We have a winner!

Sorry this is late. It's been a roller coaster of a day. My friend's daughter was found today, praise the Lord! But it was not a pretty situation. Things are a little better now, but there's a long way to go. I will try to do a post tomorrow on the situation.

I did pick a winner this evening. for my giveaway in the Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway! I did it the old-fashioned way!

I wrote down all the names of those who entered:



This I cut into strips, folded them, placed them in a basket, and mixed them up:



And then I drew a winner!


You can't see it, but it says Nikki Angels of heart!

Congratulations, Nikki!

I'll be participating in the fall Bloggy Giveaway! So check back then, if not sooner!

Dog Days of Summer Blog Giveaway

**UPDATED** My sister pointed out that I wasn't allowing non-bloggers to comment in order to be entered in this contest. So I have now changed that setting to allow anonymous comments, just for this contest. Sorry about that all you non-bloggers! You can now enter away!

I know this is late; just a lot going on with working, plus Vacation Bible School this week, and my best friend's 17-year-old daughter ran away from home early Saturday morning so she's now considered a missing person. Please pray for her safe return.




Anyway, I still want to participate in the Blog Giveaway. I'm giving away Creative Memories products! All you need to do to have a chance to win is leave a comment, making sure I can get in touch with you via email. You don't need to have a blog to win. And I will ship to U.S. and Canada residents.




Here's a picture of the prize:



It's two packs of paper, 12 sheets each. One is Textiles printed photo mounting paper and the other is Asian Miyabi printed photo mounting paper. Also included is a pack of Wheels and Whistles stickers.

Head over to Shannon's to enter all the giveaways!

I'll draw a name sometime Friday and announce the winner!

Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway

Shannon at Rocks is My Dryer is hosting this Bloggy Giveaway!

I'm participating! So I'll be giving away a Creative Memories product! Check back here on Monday to see what it is!

Weeeeeee!

Show and Tell Friday

I wanted to share a video of my middle nephew telling a knock-knock joke to my brother on his webcam, but Google doesn't recognize my blog. WHAT-EVER! Maybe I can get it uploaded for next Friday.

Speaking of my brother and Show and Tell, I took him into my first grade class for show and tell when he was a newborn! Well, I guess my mom brought him in for me to show and tell my class! He's six years younger than me, almost to the day. His birthday is December 18th and mine is the 20th!

Anyway, for this week's Show and Tell, I'm sharing my great-grandmother's sugar and creamer set. I took them out of the cupboard above my refrigerator to take the pictures, but now that they're out, I believe I will display them. I think they're so pretty and indicative of the 1900's.

Show and Tell Friday is hosted each Friday by Kelli!

WFMW - Decapping Strawberries

I got this tip from my mom and I tried it last night. It does work!

To decap your strawberries, use a straw!

Just insert it at the bottom center, push up, and it takes out the center of the strawberry (straw size) as well as the 'cap' of the strawberry.

Give it a try!

It's a post about food!

I took some pictures of some things I've made recently and thought I'd post them today.

For our Memorial Day Picnic, I made broccoli salad. I've been making this for a lot of years, and it's always a hit at picnics and there are never any leftovers. I tried to be like Barb and take pictures of the whole process, but I only took two pictures! LOL

Here's the recipe for the broccoli salad:

2 bunches of broccoli (clean and cut - I chop it up in my small food chopper)

1/2 an onion or a scallion onion, sliced and chopped

1 pound of bacon, fried and crumbled

1 bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix all together.

In a separate bowl, mix together:

1 C mayonnaise

1/2 C sugar

2 T vinegar

And then pour over the broccoli mix.

I made strawberry shortcake for our Fourth of July picnic:

On Thursday for my Stop, Shop, and Crop, Vickie brought Pillsbury cinnamon buns in the tube, so I made them for us. Oh my. They were yummy, especially with freshly brewed coffee.

A weekend for reminiscing

Instead of reading my Little House on the Prairie books this weekend, I've been cleaning out my boxes of mementos. Oh my word. I was a saver! My goal is to put pictures and any worthy mementos into Creative Memories albums.

