Category: MISC

21 day challenge update

I finished the day one “assignment” in Rhonna Farrer’s 21 Day Challenge. We were supposed to pick a goal to “make or break” in 21 days and follow the prompts to complete it. My goal is to make break the habit of writing ideas on scraps of paper, cocktail napkins, etc…. I may not be able to break that habit entirely as you have to jot the ideas down when the moment strikes, but I wanted an organized journal place to keep track of them all. So my ‘art’ is of a more practical, pragmatic nature since my ‘art’ is writing. I had done something similar in college and it worked, why I didn’t stay with it, I don’t know, maybe life got in the way. I’m starting a new one as a way to break the habit of stacking up those notes and not remembering what they had to do with. With this journal I will have the pages and sections to get all those scraps of paper organized and maybe even get more accomplished. More to come over the next 20 days.

Photo Hunt Saturday – Party theme

on the way to the party2 of my sis-in-laws having fun at the party

About the PhotoHunt: A theme is given for each Saturday. Post a photo that best represents the theme. New and old photos welcome but must be from your personal collection and not photos obtained from the web. Play along once a week by posting your photo on your site.

Sunday Accomplishments

Hubby has been making me take Sundays off and do just what I want. He’s worried about me working too much. I guess I do have a tendency to over-do so I appreciate his worrying about me. So last Sunday I got this far on the wall quilt. I’m still thinking about another border before backing and binding it, but just can’t decide.

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars – Favorite Ingredient Friday

My cousin Jenn, made this recently so we have a picture courtesy of her.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine peanut butter, egg and oil until smooth. Add cake mix and mix well. Press 2/3 of mixture into bottom of 13×9 pan. Bake 10 minutes.

In a saucepan heat together butter, milk and chocolate chips over low heat until melted, blended and smooth. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

Pour evenly over baked crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over chocolate mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting.

I have successfully experimented with this by changing the cake mix flavor and the chip flavors. Use your imagination.

Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy.

Sunday Accomplishments

Hubby has been making me take Sundays off and do just what I want. He’s worried about me working too much. I guess I do have a tendency to over-do so I appreciate his worrying about me. So last Sunday I got this far on the wall quilt. I’m still thinking about another border before backing and binding it, but just can’t decide.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

Who was the last person you hugged? Hubby

Soup

Share a beauty or grooming trick or tip with us. Keep a comb in the shower and when you use the cream rinse comb it through. This eliminates many of the static electricity flyaways.

Salad

What does the color yellow make you think of? Summer dresses

Main Course

If you were to make your living as a photographer, what subject would your pictures revolve around? Nature – anything nature.

Dessert

What was the longest book you ever read? I never count the pages. Even the shortest book can seem long if you don’t want to read it, but I like the ones I read and never want to end

21 day Inspiration Challenge

So I was blog surfing when I ran across Heather’s post:

“Hey All, I admit it, I have been hiding. I have felt so negative lately I just haven’t wanted to spread it around. I am having difficulty focusing and have been feeling very anxious and sad. I hate feeling like this. I am tired of the fight to constantly stay “up”. Logically in my head I realize that this is temporary and probably still effects of SAD but its hard and tiring.”

I found myself wondering, HOW DID SHE GET INTO MY HEAD, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!!!

So I too am going to combat the way I have been feeling and get a kick start by participating in Rhonna Farrer‘s 21 Day Inspiration Challenge which begins March 1 at Two Peas in a Bucket. I too have high hopes for sticking with 21 days of assignments and making some changes in my journaling habits, find my positive attitude again and energize my muse.

T13 #6 (134) Thirteen things I did Yesterday


I need a bubble bath!
  1. Ebay shipping
  2. Etsy lsitings
  3. Ebay listings
  4. Research for book
  5. 5 loads of Laundry
  6. Grocery Shopping
  7. Painted spare bedroom
  8. Painted Heat Registers
  9. Designed stained glass pieces for Christmas gifts
  10. Sewed borders on wall quilts
  11. Changed water filters
  12. Blog Surfing
  13. Showered both BIG dogs

Cranberry Chicken

4 boneless chicken breast
1 package Craisins
1 bunch chopped green onions (greens and all)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups chicken broth (I make my own with hot water and 1 tablespoon chicken soup base)
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Celery soup
6 oz. shredded Monterey jack cheese

Layer chicken breasts and Craisins in bottom of slow cooker. Whisk together the soup, broth and seasonings. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle cheese on top (don’t stir in). Set slow cooker for low. Cook for 6 hours.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Slow Cooking Thursday is hosted by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Food Obsessed? or just a woman? Does anyone remember the Waltons?

So I was blog surfing this morning when I ran across Amy’s latest post at Too Many Recipes. Amy asked if anyone else reads food blogs for fun or if she’s food obsessed. She said her hubby can’t stand to look at recipes and their respective photos when he’s not hungry. He says it makes his stomach turn.

This was my answer: “I think it has a lot to do with the man vs. woman thing. I too love to read food anything. I’ve been known to read, yes actually read cookbooks cover to cover. As a woman who loves to cook, has always been on a tight budget (I’ve always meal planned to save $) and someone who really wants the table to look appetizing when my family sits down to eat, I spend a lot of time ‘preparing’ which includes looking at those pictures of food. I think men only think of food in the sense of instant gratification. I know when I’ve asked hubby what he wants for a specific meal, it takes a lot of brain power to even conjure up the ordinary if he’s not hungry. As a woman I (as I’m sure you and many others do) look at these recipes and pictures and begin to plan how mine will look at least that good or better! So, after all this, am I also food obsessed or is it just part of our nature as homemakers to dream?”

I realized afterward though that maybe this is a generational thing. I personally have composed two cookbooks (the more pictures the better) and am working on a third, but have to ask myself if maybe today’s woman doesn’t put an emphasis and priority on these things. I know many women and families blame their busy lifestyle and can’t think past the next fast food stop. I feel sorry for them. Family life can be so much better when shared around the dinner table. Eventually that lifestyle will catch up with them and then the next generation will follow suit, and so on and so on until no one will be able to remember grandma’s pot roast and devil’s food cake for Sunday dinners. The gap will continue to grow.