Five on Friday ~ 8/30/13

Five things that made me smile this week :)

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1.  First day of school with an 8th grader and a 1st grader :)

2.  Going to Delgrosso's Amusement Park Saturday with the girls' Youth Group :)

3.  We had a great time at the Area Church Picnic on Sunday.  Great fellowship :)

4.  Taking the girls out to lunch on the last day of Summer Freedom :)

5.  Dropping the girls off at school and coming home to take a nap in a quiet house! :)

What made you smile this week?

WWW Wednesday ~ 8/28/13

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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• What are you currently reading?

I'm just getting ready to start this book.  Hopefully this evening.

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• What did you recently finish reading?

Wow!  I gave this book a 5/5 rating!

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• What do you think you’ll read next?

This book looks as good as Critical Care.  It will probably be my next read.

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Have a great Wednesday!

Chats on the Porch ~ 8/27/13

This week's questions are:

1. Do you remember your first day of school?

I actually do!  I remember the dress I wore and standing to have a "first day" picture taken.

2. Do you decorate for the different seasons? If so, have you decorated for fall yet?

Not really, except for Christmas.  I do, however, notice that I change the scent of candles that I burn with the seasons.

3. What food do you associate with fall?

Pumpkin!

4. Do you order books online, buy books in a bookstore, download books to a device, or frequent the library? If not interested in books, how do you get your music?

All of the above.  Anyway I can get my hands on books!

5. When was the last time you realized that you had just been talking to someone really special?

Hmmmm......???

Let's chat and get to know one another!

Homemaker Monday ~ 8/26/13

Come join Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday.

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The Weather...

A sunny 84F.

Right Now I Am...

Sitting down to take a break from cleaning.

Thinking...

About the school Open House for the girls tonight.

On My Reading Pile...

I'm getting ready to start reading The Inn at Rose Harbor.  I just noticed there is a crochet shawl pattern in the back of the book.  So excited!  lol

I need to catch up on a few days of my Bible-in-a-Year schedule.

On My TV...

I've been having a Major Crimes marathon while crocheting this week.  I had almost the whole season DVR'd and am down to the the season finale.  I'll probably finish it tonight or tomorrow evening if I get time.

What I Found While Surfing the Net...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Éclair Cake

1 box chocolate graham crackers (there will be a few graham crackers left over)
2 (3 ¼ -ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding
1 cup peanut butter
3 ½ cups milk
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
1 can chocolate frosting

Spray bottom of 9 x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. In a bowl using an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk, peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers. Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered for 1 minute. Pour over top of cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving

On the Menu This Week...

I can't seem to stay on the menu lately.  Again I'll be keeping it the same and hopefully use up these groceries before I go shopping again on Friday.

Monday:  Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, apples w/PB
Tuesday:  Homemade mac-n-cheese with ham, green beans, grapes
Wednesday: Fellowship (Spaghetti, garlic bread)
Thursday:  Bacon, eggs, home fries, toast.
Friday:  Pizza
Saturday:  Out
Sunday:  Fellowship

On My To Do List...

Today:  Laundry, Floors, school open house
Tomorrow:  Kaylee's Orthodontist appt
Wednesday:  1st day of School!, babysit
Thursday:  Bills, babysit, parade
Friday:  Groceries, laundry

In the Craft Basket...

I'm making a zebra set for a baby girl.  It will be trimmed in light pink instead of orange.

Looking Forward To This Week...

This is going to be a busy, busy week but I'm looking forward to some quiet time once the girls go back to school.

Looking Around the House...

The girls and I have been working on getting the house straightened up.  We're in a holding pattern until the washer/disherwasher are done running.

From the Camera...

Nothing new this week :(

On My Prayer List...

Commitment to get healthier.
All the kids and teachers getting ready to go back to school.
Mike, my nephews father is in the hospital with complication due to his diabetes.

Bible Verse, Devotional...

"Creat in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10

Spiritual Sunday ~ One Drop ~ 8/25/13

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"O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. "
Psalm 30:12

Have a blessed week!

