Whatever Girlfriends

True Story: I was at the day old bread store to get some buns for a cookout for Memorial Day AND while I was there I spotted Twinkies among other sweet no-no's.  So I think to myself....there will be lots of people at my house and I do plan to make pies (Lemon Pies - yum) and have watermelon and cookies and strawberries, but what if they want a quick sweet something????  So I picked up the Twinkies, some cheese crackers, a mini pecan pie, and the buns.  As it turns out, no one ate the Twinkies.  Well, some of them were gone, but more than half of them remained in the goodie jar.  So I decided I must make those Twinkies into a healthy snack!  (giggle)  So...... First, put the unwrapped Twinkie in a bowl.  Then put about 3/4 cup of sliced strawberries on top of the Twinkie.  Next is the Reddi Whip and wala!  Healthy?  Ok, maybe not, but it was good!

This is easy and it is good.  If you like all things lemon!  I made two, one for the family and one for a church dinner and they are both gone!  I will share the recipe.  Oh, and you can make a lime pie, if you prefer.  Okay, here it is: No Bake Lemon Pie 1 (6oz) can frozen lemonade (or limeade) 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (8oz) carton whipped topping 1 (6oz) graham cracker pie crust Use mixer and mix all ingredients until fluffy.  Pour into ready crust and refrigerate until firm/overnight. 

Loved Beyond Measure........... This was our theme for our luncheon today.  God loves us - that is why He gave us our Mom's and the other significant women in our lives.  It is true, you cannot measure God's love.  It is without boundaries, unconditional, endless.  God made us females with tender hearts that wrap around our children in a similar way.  I wanted to share some pictures of our luncheon. Several of our ladies set and decorated the tables for us.  They looked great!  Some of our fabulous men served us - it was so nice!  And I will give you the recipes of the salads we ate today!  Enjoy! Those were our tables - thank you to Carol, Melissa , Ashley, Barbara, Sue, and Joan!  You helped make it such a fun event! Our guys were so good to us!  They served and cleaned up.  So nice.  Thank you, Hank, Bill, Jeff, Jim, Keith, Donnie, Dannie, Gene, and Mark!   We had a salad plate ...

Happy Mother's Day!  I love being a mom.  I love my three very special children.  I loved every stage of their sweet life.  When they were babies I loved to hold them, examine their sweet little lashes, their adorable toes (kiss kiss), hold their delicate hands.  When they would wrap their tiny fingers around my finger my heart would melt.  When they were toddler age I got such joy from every new thing they discovered, every new move or sound - loved their sweet coos and gentle laughs.  As they grew and changed and developed their unique personality I was privileged to witness and be a part of it all.  And I loved it all -  All three kids are adults now and I could not be prouder of each of them. Holly is a great mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter.  She is loving and caring and gives unconditionally of herself to her family and friends.  I see her delight in Caden and love to still hear her giggle at Michael and now Caden.  ...

One cake mix will make about 2 dozen cookies.  They are moist and soft and yummy!  Would you like the recipe?                                                 Triple Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies 1 Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Cake mix 1/2 oil 2 eggs 1 bag of Andes Mint Chips (I used only half a bag) Mix the cake mix, the oil, and the eggs with mixer until all mixed.  Then stir in the chips.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Put about 1 tablespoon rounded scoop of cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes. Just a heads up - although the directions said 8 to 10 minutes to bake, my turned out best at 7 minutes - but it could be my oven, so watch you first batch closely. I have also used the Dark Chocolate cake mix with chocolate chips and strawberry cake mix with white chocolate chips....

Have you ever focused on life on those terms.....one month, 30 days, and it is over?  There is a book by Kerry and Chris Shook entitled just that.  "One Month To Live."  If you consider, contemplate, study this aspect of life in an honest for real way - you just might begin to walk a little differently. This past Sunday, my husband introduced this thought of what would we do if we knew we only had one month to live.  He passed out 3 X 5 cards and asked everyone to write what they would do.  I will tell you the expanded version of what I wrote. 1.  I would like to spend time with my family (bonus: at the beach) so I could enjoy the love and laughter and fun we always share.  I would want time with my kids so I could tell them how awesome they are, how proud they make me feel because of their heart they each have for God, because of the love they share with one another, and because of the way I see them care for those around them.   I love to see...

Decorating our fellowship room at church This is the first area of decoration.  Still thinking of other things to do.  If you have ideas, bring them on!!!  Please.  :)   So, I covered the cornice boards, temporarily.  Now I am thinking I should have used burlap and fabric flowers and that would have been enough.....but this is cute for February.  I will have to think on this for after the Valentine season.   I will try to finish the room tomorrow and post it soon.

Delicious on a cold winters night.  And we have had some of those lately.  Easy to put together and so good.  You can add ice cream or whipped topping if you want, but it is not necessary.  Go ahead.  Try it. APPLE DUMPLINGS Flour, for dusting 8 oz. can cresent rolls 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges 1 stick of butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 cup Mountain Dew Preheat oven to 350. On a surface dusted with flour, unfold the rolls.  Place apple wedges on the wide edge of each piece of dough & roll up place the dumpling in 8 inch square baking dish. In sauce pan, melt butter with sugar and cinnamon over medium heat, stir in Mountain Dew.  Pour mixture on dumplings.   Cover with foil.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer.