VALENTINE LOVE...TREATS AND A WREATH.

~SENDING VALENTINE LOVE TO ALL OF YOU~

I wanted to show you the wreath on my front door.
My door is red as you can see, and I couldn't find anything for
Valentines Day that wasn't red like my door...so I decided to
make one of these white coffee filter wreaths. It was so so easy!

I just went to Google and there were several tutorials videos on
how to make one, chose an easy one, and it came together in 1 hour.

I used a 18" straw wreath circle and around 350 white filters and my glue gun.

I pulled the middle of each filter over the end of a marker, dabbed some hot glue
on the tip and pushed it slightly into the wreath, it went so fast and I just love it!

I looked out my window one morning to see my chickens on the front lawn...
Do you see what I didn't see at first glance? Look close, it's black like the hens...

Tada! It is a little wild black cat!

It has been hanging out with our chickens everyday. My husband puts
some dog food out for the chickens and this hungry little cat thought it was
for him. So, it has been sleeping in the chicken coop, and it follows the
chickens everywhere they go all day long.

I believe that it thinks it's a chicken!
When a chicken walks over to the cat, the cat will fall down
and roll over on it's back. What a cute friendship/family this is!
Just proves how much all of God's creations need love, us and little
wild kitties.

My inside cat loves to watch all of this going on...and she also loves
sleeping in this sunny spot under the old Singer sewing machine.

I groomed my little Bo the other day, he looked so cute!

But he didn't like it much...being without all that longer warm hair
gave him the chills, so I put his jacket on him and he hunkered down
in a warm blanket for the rest of the afternoon.

We have been gone visiting our littlest grands. I think the little ones
seem to grow the fastest and I just love to see them as often as we can
so they know who we are! This little dark eyed beauty is our sweet Claire.

Sophia, Ella and Caleb....waiting for a lane so we can all go bowling.

We waited and waited...but no lanes came available, so...

We all went to find a treat...here we are "pigging out," at a ice cream shop!

I went with my daughter Lindsey to "story time" at their local library.

They had a sweet greyhound there, his name was Darby.

Sophia loved him! He was a retired race dog and he was so gentle.

We had fun reading lots of stories...

And listening to stories....with Darby.

It was Lindsey's birthday, so we went shopping and out to lunch.
Sophia found something she just couldn't let go of...a snowman!


Here's a yummy Valentine treat for you...

"FROSTED CHERRY BARS"

(Heat the oven to 350' spray Pam on a 15X10" jelly roll pan)

Cream together til light and fluffy:
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
4 eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each egg.

Add dry ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
3 cups flour

Blend well, then spread about 2/3 of
the batter in the pan, reserving 1/3 for
the topping.

Drop 1 can, (21 oz.) Cherry Pie Filling over
batter. It won't cover over all of it, just drop
spoonfuls, evenly spaced over batter.
Now drop teaspoons of the remaining batter
over pie filling.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or til toothpick inserted
in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely.

GLAZE
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 tsp. Almond extract
Mix and drizzle over bars.

Don't cover before serving or they
will go too soft.... DELICIOUS!!!

Tiffany's little ones, she sent us this for Valentines Day,
We just love it! So cute the way the baby is hanging onto the U.
(designed by Lindsey)

"THE FINDINGS OF A NEW STUDY"

A study was done by the University of Wisconsin-Madison
(about something all mom's already know) It was this....

Instant messaging can't compete with phoning mom when it comes to
quelling stress. This new study said that hearing mom's voice soothes in
ways that texting simply can't.

Just talking to mom reduced levels of cortisol, a stress bio marker, and
increased oxytocin, a key hormone related to healthy relationships and
pleasure. It also said that emails or computer contact was similar to no
contact at all. The comforting sound of a familiar voice like mom's is
responsible for the hormonal differences observed. Also, that a mom's
voice, it's tones and intonations and rhythms, triggers soothing effects.

So there you have it, something all mom's already know, so, what is the
moral of this study? Call your mom! You need it and so does she!


HAVE A SUPER WONDERFUL, LOVE FILLED, VALENTINES DAY!

I CAN FEEL IT....CAN YOU?

What can I feel? LOVE...for sure, LOVE is in the air ladies!

We are already talking about Valentines Day at our house...
What we want to do, where we will go. I am sure we will come
up with some fun plan, but one of my favorite things to do is to
just stay at home and enjoy a romantic dinner for just the two of us.

Over the years, we have done this a few times, when our kids
were little, they loved being a part of it. I would have it all fixed
and a table set up in our bedroom. They would be the waiters and
with a knock on the door, they would deliver the food to us. They
loved being a part of mom and dad's romantic Valentine dinner!

I love a Valentines table like this, isn't it so pretty?! Don't forget to add
some romantic music too! Here below are a few ideas for your Valentines
dinner, this is some of what I have done over the years, I hope it
gives you some ideas!

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Set your oven for 425'
Wash 4 Cornish hens, pat dry and place in a roaster pan or a broiler pan.
With your fingers, separate the skin from the meat on the breasts and legs.
Push a small amount of Pesto under the skin, about 1/4 cup. Then rub Pesto
over the skin and rub the chicken with Olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and
pepper, sage and basil. In the cavity of the body, place cut up slices of lemons
and oranges, along with some more basil.
Roast for 15 minutes at 425' then turn oven down to 350' and roast for 1 hour
and 10 minutes. (18-20 minutes per pound)
Half way through, baste with a little olive oil and lemon juice. These turn out so
nice and moist and full of flavor.

BAKED YAMS

About 1/2 hour ahead of putting your Cornish game hens into the oven,
stick your yams in to be baking... I like nice big one! Wrap them in foil
just like you would do for a baked potato and bake them for a good hour
or so until they are fork tender.
We like to slice them on a plate and smoother them with all of the following;
Butter,Brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans and mini marshmallow.