     

Five on Friday ~ 8/23/13

Five things that made me smile this week :)

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1.  Edy's Butterfinger ice-cream :)

2.  I walked 12 miles this past week :)

3.  Watching Kaylee FINALLY learn to ride a bike!!!!

4.  I sold a quilt top on Etsy :)

5.  Getting my reading groove back :)

What made you smile this week?

WWW Wednesday ~ 8/21/13

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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• What are you currently reading?

So far this is promising to be a good read.  Very fast paced and dramatic.

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• What did you recently finish reading?

Wow!  This book was amazing!

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• What do you think you’ll read next?

This book is in the mail and I should be receiving it soon.  It goes straight to the top of the pile :)

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Have a great Wednesday!

Chats on the Porch ~ 8/20/13

This week's questions are:

1. My oldest daughter has returned to college for her second year. Could I get you to give her some good wishes here? Please?

Have fun, work hard, be good!

2. Summer is about to move on, what will you miss the most? And the least?

I'm actually ready for fall :)  I'll miss the girls being home.  I'll least miss the unbearable heat.

3. Are you currently working on any craft, sewing, DIY home, or any other creative project?

Besides working on orders for my Etsy shop, I've been crocheting a shawl for a friend's birthday.

4. If you could have any treatment at a spa for free, what would it be?

I've only ever had a manicure and a pedicure, so I'd like to try a massage.

5. What's your favorite kind of pasta?

I'm a plain old spaghetti kind of girl :)

Let's chat and get to know one another!

Homemaker Monday ~ 8/19/13

Come join Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday.

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The Weather...

A rainy 72F.  There is a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.

Right Now I Am...

Opening the mail and have the washer and dish washer running.

Thinking...

I thought I was going to be watching Dex this afternoon but his mama his off work.  What to do now?

On My Reading Pile...

I haven't picked this book up since last week but I am determined to finish reading it before Wednesday!

I need to catch up on a few days of my Bible-in-a-Year schedule.

On My TV...

We got this movie from the Redbox on Saturday evening.  It was good as far as action goes but wasn't as good as I was expecting.

 

This was the movie the girls got to watch.  I didn't have a chance to watch it though.

What I Found While Surfing the Net...

PEANUT BUTTER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

2 & 1/4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
2 CUPS LIGHT BROWN SUGAR (packed)
1 CUP PEANUT BUTTER
1/2 CUP BUTTER (room temperature)
1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 & 1/4 CUPS MILK
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT
3 EGGS
Preheat your oven to 350 and grease and flour a 10 x 15 cake pan. In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer; blend at low speed until crumbly. Add the next 5 ingredients and blend at low speed until everything is wet, then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan and bake, in the middle of your oven, for 35-40 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.

Let the cake cool (in the pan) for 10 minutes, then spread the frosting on the hot cake (recipe follows) and sprinkle one cup of mini-chocolate chips over the frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER-HONEY FROSTING

1/2 CUP PEANUT BUTTER + 2 TABLESPOONS HONEY + 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT + 2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR + 4 to 5 TABLESPOONS MILK

Warm the peanut butter and honey in the microwave just until it gets soft and easy to stir, then add everything else and beat until smooth. Spread over hot cake and sprinkle with one cup of mini-chocolate chips.

NOTE: You might like to double the frosting -- but still only use one cup of mini-chocolate chips.

On the Menu This Week...

Monday:  Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, apples w/PB
Tuesday:  Homemade mac-n-cheese with ham, green beans, grapes
Wednesday: Fellowship
Thursday:  Bacon, eggs, home fries, toast.
Friday:  Pizza
Saturday:  Out
Sunday:  Fellowship

On My To Do List...

Today:  Read Bible to catch up on reading plan, Steeler game, baby!
Tomorrow:  Babysit, Laundry
Wednesday:  Clean and do floors
Thursday:  Take the girls to the lake
Friday:  Errands

In the Craft Basket...

I have another turkey set to make for the etsy shop.  As well as a Cabbage Patch hat below.

Looking Forward To This Week...

Going to the lake and maybe actually finishing a book!

