Icicle's and Smoothies

Icicle's hanging out the back of our house. I took this picture from inside the kitchen window. 

Here you can see the icicle's dripping from the gutters. We're suppose to get some rain in the next few days. Hope we don't have "leaking roof" problems.

Well, I have been on the hunt for some smoothie recipes. Found a couple that I would like to try.
Had decided that I was going to do a smoothie a day (to keep the doctor away...lol). I make smoothies for JP everyday....do you think I would make one for myself??? NOT!! But I guess I shall change that and start making one.
The Doctor's office called today,
they want to check my blood and see what my numbers are for the AC-1~3 month check up.
That can be a real motivator to get me going on some kind of diet....
nothing seems to be working for me at this point.
Watching the salt in-take, sugar grams, carbohydrates, drinking more water, less coffee,
more exercise, ride the bike...etc. Sometimes I get frustrated and have a "fat day" and just want to EAT!!
No fun getting older and even harder to lose a few pounds as we age.
Maybe I should go to the Mall and walk around.
PROBLEM.....I need money, cause I would be wanting to shop and stop and look at things.
Something to think about though, I sure do feel better after coming back from a shopping errand.....where I have be doing a lot of walking. Maybe I should keep "walking at the Mall" in mind for 2013.

SMOOTHIE RECIPE
Orange Dreamcicle
1 navel orange (bought some cuties, no seeds)
1 cup of skim milk or vanilla yogurt
1/4 teasp vanilla
4-6 small ice-cubes
(I think I might add 1/2 banana and some spinach)

Well time to close this blog for a few days. It's 2:23 am and time to hit the pillows. You all take care and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Eggnog Waffles Anyone???

Made some "eggnog waffles" today for JP's lunch. Here are some pictures of those yummy little treats. Got the idea from Biz's blog for today. Visit her at: www.mybizzykitchen.com  She made "His and Her's pancakes" and gave her recipe for "His Pancakes". So I started thinking maybe instead of milk I could use up the eggnog in the refrigerator............so here is my take on Biz's pancake recipe as follows:

His Pancakes
1 cup milk (+ 2 T for thinner cakes)                    
2 eggs                                                                
3 Tbls. oil                                                          
1 1/2 cup flour                                                  
2 Tbls. sugar
2 teasp. baking powder
1 teasp. salt
Mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes before making. Let the baking powder bubble up as the pancakes will be more fluffy.

In this picture the waffles are made. I layered mixed fruit on the top of the waffles then poured  the vanilla yogurt on top. JP gave this dish the "seal of approval" so we are good to go today and JP is a happy man and should have a good day at work!!!!

Eggnog Waffles
1 cup eggnog + 2 tabls.                                        
2 eggs                                                                  
3 Tabls.  oil                                                          
1 cup flour                                                            
2 teasp. baking powder                                        
1 teasp. salt
                                                         
As the eggnog is thicker, I used the extra 2 tables. Omitted the sugar, as there were 19 grams of sugar to 1/2 ups of eggnog. I used 1 cup of flour as the mixture was very thick. Mixed all the ingredients together and then let it sit so the baking powder could do it's thing. There was some bubble action but not alot. I poured the batter into the waffle iron (1/4 cup) and baked till the light went off on the iron.

So one of these days soon, I shall make some pancakes using Biz's recipe. If they are anything like these waffles today.......they were DELICIOUS!!!!

Well you all have a great day........I am going to be busy tonight watching the Biggest Loser and The Bachelor, one has to be recorded......not sure which one yet. As for the Biggest Loser, Every season I try going on a diet and do more exercise with the contestants, but to no avail.......just not sure I could sustain the regiment they do. I'd have a hard time getting yelled at all the time!!!!! So I will just continue riding my stationary bike and jump on my trampoline and get a few new tips along the way with THEIR journey to lose weight. :)  Maybe I could lose a few pounds.

Till later keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.  Cheers ~ Louise

Funny Picture Saturday and Snow Blowers

Found this funny picture the other day on the internet. Poor puppy dog, hope he didn't get into too much  trouble with his owners that day. We had a dog named Alvin who pulled the instillation out of the walls......gosh did we get upset with him. Hyko had the garbage thrown all over the kitchen and then they look up at you  with their big brown eyes and say like.........."I don't know, who did that, must have happened all by itself...."

Well, I kinda got upset today........our electric/gas bill went up $20 bucks a month......yikes. We have been on a budget of $113 a month for a couple of years........we could manage that. Now it's $133 a month, guess we will have to cut something out......I am sure this is an OBAMA thing, some how he caused this with his tax cuts, "fiscal cliff deal" and ObamaCare. Food does not seem to be going down, but up, up, up!!! Where I used to spend $40 - $50, now I am spending $60-70 on food. Should be an interesting year for all of us, hope you have a faith in knowing that all things will work together for good to those that love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). LOVE GOD......not Obama!!!!

