The Second Foodie Friday!

Welcome to the second Foodie Friday hosted
by Gollum at Designs by Gollum.
Please visit everyone, they each have made
something wonderful to share!

I made Fried Chicken!!!!

I Love This Bowl

This is the bowl that I bought last Friday at Salvation Army.
I wanted to use it last night so I put the cut up cantaloupe in it.

Doctor's Appointment Yesterday!

I had my doctor's appointment yesterday, which of course was fun. The nurse came in marked an X where Bob is, did the questions and all of the other stuff that they do, gave me a paper vest. You would think with how much this is going to cost, they would give me a threadbare hospital gown. After having to get half undressed in front of my 5 year old (doctor's appointment was at the same time she would get out of school) the doctor come in feels Bob and tells me that he a fatty growth. That's the good news. The bad news is that he is still coming out! I was given 2 options. 1. The doctor could freeze or numb up Bob and the area and cut him out in his office (DON'T THINK SO!). or 2. Go to the surgical center where they will give me some nice calming drugs in an IV where I really won't care what is going on and if I am really nice they will give me a little caffeine through the IV to ward of that lovely headache if I don't have my 2-3 cup of coffee by 9:00am. I believe I pick..........Option 2! Go for the drugs! I told the doctor I would consider that a vacation! He said that wasn't a vacation and I told him he doesn't have 3 kids! Anyway they will call me and let me know when Bob will be removed. Hopefully next week will be the surgery because I have things to do in the next few months (Organizing a garage sale for my son's high school and getting the garden going as soon as this cold stuff goes away).

I will catch up with my visiting with everyone tonight as my family has run out of things to wear and everything is piling up! Uggg!

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Doctor office called and surgery is scheduled for March 12. Yes, I get to lay around for a few days! I have an excuse! ;D

This is what I am dreaming of....

I won't go into horrible details like how we got another 4-6 inches of SNOW yesterday!
And since we have all seen what snow looks like I didn't take any more pictures of it. Does anyone want to see any more snow? Didn't think so!

Thought I would share some pictures of my garden from last year.

Beautiful aren't they?

Can you feel the summer heat?

That very large sunflower ended up to be about 13 feet tall!

I can see myself sitting on the back porch and drinking ice tea.....and that evening we will BBQ and roast marshmellows over the firepit. Can you see it? I can, vaugley.

By the way, did I ever tell you some of the history about my house?
Well....2 owners ago, the husband and wife who lived in this house spent alot of time gardening and landscaping. Put in huge rocks and trees, roses and the works. The people we bought the house from didn't like any of the roses, plants or trees so she ripped them out! Put a fence in the backyard (which we don't mind) and stuck her potbelly pig in it! So, we had a pig living in our backyard for a time. Then one day the city decided that they would look into it and decided that there would be no farm animals inside city limits all because of this pig. They got rid of the pig and part of the fence and put an ugly boat in it. When we moved in there was barely any grass and no plants. Last year my husband, the children and I dug up 2/3 of the yard and mulched the other 1/3. Grass wasn't growing anyway so why not?
We just have to figure out what we are going to do with the patio bit now.

I've Got Another Award!

Barb at Bella Vista gave me this lovely award!

Please visit her blog. Her and her home are beautiful!

Thank you Barb!

The rules of this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Here are the sweet 'sisters' I am passing this award along to:

1. Lisa at Living My Life, Outside The Box

2. Tracey at tracey-craftyscraps

3. Manuela at The Pleasures of Homemaking

4. Susan at A Southern Daydreamer

5. Rose at Cottage Rose

6. Carolyn at Harbor Hon

7. Myrna at Heirlooms

8. Shanda at Front Porches - Sweet Tea & Old Aprons

9. Gloria at Happy To Be

10. prof en retraite at Confessions of a Plate Addict

Please visit these wonderful blogs.

What did I buy at the trift store this time?

I bought an afghan, which is hanging on the back of the chair, a barrel planter, a welcome stepstone, a bird house, santa spoon rest, some sort of candle or fake plant house, jewel cases and an glass apple shaped bowl. Not bad.

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Just to let you know, in the Texas Sheet Cake recipe, the reason I use stick margarine is that I cook with about 2-4 boxes of the stuff a week. Do you know how much butter would cost if you bought 4 boxes a week? Sometimes I use 5 boxes in a week. That is the only reason I use margarine instead of butter. That is my reason and I am sticking to it! ;D

The Recipe for Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake
My tweaked version!

Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1 cup water
2 bakers squares unsweetened chocolate (I haven't tried it with 3 yet)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
6 tablespoons milk
3 bakers squares unsweetened chocolate
1 pound confectioners' sugar (about 4 cups), sifted
1teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, combine the margarine and water in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Put bakers chocolate in saucepan and stir in (I have found a whisk works best). In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add teh chocolate mixture all at once, and stir to blend. Whisk the eggs and sour cream together; add to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into an 18 x 12 x 2 pan (or equelvalent) and bake for 20 minutes until done.

Just before the cake is done, make the icing; Combine the margarine and water in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Put bakers chocolate in saucepan and stir in. Add the confectioners' sugar by a cup at a time. Once mixed in turn off heat and mix in vanilla. Ice the cake while the Icing and Cake are still warm.

That is my tweaked version.

You gotta love Paula Dean!
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Today I am off to go shopping! Some thrift stores, grocery store and Wal-Mart!

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Hopefully painting the Den this weekend! I want to get it done before I go into surgery to remove Bob otherwise I have to wait till after I have recovered. I will also have a friends 3 children with us besides my own 3! Busy weekend, again! Wish me luck!

Foodie Friday!

The First Foodie Friday!!!!

Welcome to the first Foodie Friday hosted by Gollum at Designs by Gollum.

My contribution to the potluck this Friday is a .....

Texas Sheet Cake

I found the recipe in one of my favorite
Paula Deen cookbooks (I love the way she cooks food!).
What I made isn't a pretty cake and I tweaked the recipe a bit, but it is the moistest cake you could ever eat!

And with lots of CHOCOLATE!

This is a cake that is worth the making!
No boxes and it will take you about an hour to make, from start to finish!

If you want my tweaked version of this recipe let me know and I'll give it to you.

I Got An Award!

Thank you Tracy!

Please visit her at tracey-craftyscraps

I do love all the awards that fly around blogland! Again, thank you Tracy! People really read what I have to say. Thank you! Enough of that!

The rules are, to pass it on to 4 followers and the newest follower:
Renee at Cottage Lifestyle - New Follower
Shanda at Front Porches - Sweet Tea & Old Aprons
Donna at Simplicity Cottage
Barb at Bella Vista
Tammy at Family by Chance Friends by Choice

Please visit and read these great blogs!

Word Verification...

Am I the only one in the world that is have problems reading the word verification lately? I think I am typing in what it says and then the stupid thing comes up again and pretty much say (you didn't type that in right!) Maybe I am just getting old and I need to start using my reading glasses for the computer!
AGE SUCKS!

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Thank you to everyone who left a comment about "Bob". I appreciate your comments, thoughts and prayers.

I have Named It Bob!

How can I put this........While in the shower last week I discovered a lump sort of on my back. I have seen the Doctor today and I will be having surgery at some point in the next week or two. My Doctor seems to think that Bob is benign. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday the 23rd to find out when. If all goes well Bob will be a not too fond memory in about a month.
Meanwhile, while I am recovering from Bob's removal my husband will be taking care of the kids and house! Bets on how long I will be down? I give myself 1 day!
Anyway, I'll let you know more info when I get it.

Cows....

If you ever visit my house you will probably notice a cow or two if not more in every room. My husband and children can spot a cow either in a store, on TV or when we are out before me now.
When I was working in Texas, I even had huge pictures of cows in my office! Sad.....
My dream is to have a huge life-size cow either in my backyard or front yard and a huge painting of a cow! I know, it's weird, but what can I say?
Oh, by the way, I have seen cows in person, we used to live on 20 acres in Texas and I can't stand the smell.
As long as it's not a real cow, I'm good.


I am loving the California Cows! Aren't they cute?
Vote for your favorite cow!

http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/happycows

President Abraham Lincoln

"Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them."
Lincoln and the Civil War In the Diaries and Letters of John Hay selected by Tyler Dennett (New York, Da Capo Press, 1988), p. 143.

Happy President's Day!

Upstairs Bathroom Is Almost Done!

The only thing I have to do with the upstairs bathroom is touch up the white trim. Which I didn't take a picture of.

I also figured out what I didn't like about it. The other pictures I had up. I went to Old Time Pottery and bought 3 pictures. This one I paid $4.00.

This one I paid $3.00. I also made the pillow on the bench which matches the curtains I made this morning.

