Whatever Girlfriends

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 beca...

Kevin had his 18th birthday.  I asked him what he wanted me to fix him and he could not make a decision.  He asked for Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip Cookies Cake.  I did make him one of those and I think it turned out pretty good.  But, just like all my kids, he celebrated his birthday on more than one day, so I decided to make him a surprise cheesecake.  I knew he liked Red Velvet Cake.  In the past I had made him Red Velvet cookies and Red Velvet cupcakes.  He also likes cheesecake.  The first week Kevin was with us he bought a cheesecake at the grocery store and he consumed almost all of it himself.  I am not saying he did not share it.......but I am pretty sure he ate 5 pieces out of 8!!  Ha, ha.  So with that in mind I searched for the perfect cheesecake and this is what I found:                                     ...

Michael Mother's Day......love my family!  We spent the day together (minus Hank -sad face- because he had to work) at Lindsey and Joey's.  Mark and I went to church with them then Holly, Michael, and Caden met us at the DeHart house for lunch.  And it was yummy lunching!  Joey and Michael did most of the prep.  (Applause!!!!) But we all helped! It was a great spread - shrimp, steak, and chicken with all the fixings for tacos.  I'm telling you.....it was good!         Sunday was not only Mother's Day.  It was also Michael's 29th birthday.  Yep.  29! He caught up with me!) We are all singing to him.  See his face?  He is enduring our off-key song! Ha! He liked the "25" candles - I think he chose to ignore the four single candles.   Success!  He blew out all the candles.  I think Caden helped. I will share the recipe because it was really really ...

Look at this easy, yet cute birthday cake design I did today.  I saw something similar to this on the internet.  I am not sure where.  I had started at Wilton and ended up on Martha Stewart and it was a link from that, I think.  I put sprinkles on instead of bubble gum balls that was on the one I saw. It's for Tonya at work.  She said she likes yellow cake with butter cream icing.  It was hard not to eat the whole bowl of icing.  Really hard.

I could not help myself.  I made the Skillet Apple Pie again.  Yep!  We celebrated Lindsey's birthday, and of course we have to have chocolate for her, but I knew neither of my son in laws care for chocolate, so since the apple pie was a really big hit when I made it the first time, I did it again! And it was a hit this time around, too!  You have to bake this - easy and delicious! I guess I got the dessert before the main dish.....not a bad thing, but this is what we had for the birthday dinner: Spinach Lasagna Rolls, Italian Salad, Garlic bread, and the desserts. 9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to box directions 10 oz. frozen chopped spinached, thawed & drained 15 oz. fat free ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 egg salt & pepper 32 oz. tomato sauce 9 TBSP (about 3 oz.) part skim mozzarella cheese, shreded Preheat oven to 350.  Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt & pepper in a medium bow...

I just had to do Mark's idea - and he helped me - to make a gift for Nancy for her birthday.  I had seen this little poem about growing up with a sister and thought it was perfect.  So we went to several thrift stores looking for the perfect sized canvas picture and after only two stops - found it! This is the canvas with the letters I stuck on it and I began there in the bottom corner to paint it a dark brown.  The canvas is a golden with thin trees and some words in cursive in a light brown.   As you see, I was using a paint brush, but I changed to a small roller.  It worked much much better. Completely painted the top and the sides of the canvas a brown color.  Then I let it dry - probably about 30 minutes.  Then pealed off the letters! Here is the finished product: And it's true.  I did tell on her - it was for her own good. :) 

This was Mark's birthday cake.   Yep, Mark is 17 TODAY!  The cheesecake turned out very yummy.  Even our waitresses wanted some - so we shared!  Here is the recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake 12 oz. Oreos 3 TBSP butter, melted 3 (8 oz EACH) cream cheese 3 eggs 4 oz. white baking chocolate 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup crushed candy cane Directions: Crush oreos in food processor.  Add melted butter, stir then pat on bottom of 10 - inch springform pan.  Bake crust for 10 minutes.  Cool. Mix cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until just blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each. Melt white chocolate and stir into cream cheese mixture.  Gently fold crushed candy cane into cream cheese mixture and pour over crust.  Bake 45 - 50 minutes at 350 until center is almost set.  Completely cool then refrigerate at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, spread a thin layer of whipped topping on top of cheesecake...