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"An apple a day will keep the doctor away"


At the crack of dawn(3:55am to be exact), I was making 50 carmel apples. Yes, 50! I have another batch to make ...40!. Of all the things, I cook or bake..I love things that are like, well, "decorating". Making a carmel apple is like designing a "room"...pick the color of shades of carmel....different chocolates (white, dark or milk)....sprinkles of any shape or size....then there is the WRAP...with all the ribbons...I love it!

You all know that I love anything with a great "packaging"..well, here is just a GREAT Idea! Have you seen these??? They are carmel pellets...no unwrapping 300 carmels individual..I love this! I was so excited...I would like to thank this person who invented this. My guess would be.....a mom who was tired of unwrapping...THANK YOU!!

If you have never made carmel apples with your kids...you should...you can make a carmel apple "decorating station"...they dip and decorate..then eat....yum! My favorite thing on a carmel apple is the minny M&M's!

p.s. Thank you to my husband who delivered these apples...2 locations...before 8:00am! Thanks for supporting everything I get myself into!!!


a thankful heart....Thursday

Today, I am participating in "Thursday Thankfuls" with Jenny Kate's Spot...love her blog and what a great idea...

Do you just ever have a moment or a day? Okay..it's been a week that you just feel sorry for yourself...things are just not going right! Then someone gently reminds you that you have so much to be thankful...oh, yeah I guess I do but life sometimes makes that all fuzzy!

This time last year, my son had an accident in line skating..3 breaks and 2 line fractures. I remember that night going downtown to Children's. I really didn't know how bad it was..till the nurse came in the ER room. Told me they Faxed all the x-rays to the director of surgery and orthopedic at his home. He was getting dressed and coming NOW...my son was having emergency surgery at the break of light.

Most of the doctors told us his arm would never be the same....sports may be not be in his future. We could not even imagine it......my son would sleep with his soccer ball and basketballs if he could!!

I remember that morning with my husband walking into the surgery floor. It was like a "set" of Gray's Anatomy. All the interns and doctors were around these big white boards...hustling and much discussion. We were put in this holding room. I was shoulder to shoulder with another mom whose little daughter was having "brain" surgery. OH my heart went out to her...I just wanted to hug her!!!

The two surgeons and another doctor gathered around my son and told us their plan. The doctor again told us.."We will do our best but they did not know the outcome." My husband looked at the doctors and asked if they would pray with us because we knew someone who could heal our son and use the talents of these doctors for good. There we held hands with three doctors and a nurse and prayed.
It has been a long year...but my son is doing great. He is back on the soccer field...he is playing golf...he is diving off the diving board...he is ready to play basketball soon! At our May appointment, my son met with the partner of the surgeon. The doctor was amazed how well he has healing...he said he couldn't believe how well one of the breaks had healed. We are not amazed...the Lord answered our prayers and healed him.

My son did do a lot of strength and muscle exercises . This little guy has been convicting to me...he has handled this situation like a champ...he never complained once with the cast, slings and just everything. He just did it! Also, in his child-like faith he granted forgiveness to some..he could of had a lot of "hate" or "malice" to all involved but he dealt with it...maybe even better than his parents!

This Thursday...I have a lot to be thankful for!
Update: I do not know who did the above "icon" for Thankful Thursday but I said I would do this and now I don't remember which "blogger" this was..if anyone knows..please let me know so I can give her the credit for this idea. Thanks!

Works For Me Wednesday-Pillows

Sometimes do you ever just want to get rid of ALL your furniture and start new??I do all the time. I wake up from my DREAM and realize that this is not going to happen. However, my "love affair" with pillows gives me the change I want.

Big, small, plaid, toile , plain and "wordy" pillows! I love them all and they are all over my house. But, when I want to change the look of a piece of furniture or even a room, I will change pillows or add them!! The above picture I just put black and white houndstooth pillows and it really changed the look of my toile chairs and den.


This is my kitchen table bench threw on two pillows ..."woila"...new look! Now, everyone has to be careful of splattered BBQ sauce or ketchup.


If it be the living room couch or the bench in the mud room, a pillow can change the look and warmth of the room. Hobby Lobby has great sales on pillows...sometimes 60% off..they are fun and different. I love to check out Home Goods, too!

Buying a pillow works for me over buying a new couch!!!


She never stops surprising me!


My middle daughter, well, there are many words that could describe her...she is full of life! Honestly, I could write a book on her. Her red, bouncy curly hair speaks it all! Over the weekend, my daughter called my husband up to our bedroom...her voice was all excited. So he went up there and all I heard was "Your mother is going to FREAK!". He came down and told me that my daughter had engraved in our beautiful master bedroom furniture "I love you Dad".

What really put the cherry on top...is that she was proud of it. I did not go up and look till that afternoon b/c I needed some time to gather and cool! At night, I talked with her about it and she truly thought she was doing something good. I never knew a child could bring me to tears so often, truly baffle me where I am speechless and bring so much joy all in one minute!

I have not found a gray hair yet, but when I do I am naming it after her!