This one was $3.00 also.

I looked for curtains that I would like and only found fabric. It's not the first time I have had to make curtains. I have made my own curtains for most of my house. But I thought this fabric had enough different shades of red to match the walls.

I also figured out that the towels and the rug clashed with the red, so I bought a new rug and towels!

I love how this turned out.


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A few pictures of my upstairs hallway. When we moved in this hallway was a dark blue color. I painted it and put up the chair rail.

This is a picture of my mothers childhood desk. The girls use is it to color at.

I have a habit of picking up odd paintings.

These are two old sewing machines that I bought. The one on the left I bought for $20.00 at a garage sale and the one on the right I bought at an estate sale for $50.00. I still need to buy a fake plant to hide the wires under the table. Maybe next week.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Our Bedroom.....

I was trying to explain to a friend of mine about my bedroom. So here you go...my bedroom. Just so you know the dimensions are 11x20 (weird huh?). Yes, the side tables face the bed.

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Health update on the household: Oldest child is well and at school. Middle child has a fever, pink eye, ear infection and a splinter in her foot. I took her to the Dr. for the splinter (which he couldn't get out) and came away with her home for two days and a prescription for two drugs. Youngest child is well and was at school but is home now (preschool). Animals are good (Loki has finished his medicine so husband doesn't go to work with Pepto on him anymore). And the husband is whiny and mom needs a vacation.

P.S. Don't think the middle child is laying there on the couch acting sick.....In the Dr.'s office you should have seen her dancing after the Dr. told her that she gets to stay home for two days! She's sick but not acting sick!

Two of my boys waiting to go to bed...

Thought I would share these photos. My husband and Humphrey were waiting for me to get off the computer so we could go to bed last night about 11:00.

The Husband

Humphrey (my shadow 24/7)

The Bathroom Went Red

Before I started painting our middle one wanted to help me paint.

So, Friday I had one child home, the other two went off to school and the husband worked from home. Unfortunately when my youngest came home she brought a friend with her. In a good way it kept the two youngest busy with the friend.

I primed the bathroom walls then I painted them RED. I didn't realize that I would need about 2 coats (I should have done one more). Oh well. This picture is after one coat. I don't know if I like the red. I will have to get used to it. My husband has told me that I have to wait awhile before I repaint it. Maybe if I put new curtains and pictures.....

On Sunday my husband and I painted the craft room. I do like how this turned out.
(This is as clean as this room gets.)

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On Saturday our son had his belt testing. Wonderful isn't he? The boy can kick!

TGIF...

I have 2 gone to school and 1 still home and this afternoon I will be painting my bathroom!

Happy Friday!

Blogs I Read....

I love all of the 149 blogs that I read and I read every one of them if not more each day. I also add at least 1 or 2 blogs each day. I am about to run out of room on the side. Does anyone have any idea on how to better organize them? Any suggestions on how to get off the computer sooner then NOON? I have been on her since 8:30. If my husband only knew! Oops, I think he does now!

Still sick and sick again!

Well, my youngest is still sick from that cold which she had on Monday and it has now turned into a cough with a fever. Also my middle one now has the same cold with a fever.

The girls have a 3:00 appointment today with a doctor.

Hopefully they start feeling better by tonight with the help of some good drugs.

What do you do after it's done flowering?

A couple of pictures of my amaryllis that I bought this Christmas.

It's just, what do you do with it afterward? Do you leave it as a plant? Will it flower next year? Do you have to freeze it? What do you do with it? Help!

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Just to let you know the husband went to work with Pepto on his shirt again! HeHe!!

Tuesday....

At least 2 of the children are back to school finally! After of course, my husband coming back home to jump start my van. One of the girls had left the door to the van open on Saturday night. You have to love children.




However before that, we had to give our ferret his medicine. A few weeks ago he somehow got the ferret flu and ear mites. Trying to squirt 3 different medicines with a syringe twice a day to a ferret is not fun. My husband is usually the one who gets the worst of it! Today he had to go to work with Pepto-Bismol all over his shirt. HA HA!

Always something going on.

Home Sick!

All 3 of my kids are sick today and not with the same disease! I lead such a glamorous life! You know what I will be doing today! Cleaning up after them and delivering drink and food to where ever they are. The life.....

How many of you are there?

I got this from Scooterblus Whimsy - Rhonda....

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 22 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Can you imagine 22 of me? NA!