Looking Around the House...

I'm pretty satisfied for the day.  Dishes done, counters cleaned etc.

From the Camera...

This isn't from MY camera but it is from my crochet hook.  This picture is from a photographer who bought and used one of my Pearl baby pods for a photoshoot.  What a sweet baby!

On My Prayer List...

Commitment to get healthier.
All the kids and teachers getting ready to go back to school.
Charlie, a very good friend's father who is in the hospital.

Bible Verse, Devotional...

"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."  Mark 11:25

Five on Friday ~ 8/16/13

Five things that made me smile this week :)

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1.  Loving this cool, breezy weather :)

2.  "Austenland" comes out at the theater today!!

3.  Rocking out in the kitchen with my girls :)

4.  Slow dancing in the kitchen with the hubby :)

5.  Upped my walking to 3 miles a day successfully!

What made you smile this week?

WWW Wednesday ~ 8/14/13

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• What are you currently reading?

I'm about half-way through this book and that is as far as I've gotten.  It is really good, I just haven't picked anything up to read for a few days.

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• What did you recently finish reading?

I actually haven't read anything this week other than my "Bible-in-a-Year" Chapters.  To get out of my slump, I'm going to set myself a goal of at least 1 book read per week.

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• What do you think you’ll read next?

This is the first book of the "Justice Seekers" series.  I've been looking forward to reading it.  It might be next.  Again...

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Have a great Wednesday!

Chats on the Porch ~ 8/13/13

This week's questions are:

1. Do you have any type of air cleaner in your home?

No, but most days I wish we did!  lol

2. What do you do with the spare change you accumulate in your car, purse, pockets, etc?

It usually gets sucked up by the hubby for the vending machines at his work.

3. What's one chore you wish you never had to do again?

Taking out the garbage!

4. Are you outgoing, quite, shy, reserved, or life of the party?

I was extremely shy growing up but I have outgrown most of it.  Now I tend to be on the reserved/outgoing mixture depending on the situation.

5. Have you understood your parents more as you've gotten older?

I must have been a strange child because I always was able to understand where my parents were coming from in their decisions, rules etc.  I do however, find myself acting more like them!

Let's chat and get to know one another!

Homemaker Monday ~ 8/12/13

Come join Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday.

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The Weather...

A partly cloudy 72F.  There is a chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon.

Right Now I Am...

Listening to the washer washing a load of clothes.

Thinking...

About what I have going on this week.

On My Reading Pile...

I started this book the other night and really enjoyed what I read but for some reason I just haven't been int he mood to read much this summer.  Maybe when the kids go back to school, I'll get the reading bug again.

I am still current on my Bible-in-a-Year schedule.

On My TV...

We weren't able to rent this movie for the official "Family Movie Night" but it was at the Redbox the next day so we did get to watch it.  It was really cute and my girls really liked it.  Even my oldest got sucked into all the art.  They love anything to do with art.

What I Found While Surfing the Net...

I usually share a recipe but this graphic was just too good not to share.

Do you agree or disagree?

On the Menu This Week...

I didn't stick to the menu very well last week so it is mostly the same.

Monday:  Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, apples w/PB
Tuesday:  Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Broccoli, Oranges
Wednesday: Fellowship
Thursday:  Pork Chops, Pierogies, Green Beans, Grapes
Friday:  Pizza
Saturday:  Out
Sunday:  Fellowship

On My To Do List...

Today:  Floors, laundry, babysitting.
Tomorrow:  Crocheting, taking the girls to the lake
Wednesday:  Dentist, cleaning
Thursday:  Laundry, bills, grocery list
Friday:  Groceries

In the Craft Basket...

Newborn turkey set and a shawl for a friend's birthday.

Looking Forward To This Week...

Going to the lake!

Looking Around the House...

We're having a picnic here this Saturday, so I see all the things I need to do to get ready for people to come over.  There is a lot!

From the Camera...

On My Prayer List...

Motivation and determination to get healthier, all the kids and teachers getting ready to go back to school.

Bible Verse, Devotional...

"Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 5:18-20