We found a snow blower in Menasha. JP wanted an Ariens electric start. There was a second hand one for sale for $250. They took a trade-in for our old one with delivery ($40) which brought the total to $210 and that was including taxes!!!! JP was going to give the old snow blower to a man at church for free.........I said, "NO, see if you can get a trade-in and get something for it"........yay, he actually listened to me and we did get something off for the blower. Well, hope this one lasts a couple of years and will be easier to start for JP. It won't be delivered till Tuesday, so after that, it can snow.

Well, time to cut this short, have a few things to do. Just love Saturdays and they just don't seem to last long at all. So you all take care and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

Happy New Year ~ Happy New Year!!!

Well........hope your not feeling like this cute little turtle above. I found him on one of the websites I was on tonight. Will be using him for a card in the near future. The site I was on had alot of "free digital stamps and svg. die cuts" soooo, got lots of great ideas to play with.

Today we had a nice day. Went to Sandi and Doug's place on the river, had ham dinner (yum) and basically relaxed while watching the water and ducks float by. There were even some ice chunks that passed by too.  Sandi gave me a few sites to check out and download some die cuts, which is how I spent the evening. JP spent the evening having arm pains........I don't know, something has got to give with those pains, I sure could not handle them as much as he does. He struggles alot with them especially Sunday evenings for some reason. Wonder if part of it is stress and his neck is all tensed up which causes the nerves to constrict. The tension comes from his worry about work.......he moans and groans an awful lot!!!!

I found out over the holidays that I am allergic to shrimp.....boohoo......my mouth itches, and now also crab. I only had just a real little bit, coating on salmon and my mouth started itching.......oh well, I guess that also means lobster too, not that I have had much lobster lately, nope, it's been years! So I guess, don't give me shell fish, a shot of penicillin, sting me with bees or mosquitoes or spiders, I will break out.

Well, guess it is time to close this blog.......just figured out that I must be that turtle at the top of this page....hope my new year won't be up-side down and will finally turn the right way. Or maybe this world is just up-side down and I am really right-side up.......who knows, shall have to figure this out.

You all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

So Long 2012 ~ Hello 2013

Yeppers........Dashing will be completely out of the question for 2013! Going to enjoy every minute (or so I say)!! Been reading a few blogs today, 1) some wish you a Happy New Year, 2) some list "the 12 most popular", (which I truly love especially when it comes to FOOD) 3) and some just continue on as if it is just another day. Me, I think I will go back to January 1, 2012 and see what my expectations for 2012 were and if I met them........

Did you all make any resolutions for the New Year??? I thought about it, but sometimes they are just too hard to keep. I might just try continuing what I started in 2011.

1. continue on my journey to lose some weight and reverse diabetes.
Still working on that and probably continue on into 2013.

2. paint a room or two this year....been awhile since I painted and redecorated.
Nope, no room painting in 2012.

3. this spring, paint the porch floor.
Nope, no porch painting...thought about it though.

4. get some cards into a few beauty shops.
Nope.

5. get the kitchen ceiling fixed.
Nope.

6. these are long shots.........get a new or used stove and couch.
Got the couch and did look at a used stove, but nope, did not get one.

7. more mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago and a vacation this year.
Nope, no vacation but many mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago.

8. more blogs then last year.
Yes, I did manage that by 22 more blogs........2013? 25 more.

9. learn something new.
Guess I didn't, cause I can't think of anything.

10. lose an old habit, what that is I don't know as yet.
Ha...probably gained some old habits, but lose, Nope!

11. continue on in my personal relationship with Jesus.
Yes!

12. make a new friend.
Not sure I did. Oh wait, I did make a blog friend, does that count???

13. weed through the house, get rid of stuff not used for a couple of years.
Yes!

14. garage sale this summer?
Yes!

Well that is 14 things to work on, there probably are more, but this is a good start. Will have to remember these resolutions are here so I can keep reading them every now and then.
Guess I did not read them enough, cause many were not accomplished. So there you have it, shall I continue my quest for perfection in 2013......kinda' hard to attain perfection, very unattainable to me.

What to expect for 2013???
 I have no idea what to expect. Peace would be a good thing to expect, but with the way this world is going, it's hard to foresee. I find it very hard to understand how people can continue living without a relationship with Jesus Christ and still survive living in this barbaric way of life. Killing and being killed, and sometimes for no reason at all, then to just kill!!! 
A very sad commentary for "modern" man!!! Everyone blames the other guy and sadly does not look into the "mirror of truth" to see one's self-deception. We deceive ourselves daily, thinking we are good, when in reality we all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. There is a scripture in the Bible that says to this affect. "Whoa to them that say good is evil and evil good..." This is fast becoming very familiar in our society. Very sad, very sad indeed.