A SIDE OF BROCCOLI

I like to wash it and slice it up and cook it for 10 minutes in the microwave
along with a tiny bit of water a bit of salt. When it is done, I toss the broccoli
with a bit of butter and lemon juice and 1/2 cup of cashews, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes,
and 1 Tablespoon of Soy sauce. Makes it very tasty!

Earlier in the day, I make a batch of my very special bread...
For this recipe, go to my side bar. This is the easiest and best bread
recipe ever! It only takes 90 minutes from start to finish with no second
rising... It turns out so perfectly every time. So many have contacted me to
tell me that they are baking it all the time and love it.
You can use the recipe to make your rolls, also cinnamon rolls too.
I hope you will give it a try. Just make sure you follow it exactly as
it is written. (don't add dough enhancers etc.)

A ROMANTIC PEAR OF MICE SALAD
(A bit on the whimsy side and fun)

Lay a bed of lettuce on your salad plate, then lay 2 pear halves
on the lettuce. Using the small end as the head, make slits on
each side of the head for the ears, which are pieces of dried bananas.
Use raisins for the eyes, and mini marshmallows for the nose, pink or
white. For the tail you can use pieces of string cheese, or long thin slices
of orange rind, tucking one end under the mouses bottom! Add a little
round of Babybel cheese for fun or you can use slices of any kind of cheese.

EASY TRIFLE DESSERT

For 2 people you will need:

Whipped cream
12oz. fresh raspberries
4 Twinkies
caramel topping
chopped pistachios
cheesecake Jell-o pudding, prepared.


In the bottom of a pretty serving dish or glass;

Spoon in a bit of whipped cream, and a few raspberries.
Next, break up 2 Twinkies and lay a few pieces of this over
the raspberries. Then 1 T. of caramel topping, then some
chopped pistachios, then some of the Jell-o cheesecake pudding,
then another layer of all the above...topping it all off with some
whipped cream, pistachios and a raspberry...Chill.

I hope this gets your romantic Valentines ideas flowing!
Nothing more fun than to do something special for your
loved one!


LOVE TO ALL

"OH, WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE SUMMERTIME?"

Great advise to all mothers and grand mothers!
Don't be afraid to stop and just have fun being
crazy and really enjoying those precious ones
that we have been so blessed to call our own.
The playing will make them so much more co-
operative when you do ask something of them!

I wanted to share this delicious dessert with you. I served
it at a ladies party and I had cut them each a big piece, and
I thought, well, they might eat half of that...but they ate every
bite of it! This is one of those desserts you will want more of.

" TURTLE DESSERT "

Place 8 1/2 ice-cream sandwiches in a 9 x 13" pan.

Spread evenly with caramel topping, 1 (12 oz. jar)

Sprinkle with 1 cup chopped Pecans.

Top with 2 cups thawed Cool Whip.

Lay on top of this, 8 1/2 more ice cream sandwiches.

Spread 2 cups Cool Whip over these sandwiches.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans.

Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving; cut into squares.

Drizzle with 3/4 cup Hot Fudge topping (heated) Serve.

*****
Serves 10 big servings...Calories per serving 609
But worth it!

Me and Ella...just doing some Summer-hanging out.
Nothing like that grandma-grandchild love, it's the best!

Ella, enjoying her great grandma who is 98 years old!

Ella, getting her first hair cut and she loved every minute of it!
Those girlie feelings start early and run deep don't they?!

Sweet grand Emry on her birthday...we all love our cake!

I loved Sophia's little cheeks here...so precious!

Out camping with mommy and daddy.

Sweet MaKayla...we love her...

And her pretty mama, Lisa.

Sophia went to a water park with her parents...I loved how
she was looking up at this little boy statue, as if he were real.

And here she is....Queen of the water fall.

Such sweetness...melts this grandma's heart!

The little "Flower Child"...camping and having lots of fun!

This little guy in the front, (your right) with his boots on, dancing
away with a cute little girl...that's our Brody, enjoying the local libraries
summer story time play day.

Caleb...with his hand in his pocket..growing up into a guy... like dad!

I loved this pictures of Caleb & Ella...looks like they

are going into the woods, to find the 3 Bears house.

Ollie and Ella
She loves this little dog so much! She is always packing him
around, mostly by the neck and Ollie lets her, what a good dog!

Ella & Caleb have got their seat for the July 4th parade.
She loves her big brother and knows how to boss him around
pretty good too and he watches over her just like a big bother should.

A lesson on...How to eat a S'more! Looks right to me!

And this is a lesson on... how to eat your watermelon...I think
she's got it down perfect! That is how I like to eat mine too!

"Bobby"...Oh Bobby, what are you doing?

"Who me?"

"Well, I was thinking about taking a nap." "What! On my new
chair pad?" "Ok mom, I'll move along then, didn't know it was new!"

"Hummm, wonder if she can see me...maybe not."

" I like this one much better anyway!"

"Ahhh, I do so love my cat naps."

"Not me buddy...I'm on duty...so many mice to catch!"

Thank you sweet Samantha, a woman's work is never done is it?!

*****

Now, I don't mean to hurt any one's feelings but if
you have not heard from me and you have a play list
on your blog site...that is why. My old computer just
freezes up something awful at those play lists and it can
take me up to nearly 5 minutes to try to leave a comment.
So, I am just clicking off and even then it takes me a while
to get out of there. So sorry about that but I just don't have
that kind of time...I love you all though, really I do.


Have a great week my friends, I hope you are loving
your Summer. We certainly are, every minute of it!

LOVE TO ALL

JULIE