Baby, It's Cold Outside! "So Let's Cook!"

I don't know about you, but when it's cold or when it's raining, I get the urge to cook up a storm!

( Ha! no pun intended!)

I like to picture myself in deserted areas like this…remote farms that are snowed in for weeks, or areas where we would actually have to hunt, kill and cook our meals!

 And then it hits me…like a cold, cold gust of air!

 WHAT?? You can't do that! You have a generator…you HATE cold and you don't like to be in deserted areas! Well, ok…you do …for a day, a DAY!! That's it!!!

Ok, end of my day dreaming….however, I do love any excuse to cook for you!

If you were at the Open House at my shop this year then you got to enjoy some of my all time favorite sandwiches! I've already started my next cookbook because I've been realizing all of the recipes I forgot to put in to the first one!

If you want the recipe for Ham Delights….just check in HERE!

If you want the recipe for this divine Chicken Tortilla Soup that I made for the first time to go with our left over Ham Delights, then just check in here! ( soon to come, I promise! It was so, so good!)

If you want to taste what "Fall" tastes like…then stay tuned, baby!!

It's Cold Outside!!

Which can only mean a few things….

It's time for an Autumn Dinner Salad done differently….

Done differently because I did some double roasted Walnuts that were too die for!!! Check that out when you can right HERE!
Just scroll down a bit!

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Simply!

(It really is so simple…wash and dry sweet potatoes and place in a greased dish. Pierce several times with fork…bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Split open and add 1-2 T unsalted butter, a dash of Kosher salt and pepper to taste…so good!!!)

Unsalted butter just makes the world go round in my opinion!

And good old Chicken Spectacular! Done Spectacularly!!!

Jim and I were in heaven and I hate to say that we polished our plates clean! Just don't ever refer to us as Jack Spratt and his lovely wife…. from the nursery rhyme!

 I might have to kill you! Seriously, this was a "fairly" healthy version of this meal and boy did it hit the spot!!!

The only thing better would have been to be dining in this covered bridge, snow falling all around, me in a long white dress and Jim in a tux…oh, wait! That's what this picture looks like! How fun!!

Just call me Ginger and call him Fred!

Anyhoo…we had a great dinner! Just the two of us Empty Nesters!

Still praying for our friends and family in the Northeast! Hope you are doing well, too! Please send us an update when you can!

I Want My Little Boys Back! And The Snips And Snails, Too!

Today, I sat in the car while Jim ran in to to get our lunch as we drove home from the beach unexpectedly….our car was facing a car wash. 

The scene that unfolded in front of me 'had me from hello' as they say! The son…probably about 12 or 13…dressed quite nice…nice jeans, nice t-shirt tucked in, nice shoes, nice belt and some really cool shades…was helping his dad dry off the car like it was his own!

It brought back vivid memories of Miller and Mitch and how much they loved doing things like this with Jim! But this kid was over the top! I mean it! I would've paid him $1,000.00 dollars to wash and dry my car!

 For the longest time, I thought it was just the two of them…a father son day. Then the cute mom got out and began to inspect the car….I felt right at home!!

I sure do miss those 12-14 year old boy days!

 I'd pay any amount just to have one back with both Mitch and with Miller! To watch a young boy spend time with his dad and love it ….is very special indeed!

I hope you all had a great weekend! My heart is going out to those that are about to endure Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath….it is odd for us in the South to be sitting here watching a storm like this and it's not affecting us…our hearts and prayers go out to you!

XOXO,

A Southern Sunday Post…."Reely, Kevin?"

I 'reely' didn't think I was going to do a 'Southern Sunday Post'….I just didn't….I'm enjoying being away at the beach…until I found out that "some" of my children are hurting or they are home and we didn't know it…either way, I wasn't going to do a post this Sunday and I'd already talked myself out of feeling guilty about it! 
What was I thinking? I always feel guilty!
 I feel just like that Chick Fil A commercial that is my new all time favorite…love the quote!!
"Reelly, Kevin?"

It might as well be saying, "Reely, Carolyn…Reely?" 
Did I really think I wouldn't be bothered that my son came home without us knowing it and that my daughter is dying to move home no matter what? "Reely, Carolyn?"
 Will someone please remind me of this next time? Please!
Especially when Holly and Brad seem to be just fine!!!

They are adjusting pretty well! Why was I worried just last night that they weren't?  Hmmmm…I can't imagine!!!

What a waste on my part of guilty feelings!
So, I was so happy when I received this email from my very own, precious mother…and found out it was sent to her by none other than Peggy Boisky….my idol! I just had to post it!! It's just too good…and too true!!

Please have an enjoyable 'read'! It's wonderful!

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students… here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to His own children. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was 

‘ DON’T !’

‘Don’t what ?’ Adam replied.

‘Don’t eat the forbidden fruit.’ God said.

 ‘Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit?’ 

‘Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! ‘

‘No way! ‘ ‘Yes way! ‘ ‘Do NOT eat the fruit! ‘ said God.

‘Why ? ‘

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!

‘Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit? ‘ God asked.

‘Uh huh,’ Adam replied. ‘Then why did you? ‘said the Father. ‘I don’t know,’ said Eve. 

‘She started it! ‘Adam said. ‘Did not! ‘ ‘Did too! ‘

 ‘DID NOT! 

Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!

• You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.
• Grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your own children.
• Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
• Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said .
• The main purpose of holding children’s parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own .
• We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

AND FINALLY: IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE: ‘TAKE TWO ASPIRIN’ AND ‘KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN’!!!!! 

A Very Big Thanks to my mom for sending this to me!

I love her more than all the rice in China!


XOXO,

JOY, UNMISTAKEABLE, JOY!

I am joyful…for many reasons….one being, we are at the beach

The other being that I just am! 

I began researching quotes from people I admire and verses that refer to and reflect God's joy…sometimes that is what sees us through different struggles in our lives…and also let's us reflect on just how blessed we are!

I am loving these quotes I found online from these very godly men…they mean the world to me and these cute pics from Pinterest just add to that!

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.

But in all of these quotes and pictures, His word rings true!

And of all of these that I found, I decided for me and for Holly…this my most favorite!!! Psalm 37:18! 

Thank You, Lord! I love you and I promise to trust in You!

It is my prayer that God's joy would be evident in our hearts and lives each day…to say that is an easy task would be a lie. If I didn't have the hope that is found only in Him I could never experience true joy! I would love to know your thoughts! I would love to know if you have prayer requests!
Much love,