Well, guess it is time to close this blog for 2012.....see you all in 2013 Lord willing. So you all keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Cheers ~ Louise
 Hello 2013

Friday Ramblings........

Hi there, how you all doing?? I am fine and surviving the Christmas and New Year's activities. Plus doing some resting too. Caught some kind of cold, the residue is a bunch of flemmy junk and cough in the morning, but once that is out of the way, everything is fine. Sleeping in has done wonders, guess that is why we are told to drink lots of water and get plenty of rest. You might get rid of the cold quicker, instead of it lingering for weeks on end.

Well, I found the above picture someplace on the internet and thought it was worthy of being placed on this blog, so here it tis. ENJOY and I hope it brings a smile on you face!!!

 Listening to the radio while typing. My favorite talk shows are Rush, Sean and Mark........they talk so much of this "fiscal cliff" I wonder what it really means. Is there really a fiscal cliff or is it all just a scare tactic, getting people all worked up for nothing. I don't know, these politicians sure can make up stories to cover up other stories. They should be ashamed of themselves. What is so hard about speaking the truth??? Guess truth does not make money.....hummmm?!?!

Weather is snowy today. I was going to go to the store today, but JP said the streets are slippery. We can go store hopping tomorrow and pick up his meds and some food.

I think I finally got my computer fixed, it was running soooooo slow. I knew there was something plugging it up, but just did not know how to get around it. Finally clicked on Norton again and there is a program Norton has that finds virus's that are deeply hidden and fixes the problem. Plus let's you know if there are other things not working right. So I jumped through those hoops and now things are running better. For now. Have to check out a few other programs I was having problems with before the "big fix".

So what are you doing for New Year's......I think we are going to a friends house, they live on the Fox River. From their home can be see the fireworks and the ball dropping....that should be fun watch, can't remember ever seeing fireworks on New Year's Eve.

Well, time to close this blog for today, probably will say hi again on the 31st and say "Good-bye" to 2012 via my blog.

You all have a great couple of days and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day



Christmas Eve dinner was steak, shrimp and red pepper grilled on the George Foreman grill. The steak was to perfection and was still pink on the inside. No special seasoning except for my "no salt Greek seasoning" also on the plate was fried mushrooms. I tried to plate it to look tantalizing, not sure 'Gordon Ramsey' would be impressed. Also, on the menu was "Crispy Mashed Potato's" (you will find the recipe in the previous blog) salad and celery with dip and onion rye toast. JP had a bowl of fruit and yogurt for dessert. We enjoyed our dinner very much.



Christmas Morning ~ this is JP looking at his new scrape book I put together for him. The original scrape books were falling apart after 40 years!! I thought I would just get a couple of pages done, but managed to get 23 pages done from 1972 and into the start of 1973. Over the years, pictures and newspaper clippings were taken out and misplaced. So I had to really work hard at piecing it all back together again. (just like humpty~dumpty)

I really enjoyed doing this scrape book, so now maybe I won't be so fearful to try another one. I do have plenty of pictures that can be scrape booked using many themes.....my next book, (which I started about 4 years ago) are all my dogs. Now that Hyko has left us, I guess it is time to get that started again.



Here is a page from the scrapbook, I took a picture cause I wanted to see how it would turn out. So maybe during the course of the next couple of months I will take pictures of the scrape book, so you can see the lay-outs and what the book looks like. I know, I know, "you say.....I have seen plenty of scrapbooks" Ah....BUT, you've not seen this one!! Anyways, this is a picture of JP winning a feature race in his old car "169" in 1972.

 As I said, I really enjoyed putting this together as it brought back lots of memories. I was really looking forward to giving it to him......now I can finish it without being rushed. Christmas eve I received some racing paper and stickers that I had ordered last week. So I was able to organize the book a little bit more before giving it to JP for Christmas.



Christmas Day we spent a few hours at Jim and Arlene's house. Ham, dressing, peas and carrots, baked potato, pear salad, berry pie and tea. Then we opened some gifts....Arlene likes to go "thrift shopping" so I got a cook book full of cookies, JP got a doggie calendar and a picture frame with a picture of a cut-out doggie that looked like Hyko. The didn't know Hyko had died, and so the dog looked like Hyko. (sniff-sniff and sigh)

It was a nice visit, as we sat around talking about the Lord and reading and speaking scripture. JP and Jim can really banter back and forth pretty good and JP usually knows what address that scripture comes from. They both know the Word really good.