My Home...Room by Room

Welcome! All of our homes tell a story...every room reflects a person or the family. Through the next couple of weeks I am going to be "touring" our home from the pretty to the Not to pretty! My home is not "all" done but it's where we hang our hat, eat our dinner and lay our heads!

Please wipe off your shoes...oh...let me take your coat!!!

Our Mother-in-Law suite ...
The first time I looked at this home...this was a feature that I loved. Off the kitchen down the hall you can enter the mother-in-law suite. It is perfect for our family b/c we have so many out of town family and friends. This area has been used so much. From family to my entire old playgroup coming with 4 moms and 7 kids....I love it and our doors our always opened!This is one room that I have not redone...for now it is fine and my furniture works!! It has a tiny kitchen area, sitting/tv room, bedroom, bathroom and laundry. Sometimes I go in and just sit..it's quiet and peaceful!

District Bound!

This young man and his amazing team won today and placed in the district tournament! They are going next week!

Both kids are in the district tournament...what an exciting weekend next week! Hope it is warm!

Stir and Season Saturday

Stir and Season "Saturday"
Go to your cabinet....take out the phone book...go to "restaurants"...pick your favorite that carries out...call them and order.

This Saturday let someone else "stir" and "season"!

I Tag you and you and you and you....

A big thank you goes out to Carrie for giving me this award! What a nice surprise! Her blog is so fun...sometimes I read her and I think I really know her...check out her fun Thanksgiving "hats"..they are just great! Well, this is hard to do b/c I have seen so many wonderful fall decor...my husband wishes I would STOP seeing them!

I am sure some of these ladies I have given an award before but I have to again! They are truly inspiring when it comes to decorating...they make it look easy but each "project" is a true delight! They just stitch something here, paint something there, place a pumpkin on top of here...Ta Da!!! A decorating masterpiece...there is not a day I don't read them!

Joys of Home

Buzzing Bee

Mrs. B.

The Shabby Nest

A soft place to Land

Watch the Wind

4 Reluctant Entertainer

NEXT .........


I was tagged by this wonderful blogger at Juju and Family...check her out! What a great tag but it was HARD!!!

* I really value my friendships...I am a good friend!

* I would drop anything for some

one in need...I care!

*I have a place for everything...I am organized!

Well, first, I am going to tag this amazing lady who probaly gets tagged and awarded everyday. But, this is the blog I read for months before I blogged myself...she is one of my favorites and the reason why I wanted to start blogging...

The Nesting Place

Also tagging two great bloggers....

Monogram Chick

Life in Our Three Ring Circus

NEXT...

Thank you Miss Laurin for the kreative blog award..how sweet is that! Check out this fun lady...she is great and I love reading her blog!!! It's fun and sassy!

I pass this award too...

Journey to Family

Sunshine and Lemonade

My Life with Boys

The Long Road to China

Sanctuary Arts at Home

NEXT...

I was tagged by A Holly Haven...thank you!!!You have to check out the "bows" this lady makes...love them!

This is a new tag called "fourth of fourth"...I pick the 4th picture in my 4th picture folder and write about it and then tag

4 people.

We visited some dear friends...miss you!

Okay...I tag....

A Goddess in Progress

All Things Are Possible

Just Stuff

Southern and Preppy


Next....

This award came from one of my favorite blogs...I read her everyday...I love her spunky words and her personality is full of fun, humor and honesty. As a matter of fact...Naturally Caffeinated...I am giving this award to you, first!!! Right back at you...your one of
my favorites!

I also give this award to...

Cherries Jubilee

Pages Of Our Lives

Lions, Tigers and Boys Oh My!

Smile!It's Becky

Life ON Grace

Just A Girl

The Blessed Nest

Nest To Keep


Next....

I love this award!It means so much to me...thank you to All Things Possible! It means so much and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

I pass this to all of you who stop by each day and say "hi"...I love all your blogs...they are all different with their own style and expression!!


Whew...thank you for always thinking of me...much love to you all!

Happy Friday!!!!




I am not Taking a Bath with Dora!


This simple redo all started at the soccer field. One of my son's coach told the boys to go home and take a hot bath and soak those muscles. I overheard my son say that he was not taking a bath with all that Dora and barbie stuff.

Ahhh...my poor son has become just a "visitor" in his own bathroom with just his toothbrush. My girls have taken it over. Not with hairspray, curling irons and makeup but with wet Barbies, dora "heads", polly pockets and squirty "princesses". Plus it has the same decor..."DUCKY" that I did when he was born...so it was time for a change!!!

I did this very cheaply and was inspired by Besty (go check this lady out!). She did a fun thing with her shower curtain in her bathroom ,too. I used what I had and bought three rolls of different ribbon, one wicker basket, a few towels and went to work.

Here are the BEFORE pictures:

With just ribbon and a glue gun I took frames I had(they were on the back of the toilet and fell everytime someone slammed the "lid")...glued on ribbon and hung...

Bought a very inexpensive shower curtain and towels .... tied on "fun" ribbon...

Retired the duck and bought a 3-section wicker basket...I wasn't crazy about toothbrushes touching...

Glue ribbon on a cup holder....changed the rugs around...and look what we have.....

What do you do with Ribbon??? I love it...I would tie it on my oven handle if I could!!!