award time

I was blessed with 2 awards this week. The first one is the "Queen of all things Awe-summ" award. It came from my friend Kim, over at Scattered Stones.
Now I am supposed to list 7 things that make me awe-summ. This is the hard part, but here's my list:
1) I'm a child of The King. I think that's pretty awesome!
2) I have an awesome family!
3) I love my job and the people I take care of
4) I love to have fun!
5) I have a good sense of humor
6) I try to keep a positive attitude
7) I've got great blogging friends!
Thanks Kim!

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Next is this cool award I got from Kelly at My Voice, My View. This award wants me to list the achievements of my blog. Well - through it I re-connected with Ginger, who I went to school with. I've made friends from all over the world and gotten to know some people that I knew in real life even better.
Thanks Kelly!

Of course, I am now supposed to pass these on. I am not good at that part! I can never pick who to pass these on to, so I'm just going to do my usual - if you are reading this, consider them passed on to you!