We left about 3:30pm and came home.......I guess I was tired, cause about 5:00pm I closed my eyes and did not wake up till 7:30pm...........whew, where did that time go?? So about 8:00pm I made a lasagna in my new little casserole dish from Kylie....can you imagine she paid $3.99 for it. Guess that is another picture for another time. (smile)

You are going to like this........so I made the lasagna and put it in the oven about 8:20, set the temperature for 400 degrees and FORGOT to turn the "ON" knob, soooooo needless to say the lasagna sat in the oven for 1 hour without being baked...........GOOD GRIEF where were my brains!!! So when I realized the lasagna was not baking, it was about 9:20pm. So about 10 minutes after 10pm we were eating lasagna............it sure was good, and well worth the wait or should I say weight....I think it was the new casserole dish that made it taste good.

Well, I guess this blog is getting a bit to long and no doubt you are getting bored with all my rambling. So I shall close for now. Hopefully I will get another blog in before the New Year. So you all take care and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wanted to wish all my blog friends a Very Merry Christmas.

Well, the busyness of shopping, making cards and sending them, decorating, making gifts and cookies, (still working on JP's Christmas present) is coming to a climax. Whew, so, so busy. Plus I was dealing with some kind of cold that put me down for a week. Still not feeling that well, but much better then I was.

Tonight for dinner I am making a little steak and shrimp, salad and crispy mashed red potatoes........sure do like this little recipe, here it is:

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

4 ~ 1 1/2 inch red potatoes
olive oil
salt and water
seasoning (your choice) or kosher salt and pepper

Scrub potatoes and in a pan big enough to hold the amount of potatoes you want, add water and some salt. Bring to boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until "fork tender" or until the fork meets little resistance.

Preheat oven to 450. Add olive oil to a nonstick baking pan with an edge. Use enough to have it "pool" a lit not just coat. Add the potatoes and "smash" to about 1/2 inch thick. I used a potato masher or fork.

Brush top with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and anything else you want.
Bake until brown and crisp. About 20-25 minutes. I like extra crispy, so I leave them in a little longer.

Takes about 1 hour to make but very worth the time.

Happy eating and enjoy tonight and tomorrow, Christmas Day. We are going to Jim and Arlene's house for ham dinner at noon. Probably spend a couple of hours with them. Then home and relax.....not sure when we will open gifts between JP and I, maybe when I get his present done????? Gosh, that could be next week.....hahahahaha

Well you all have a great Christmas and enjoy the season, it will go all to fast. Keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

BIG Storm "Briana" Coming Tonight and Hibiscus

Hi everyone, how is your day going this dreary day??? No funny pictures today........probably one of those days that we need a funny picture to brighten our spirits. Will have to look for a funny picture, do you have any ideas????

Well, the above picture was of a lovely pink hibiscus flower. I say "was" because I had used www.picmonkey to change the flower into a black and white photo album ready picture. Kind of cool, huh? The program is free to play with....which makes it my kind of program. The next picture you will find what the hibiscus looked like originally, down a paragraph.

OIE!!!!! The weatherman says 6-12 inches for the Fox Cities........well, as long as I don't have to drive in it.  Looked around for some pictures of snow, but could not find any. So, no pictures of snow today, maybe in a couple of days. Weatherman says this will be a big storm..........and guess what ????? our snow blower does not work. JP called Northside to have it picked up $35 and then to work on it, who knows what that might cost. Nothing like waiting to the last minute......procrastination!!!! Well, I guess we weren't the only ones waiting till the last minute to get our snowblowers fixed. Looked like there were 3 other blowers on the trailer also. Our neighbors are coming home today from their trip to Michigan..........soooooo he will be happy to know we are without our blower. Maybe the spirit of "kindness" will fall upon him and he will do our side of the driveway also. JP and John usually take turns doing the drive, as it is connected, so we will see what happens.....when "Briana" makes her appearance.

Pink Hibiscus flower.

Getting a lot of my Christmas planning done. Decorations finally all up, just have to light my Christmas Village. Was debating on whether to bring a box of figurines up, might still do that yet. Still working on JP's stock car racing album. It has been a real 'kick' and I'm enjoying doing it....brings back a lot of memories, that I kinda forgot. Hope JP likes the album. Want to make some pumpkin cookies and a cherry pie yet, the stuff is on the counter waiting to be prepped into what they are supposed to be. Cards are all out, except for one card........Biz, I am still waiting for your address!!!!! Otherwise, maybe I can just kick back and enjoy Christmas now, what there is of it to enjoy. 

