Whatever Girlfriends

I absolutely love everything about the Christmas season.  There are so many ways we can celebrate Jesus, our Saviour with our friends, our family, and our community.  I want to share with you what has been going on in my little world. For Thanksgiving all our kids were here with us and the day after Thanksgiving the girls and I made wreaths from the grapevines in our yard, collected pinecones and painted some of them.  We painted - we started preparing for our celebrations.  Fun stuff. One evening we went to the boat parade.  Lots of pretty lights, fun decorated boats. and cold weather!  Yes, it was coat and mitten weather in Florida! At Bayou George Christian Church, we ladies had our own awesome start of the Christmas season.  We worshipped together, led by Faye and Libby. We invited Panama City Christian Church and Eastside Christian Church ladies to join our "Christmas Gathering" and we had 38 beautiful women!  It was such a fun evening! We h

My sweet, crazy hubby had a birthday, so, of course, I had to make him something to express to him how much I love him!  I have seen different version of "Love Notes" on Pinterest and Debbie Lanning told me about one she saw and that prompted my decision to make my "Love Note" for my Hankster. I wrote a little love note on it for him to find first thing the morning of his birthday.  And a new one each day since. I found the picture frame at Big Lots.  It is a 5x7 plastic frame. It was l.25.  I think it would look better in a pretty decorative frame out of wood, but my budget is small.  BUT I will keep my eyes open for something I like better at thrift stores and change it out once I make the find.  Then I found the scrapbook paper at Michaels for .29.  The dry erase pen was from Big Lots for 1.00.  So looks like I spent under 3.00!  I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but I wrote with a Sharpie on the paper I (heart) you because.... The heart i

OK, girls.  They tell me it is cool here in Florida so it is time to fix chili.  Seriously, lots of folks are seriously saying it's cool/cold and they are fixing chili.  I, personally, have not noticed cool weather.  I am still in flip flops and shorts.  No sweaters, no fleece, no boots.....no cool weather.  But I decided to go with the flow and make some chili!!  I found a new recipe and it is good!   Pumpkin Black Bean Turkey Chili Saute: 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 3 minced garlic cloves 2 TBSP butter or margarine 2 TBSP oil Stir in: 1 1/2 tsp oregano 1 1/2 - 2 tsp ground cumin (I omitted this by accident and it was still good.) 2 tsp chili powder Cook for on low while you brown 1 lb ground turkey sausage OR 1 lb ground turkey meat. Transfer all to crockpot. Stir in: 2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained 16 oz can pumpkin 14 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes 3 cups chicken broth Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 ho

Today was a really nice day and I did several fun activities and I would like to tell you about them!  First I went to Wally World in search of a fun pumpkin like item.  And Jack Pot!  I found something great!  I want to send something to Mark Marky who is away at college and to my wild and crazy grandson.  Look and see what you think!!! I used a permanent marker to make the face on the pastic container and put  mailing an address label on the back and then wrapped it with clear packing tape.  Monday I will take them to the post office.  Fun! Crock Pot Story Everyone has a Crock Pot, right?  I have been without one for about 4 months.  My latest one broke - the control knob broke off and a leg broke off.  It really did not cook all that well, so it was time to chunk it.  I have had a Crock Pot since the day I was married.  In fact, funniest thing, we had 16 Crock Pots!  I guess 1977 was the year of the Crock Pot!!!!  Can you believe we got 16 Crock Pots for wedding gifts??!!

Even in Florida - fall is here.  We have a little color and nice cool weather.  And I can still enjoy the beach!!!  Love it!  Thank you, God, for such wonderful pleasures of this life. Just a splash of color leaves.  Is the old pitcher gorgeous?  It belongs to my friend, Debbie Lanning.  When she was moving it was in her "not taking with me" pile.  I figure I can use it until she decidess she wants it back - then she has to come get it!!!!!  grin Hank made me the candle box out of an old pallet.  I love it.  Sometimes I put  little sprigs of berries in it. Again, just adding some leaves and pinecones and small handmade wreaths.   I added some fall flowers to a pottery vase Mark made in school last year.   Love the teal color with the fall flowers! On my buffet is a plate I found at a Bible Book store years ago, the strainer my grandmother used to make applesauce with, and more leaves! So, I am happy with the touch of fall in our home.  Soon I wil

It was tea party time!  About 10 new friends came over and we had tea and cookies.  It was a a nice evening of laughing and visiting.   I want to share the recipes though.  They were good and easy - my favorite kind of recipes! On the top plate: Peanut Butter Cup Browies 1 box brownie mix 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter Preheat oven to 350.  Spray or grease 40 mini muffin cups.  Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed on box.  Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon.)  Bake 10-12 minutes or until top is set and toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet.  After brownies are out of oven, wiat for centers to fall.  This will happen as cooling.  If not, then tap with back of teaspoon to make hole for peanut butter. Place peanut butter in small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir, while brownies are still warm spoon about 1/2 teaspoon p