Finally at rest!


Is hosted by Misty at Camera Critters.

I don’t know where this picture came from, but I thought it was adorable and perfect to share this fine spring day. As for the 2 critters below, they are still my best source of amusement and contentedness. Even at rest, Gunner MUST have a toy in his mouth at all times.

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What? Don’t I belong here?


Is hosted by Misty at Camera Critters.

Dickens likes to sit in front of heat registers while Sady will crawl in under any blanket and sweatshirt she can find.

If the sun is shining you might find them both curled up in front of the window.

But Dickens has found a new hiding place on this shelf, which is where you will find her a good deal of the time when the BIG black one is in the house. She never knocks anything off either.
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Lap Dog or So HE thinks!

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty

Hubby and I were sitting and watching a movie when all of a sudden our 80 pound lab decided he wanted to sit in dad’s lap. He’ll be 7 years old next month and has NEVER done this before so it was a moment to capture. Sis wasn’t impressed!


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Secret Ham glaze, Southwestern Chicken Enchilada Corn Chowder & Sparkling Pink Cake and a tip for Tuesday

From the Kitchen & New Recipes I’m sharing:

SPECIAL SECRET HAM GLAZE
1 cup molasses
3 cups packed brown sugar
1 bottle root beer
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
7-10 pound ham, spiral cut.

  • Blend together all ingredients (except ham).
  • Place ham in a shallow roasting pan.
  • Coat ham with glaze.
  • Cover and allow to sit 48 hours in refrigerator.
  • Bring to room temperature before baking.
  • Wrap tightly with foil.
  • Bake at 200 degrees for 6-7 hours until done.
  • Unwrap and baste once an hour making sure to get glaze between the layers.
  • Unwrap, increase heat to 450 degrees and bake another 15 minutes for a crisp skin.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN ENCHILADA CORN CHOWDER
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
3 cups shredded chicken*
3 cups Green Giant frozen shoepeg corn
4 cups water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10 ounce can Old El Paso Red Enchilada sauce
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups heavy cream

  • In slow cooker whisk together the water, enchilada sauce, bouillon, salt and pepper.
  • Melt butter and saute onion until translucent. Transfer to slow cooker.
  • Add chicken pieces and corn.
  • Cook on low 3 hours.
  • Add rice and cook 3 more hours.
  • Add cream and heat through.

*On Tuesdays, my local grocer offers rotisserie chickens 2 for the price of 1. This is when I buy them. I tear off all the meat and boil the carcasses, skin and fat to make my own broth. I store the chicken in 3 cups measures – perfect for just about everything, and then freeze them for soups and casseroles.

SPARKLING PINK CAKE

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter. softened
6 large egg whites
1 cup sparkling apple cider
FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 large marshmallows
1/2 cup raspberry jam
FROSTING
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sparkling apple cider
1/4 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease and flour 2-9 inch round pans.
  • Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy (about 1 minute).
  • Add the egg whites and mix on high until light and fluffy (about 1 minute).
  • Gradually add half of the dry ingredients until well blended.
  • Add sparkling apple juice and mix until well blended.
  • Add remaining dry ingredients until well blended.
  • Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean from center.
  • Cool in pans, on wire rack for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from pans and continue cooling on wire rack.
  • While cakes cool prepare filling. In a double boiler melt butter.
  • Add marshmallows and stir until mixture is consistent.
  • Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • While filling is cooling, prepare the frosting.
  • Beat sugar until fluffy.
  • Add powdered sugar gradually.
  • Add the sparkling cider, food color and salt. Mix on high until creamy and fluffy.
  • Place 1st cake on a cake plate. If you want to be really creative you can slice each of these cakes in half to create a total of 4 layers.
  • Stir raspberry jam into marshmallow cream and layer on top of first cake.
  • Place second cake on top of filling.
  • Ice.
  • Enjoy
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Homemaking Tip I’m Sharing:
Using mineral oil on your wooden kitchen utensils will extend their life.

hosted by Misty at Camera Critters

Now many of you have suggested that I need to throw those 2 lazy bones above a bone or a ball. Well I thought this week I would show you just how spoiled these 2 are. These are their “INDOOR” toys. They have 1/2 again as many “OUTSIDE” toys. So it really is their choice to be lazy.



Mellow Yellow Monday is hosted by Drowsey Monkey
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Psalm 23 explained
The Lord is my Shepherd = That’s Relationship!

I shall not want = That’s Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That’s Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters = That’s Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul = That’s Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That’s Guidance!

For His name sake = That’s Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of t he shadow of death = That’s Testing!

I will fear no evil = That’s Protection!
For Thou art with me = That’s Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That’s Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = That’s Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil = That’s Consecration!
My cup runneth over = That’s Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life = That’s Blessing !
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That’s Security!
Forever = That’s Eternity!


What is most valuable,
is not what we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives!
Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to move your Feet’

I participate in the memes: Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Homemaker Mondays hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Making a Happy Home Monday hosted by LL at As for me and my house…, Slow Cooking Thursday, Homemaker MOnday & Tips on Tuesday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding new recipes! Camera Critters is hosted by Misty and Mellow Yellow Monday is hosted by Drowsey Monkey.

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Camera Critters – Mom nobody will play with me…


hosted by Misty at Camera Critters

Mom, no one will play with me!! He gets that same look no matter the season, inside or out! He’ll sit like this for hours. There’s only so much playing any of us can do in the house during the winter, but we do play ‘psuedo catch’ and fetch every morning. When Whiskey takes a toy to him, he’s no longer interested in playing. Fickle guy he is! Some of you will remember that this “used” to be my favorite chair. The only thing he’s ever chewed up was the cushion to this chair. I replaced it with the brown pillow and it’s now “HIS” chair. It’s hard to believe he’s an 80 pound dog when he curls up this small. This is where he sleeps every night and he stands and barks at me when I vacuum under the pillow!
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