Wonder if "Christmas 2012" will be the last Christmas as we know it..........like, what is ahead of us in 2013 with Obama getting a second term, will his agenda roll out into reality? If you saw the movie "2016" our future is not very bright.......and I have a foreboding of what will come of "America" in the next few years if Obama has HIS WAY!!!! Not a very pretty sight. Sad, how the agenda of one man can destroy the lives of many. (like the CT shootings of all those children) I wonder sometimes, where God is in all this, but, HE IS. Do you think that it may be possible that the people of America are getting exactly what they wanted, a dictator??? God allows things to happen for a reason, hopefully in the end it draws all men to HIM and what better time then now......At Christmas time!!! 

Well, I think I shall close this blog for today. Time to get JP off to work, he has been worrying all morning and afternoon about the storm, I keep telling him, there is NOTHING you can do to stop it so just relax!!! His worry sure does drive me crazy!!!!

You all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh! Jesus may be coming sooner then we think............of course if that "end of the world" Mayan prophecy comes true on the 21st............that would be Friday, but then NO ONE knows the time and day of HIS return. 

CHEERS ~ Louise

Pleassssssssssssse Can I Come In?????

I know, I know, another animal picture, but I like puppies and kitties, so what can I say. 

Well, today's agenda is to make some "pumpkin cookies" and get the rest of my Christmas cards out. Finally got my stepfather's Christmas present mailed yesterday, a $3 stuffed doggie and a box of homemade cookies. $9.50 to mail that box and he will get it by next Wednesday.......well at least it's arriving before Christmas this year....hahaha. Things to still accomplish, 1) finish decorating my little tree and 2) put up my mini village and figurines. It will get done this week-end, 3) then I can concentrate on making JP's "race-car" scrapbook. 4) Wrap presents.

Just heard on the news about the Conn. school shooting, 18 kindergartners and 8 adults. The shooter is dead, but a 2nd person is being questioned. A parents worse night-mare. A school is supposed to be a safe place......not anymore. Why in the world do these things happen??? More and more I am beginning to see, it's true, if a person does not have a faith and belief in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, these things WILL happen. When the Bible and prayer were taken out of the schools, that is when everything went down the tubes. When will people learn, "you cannot run from God, cause he will eventually catch you"!!!! No one is exempt from God and everyone needs HIM.

Well, it has been a week since we put our sweet dog Hyko down. I still miss him and have sudden crying jags every now and then. Hyko had so much personality and I miss those big brown eyes looking up at me, he sure had a will to live. Maybe in the spring, I will make a walking stone to mark his little grave, right now there is a big blue ornament and orange rose to mark his spot. My other dogs Anna, Poppy and Truffles had daffodils planted on their graves. I guess eventually, the walking stone will be for all our doggies. (sigh)

Well, time to close this blog for today, you all keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

PS I promise to be more up-beat and newsy in my next blog!!!

♥Wordless Wednesday♥

Doggies can be counted on...............

Keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.........Cheers~Louise

A Funny Picture Today

HaHaHaHa..........I needed a fun picture today and found this in my stored-up pictures saved on the "stick". Sooooo today is MONDAY!!!!! What have you got planed for today and for the rest of this week???? Fifteen days till Christmas and I still have lots to do.

Made some peppermint cookies last week and some cut out ginger and butter cookies yesterday. Today I need to decorate them. Will be putting a little box together for the step-father out in Las Vegas along with a stuffed doggie. Picked him up for $3 at the thrift store. Pops usually complains. "Don't send me money, don't send me crossword puzzles, don't send me candy".................maybe someday I will not send him anything, see how he likes that. Sometimes situations like this, can take the joy of giving out of Christmas.

Still have some cards to make and a few gifts to make. Still have JP's gift to make, his race car scrapbook. Hopefully I can get a few pages done, so he gets the idea of what it will look like, wrap it up and put it under our little tree.

We have been invited out for Christmas dinner, so that will be nice, don't have to cook Christmas day. The pastor and his wife treated JP and I to my birthday (Nov. 21st) dinner yesterday, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and carrots. There was enough for take-home and another meal, so I didn't have to cook yesterday either. AAHHH those little bonuses in life, aren't they grand?

Well, there is no sense stressing over Christmas, it is not worth it, if things get done, they get done, if not, there really is no one to impress, I still have our little tree to decorate and put up my Christmas village. So I guess in the next 15 days will be busy. Then comes January and TAXES!!! Uge, that is when I shall stress!!!! You all enjoy Christmas and have a great time but still keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

R.I.P. Dear Hyko ♥

Hyko standing on the word of God.

Fall time in the backyard.

Enjoying a summer day on the front porch.

Hyko and Kylie looking pretty, they both had their grooming session so they looked especially
nice for the camera.

So Hyko, I will miss you very much, you were a great little dog, a bolognese from Bolognia, Italy, a purebread, your papers said. We got you from the Animal Shelter in Appleton back in 2005. You seemed so lost and looking for your previous owner. We found out you were abused and not taken care of, your hair was all matted and you had to be completely shaved down.....you looked so funny. You had your own personality, a tough macho dog and nobody, or no other dog better cross your path and you were not afraid of big dogs either cause you gave them a piece of  your mind. Not much of a snuggler but you had your ways of letting us know what you wanted. You sneezed so much, Kylie started copying you....and we would say "God Bless You Hyko" You know what.....I think God did bless you and now you are running around in "Doggie Heaven........where ever that might be. Missing you very much and looking for you in this house and all the places you slept, in the bedroom on the old quilt, on your pillow, on the couch, the lazyboy, on my trampoline. Now you will be sleeping in the backyard, forever along with Truffles, Poppy and Anna.
Sleep well my little friend, see you again someday.

Glimpses of Thanksgiving, Birthday and Pizza

 Glimpses of Thanksgiving Dinner. Oh it was a wonderful meal!!! I talked about this wonderful meal we had on Thanksgiving, but did not post pictures to this blog. The turkey was so moist, with gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, cranberries, in the forefront you see the asparagus that was baked on the crescent rolls with lots of mozzarella  and pumpkin pie....a very good meal set for a KING!!!

Glimpses of my Birthday cake 6 candles = 66. Don't often make a cake for my birthday, but this year I did. A very moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting........what can I say, delicious!!!



A glimpse of "hash browns potato pizza" Now this was a great pizza!!
1 package of hash browns, oil pan well, even leaving extra oil on pan. Spread hash browns out evenly on pan and sprinkle a little oil on top of hash browns. Because you will want the hash browns to brown on the bottom at 400-450 degrees for 10 minutes.
Spread some pizza sauce or tomato sauce on baked hash browns.
spread, chopped onions, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and cheese....whatever your desire.
Bake till the cheese melts (vegetables are done) and you have a crispy bottom.
Not sure how I came upon this recipe but it sure is delicious!!!



Glimpses of my cards the votive, made this collage on a new site I found. www.picmonkey.com  Take a peek at the site, you might enjoy playing with it.

Etsy, oh Etsy why are you causing me so much grief???? Yes, it is true. Since Thursday, I have tried listing some Christmas cards and a pretty votive and cannot seem to list. I go through the motions, jumping through all those hoops, answering the questions, uploading the pictures, and writing the description..........which all takes time, then I go to "list preview" and NOTHING happens. I am really bummed, 9 times I have tried listing and to no avail. Emailed Etsy to let them know the problem. It seems it is not their problem but on my side. This is the 1st time in 5 years that I am having this problem. Have upgraded Internet Explorer and now have to upgrade Google Chrome. They told me I would have to find a new browser..............no............these are the only two I will do, not adding any other browsers like AOL, Foxfire, or whatever they are promoting. I find it hard to understand why other people are NOT complaining............very strange.

Well I guess I shall close this blog for today.......need to see about upgrading Google Chrome and try getting a few cards in my shop. Talk to you later and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Some Christmas Stuff

My Christmas Voltive. Using my Cuttlebug and snowflake die, this little Voltive was produced with etching cream. This is a very fun project that makes lots of great gifts. Will be putting this little candle in my Etsy store, the price ~ $7.00 + shipping and postage.



My Christmas cards. Decided to put 4 of these cards in my Etsy store, plus make enough to send out......as yet that has not been accomplished. But who knows........just need a few hours on NO interruptions. Selling these cards on Etsy for $2.75 or $11.00 for 4 cards plus shipping and postage. The background of this card is embossed clouds with  a sticker star.



Here is the same card but in red, the background is swiss dots with a gold star.

So there you have it, a few of the things that I have been working on. This will be a short blog for today.....as I am on the hunt for work pants for JP at the local thrift shops, found a nice pair yesterday at Goodwill, Levi Strauss black jeans for $13.00......hope that was a good price.....they should last him awhile.

Well, talk later, have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh!! Cheers ~ Louise

Time Out Today........Celebrate B-day ♥

Kylie my doggie encircled in pretty snowflakes, holly and corner scrolls. Heard about a new program  called www.picmonkey.com  You can play with your photos, add text and edit, add things (like I did above). Be going there more often to see what else I can do.

Today we celebrated my birthday going out to the "Outback" again. Steak again with aussi fries and asparagus. JP had a fried chicken steak and garlic potatoes/beans. We shared one of those blossom onions with that special sauce. MMMMM~good!! (not a whole lot of calories.....NOT!!!)

Bought a new coat at "Burlington Coat Factory". We have lived in the Fox Cities for 25 years and I have never been to that store.........amazing!!! Guess I will go back there again, kinda liked shopping there, they have everything!!!! Anyways my coat is a 'Calvin Klein" coat which of course was made in CHINA!!  It was a $120.00 coat and paid $60.00, it is black and the material is soft. I like this coat very much as it has snaps, no buttons and no zippers. I just did not want to fool with buttons and zippers. My old coat had buttons and lost them a couple of times. The lining needed to be redone and the coat cleaned. I was figuring it would cost $100 to have cleaned and lining fixed. So I shall wear my old coat around the house......looks like an old rag....but I still love it.

Still have not finished my Christmas cards, maybe in the next few days they will get done. Got my first Christmas card today.......nothing like being really early. Finally figured out what I will send my 87 year old stepfather. He doesn't want me to send $$$, he can't see to do cross word puzzles anymore, no sense sending him food or coffee, cause I don't know what he likes. He liked a little toy I sent him last year that could be wound up and it flipped backwards. He said he liked that. SO I thought today, I will send him a stuffed toy dog..........for the person you don't know what to send......send a stuffed toy ♥♥♥

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day at a friends house. Food was delicious and turkey out of this world. She cooked it in a nesco so it made the turkey VERY tender. I really need to get a turkey for JP and I, as we really like turkey sandwiches and casseroles. We sat around watching football. She got new front room furniture.....the recliner had a massage and heater.....was that ever comfy to lay in, could have fallen asleep several different times.

Well, time to close here. Want to go downstairs and ride my bike for a couple of miles and make a few more cards. So talk to you later and keep looking up for  your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

Bizzy Daze Ahead...............

Needing ALOT of coffee in the daze ahead, hahahaha!!!! Hope my little 1970's Melitta Coffee Maker can make it. Can you believe I still have this little coffee maker? It's a one cupper chugging along since the early 70's!!! Probably got it right around '71 or '72 before JP and I got married. I have seen a few Melitta Coffee makers on the Internet...and they were still in their original box. But they were asking $50 and $60 because they are considered an ANTIQUE...........CAN YOU IMAGINE!?!?! Thinking when this little machine conks out, gonna buy one of those Kering coffee makers, just a one cupper, cause I only drink about 2-3 cups of coffee a day......if I made a pot, then I would think I have to drink the whole pot. And that's where I would get into trouble..........don't want to have another bleeding ulcer drinking so much caffeinated coffee. Although decaffeinated shouldn't do as much harm and at just 2 cups per day.

I have been drinking Organic Roasted Dandelion Root tea lately. It promotes a healthy liver function. Since being pre-diabetic, my liver functions poorly. Since drinking this tea 3 times a day, have actually been feeling a little better and my side has not been aching as much and blood sugars are down a bit......so maybe this is a good thing. Jillian from the Biggest Loser said drinking Dandelion Root tea works as a diuretic also, my body seems to retain water which adds weight to the body............oh it is a losing battle at times and especially since I am turning 66 years old tomorrow.....Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Well, let's see, gonna make my birthday cake today.....carrot cake with cream cheese frosting....oh yes please!!!! Tomorrow (my birthday) doing nothing special, (just baking 3 pumpkin pies, coleslaw and cranberries for Thanksgiving at Sandi's). We won't be going out till Saturday, as JP has to work. So Saturday is my "birthday celebration and time out". Guess we will hit a few thrift stores, JP needs some pants and maybe I will find something for Louise. JP has his accordion on lay away at the Pawn Store, so maybe we will put some money down on that, so he can have it in time for Christmas......oh joy!!!!

I have a gift to make for someone today, and really need to get my Christmas cards made this week. Have a few more etched glass candle holders and vases to make. Plus work on JP's Christmas present...revamping his Stock Car Scrapbooks....now for some reason that could be a chore to me, so if I even get 3-4 pages done and wrap it up to give, then finish it after Christmas just might be the way to go, so I am not so rushed. Finally found some pictures that were missing, JP's first and second race cars that I wanted to add to the scrap book....so we shall see what I get done.

Well time to close this blog till after Thanksgiving....maybe I will blog again on Friday, so you all have a great day and enjoy Thanksgiving and don't forget to Give Thanks to God for all he has given you......that is what it is all about.............after all God has given us much to be thankful for. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and watch how God works there!!! Keep looking up for you never know when you redemption draws nigh!!!!
Cheers ~ Louise

Happy Birthday Louise

There's a cute shop on Etsy......and the lady makes clothes for her dog....this is the cute dog that models her handmade stuff above. Just could not resist, he looks like my dog Hyko and he is ready for a party!!!!

Well, this week on the 21st. (the day before Thanksgiving,) I turn 66 years old~~yikes!!!!!!
Where did all those years go......just like the bible says, we are vapors, like a puff of smoke and then it is all gone. When my mother was 66, I was only 46, thought that was pretty old then, but this is REALLY old. Now I suppose someone who is 76 or 86 would say to me......ah, you are still young.......BUT, I have never been this age as yet, so this is all new to me, guess this too will pass.

Soooooo, to celebrate, making myself a carrot cake. For thanksgiving we are going over to friends house. I am bringing the pumpkin pies, cranberries and coleslaw. So, I will be doing a little bit of cooking on my birthday, which will be okay. Not sure where we will go for my birthday dinner on Saturday. (Yes, I am celebrating all week) Would like to go to "The OutBack" again....we will see. They have a special on Saturdays, $10 Entrees from 11am to 4pm. Steak and french fries, salad and cheese cake would be a nice Birthday dinner for a 66 year old....lol!!!!

Well, time to close this blog for today, have quite a few things to accomplish and have not even tackled even one project as yet. Eventually I want to get downstairs and make a few craft gifts, and my Christmas cards that really need to be done by the end of this week. Oh my........so much to do and so very little time to do it.

You all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

So Missing My Flowers

Hi everyone.......thought I would post a little something tonight. Not much happening this weekend, which is fine with me. Life sure can get hectic at times, tis good to have a quiet weekend.

I forget what the name of this flower is.....thinking it comes from the onion family, it sure was lovely this summer. I am missing my flowers already and we are not even into the winter months yet. Not really ready for snow yet.

Was working on a few cards and an etched candle holder with snowflakes on it tonight...........thinking I will keep this one in my possession for awhile. Really should put one of my creations into my Etsy shop, this week perhaps. Need to make time to make some Christmas cards and get them out the first week of December. I don't have many gifts to make or buy so I can put all my time into scrapbooking. Sure do have alot of pictures to sort through, or maybe just throw them away......I don't know, not too many people would be interested in seeing them, except me.

Made an interesting little recipe this week end, I might just use it as a Christmas present.
Home made butterfingers...........gosh were they good and probably loaded with SUGAR!!!! All it is, was a bag of those candy corn pieces  melted in the micro, then I added peanut butter, microed, till soft and easy to work with, laid it in a pan to cool, sliced and covered with melted chocolate............wow really good and one piece isn't enough, I could see my blood sugars sky-rocket, so really one piece was enough for this old girl.

Well, I am going to close for now as it is getting late and I need to get some rest. Talk later and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.........Cheers ~ Louise

New Creations and the Elections

My newest addition to my creations. A frosted etched glass dish. Picked this dish up along with 8 other dishes at a rummage sale. My first thought was to break the dishes and turn them into stepping stones. (I still may do that with a few dishes next summer) For now, they will be.....maybe....large candle holders or a serving dish for _______, fill in the blank. The snowflake was made with my Cricut cutter, cut the snowflake on vinyl then put it on the plate. This particular dish had 3 coats of etching goop applied to it. It was a lot of fun to make and most likely will make a few more.

My second creation is this cute little candle holder with snowflakes on all four sides. The snowflake is from a die-cut which was run through my cuttlebug. The etching goop was applied and left on for 15 minutes then washed off with cold water. I have 3 more to make and probably will put one in my Etsy shop in the next few days. Will also make a few for Christmas gifts. Will have to sell the candle holder for at least $10, as the light and candle holder alone were priced at $4.50. Have not found a place cheaper as yet, but will be looking around.

Also on my agenda is putting together a scrapbook for JP's Christmas present. 40 years ago, when JP was still in stock-cars and racing, I put together 2 scrapbooks in 1972 and 1973. Those books are falling apart now, so I thought it would be fun to put one together. I am hoping to get at least 3-4 pages done (maybe more) before Christmas.......as I get them done I will post them here. Bought this big blue photo album and extra pages for the smaller pictures and actually found some racing stickers and 12x12 racing paper. Should be fun. So far I have about $40 into this project. Hope JP likes the album and doesn't ask me "how much did it cost?"

Still working on my Christmas cards, better get going on them SOON, cause Christmas is right around the corner and I have at least 25-30 personal cards to make and also put some into my Etsy shop. As you can see I am just a little busy, craft wise. There is always something cooking on the stove in my home.....hahahahahaha!

Well, the elections are FINALLY over. I think I am "politics saturated" and ready for some R & R (rest and recuperation) from politics, although I still like listening to Rush Limbough, Sean Hannity and Mark Levine. I had hoped that Mitt Romney would have gotten elected but that was not the will of God...........He is in control of everything and that includes these elections. I don't really understand what it is we are to learn from this, but whatever it is...."All things work together for those that love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Well you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption is drawing nigh......getting closer everyday♥
Cheers ~ Louise