Here are some of things I saved, mostly from high school: term papers; book reports; letters from boyfriends, classmates, and school and youth group friends; steno books from Shorthand classes; book covers made from grocery bags that I pasted my boyfriend's name all over; honor roll lists from when I made the honor roll; school newspapers from when I was the editor as a senior in high school; and the list goes on. I also found a bunch of newspaper and magazine articles I saved from when Diana and Prince Charles got married! I remember getting up early that day to watch their wedding.

So far, I've thrown away all the letters. I don't even keep in touch with any of those people but my best friend, Vickie. And I saved a few of the articles from the school newspapers.

This weekend, I also took apart one of those magnetic photo albums with the plastic pages. I was surprised the pictures came out so easily. I had a ton of pictures in that album - 1981-1985. I sorted those and the memorabilia I'm saving.

I still have some more sorting to do, but I'm looking forward to getting all this stuff in albums that are safe and that will last!

Saturday Snippets

1. I was up early this morning. I get up for work at 6 AM (let me rephrase that - my alarm goes off at 6 AM; I usually get out of bed by 6:30) so I like to sleep in on Saturdays when I'm able. Today, I didn't have anything planned until 11 AM, so I could sleep in. But, of course, I was awake around 5:30; I was able to go back to sleep and I got up at 6:55, threw on shorts and a t-shirt and headed outside to pull weeds. That's right - I was pulling weeds. At 7 AM. On a Saturday morning.

2. It took me about 40 minutes to pull weeds. Then I came in a made a pot of coffee, had a banana, and checked emails and caught up on some blog reading. Then it was time to shower and dress.

3. I ran a couple of errands before heading over to church to get ready for our Annual Food Drive for New Hope. I had 3 volunteers help me attach the grocery lists to the flat small U*Haul boxes we'll be distributing over the next two weeks.

4. Then I met mom at Cracker Barrel for lunch. She forgot where it was so while I was waiting for her - for a half an hour - I sat outside on the CB porch in one of these.

Oh. my. word. It was so comfortable. I'm thinking about asking Santa for one this year! It is so gorgeous outside today and there was a light breeze. It was great to just sit and relax. I also got a $30 purse for $11 at CB! I had the grilled chicken salad with grilled, marinated chicken tenderloin! Whenever I go to CB for lunch or dinner, I get the chicken tenderloin in one form or another. It's so delicious! If I have it for dinner, I get hashbrown casserole and greenbeans.

5. After a short nap, I had some Tostitos and dip for a snack and now I need to start laundry and some organizing. My desk is out of control! Then I plan to make some chicken wing dip. I have the cream cheese getting to room temperature.

I hope you're enjoying or have enjoyed your Saturday!

Show and Tell Friday

I've been reading Kelli's blog for a while and especially enjoy her Show and Tell Fridays. I also enjoy looking at the pictures she uses in her posts. This is my first Show and Tell Friday!

Earlier this week, I read Jeana's posts on her and her family's trip to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home in Missouri. I didn't know there was such a place! So now I want to go there! I think I will visit there next summer!

My grandmother, Mammaw, got me the set of 8 Little House on the Prairie books for Christmas 1978 (I left a comment on Jeana's blog that said it was Christmas 1979. Oops. I was wrong!). I was 13 and wanted to be Laura Ingalls. I had a Laura bonnet! I wish I still had it. Not that I'd wear it, but it'd just be nice to have it for the memories.

Now I'm inspired to re-read the Little House series and I plan to do so this weekend.

Here's my Show and Tell: The 8 Little House on the Prairie books:

I finally said "I do!"

I went to my county Courthouse earlier this week and said "I do!"

Of course, I was taking my notary oath!

Bahahaha!!

Random Catch Up

It's been a while since I've felt like doing a post. Just haven't been in the mood.

I do have a few things to share.

1. Happy 4th of July! Our nation is 231 years old today! Happy Birthday, America!

2. My brother was in the hospital over the weekend. He was very sick. He had his appendix removed on Saturday evening and didn't come home until Tuesday. Mom and dad are taking care of him as he recuperates. He still has a drainage tube; that comes out Friday. We're thankful he's doing better. He gave us quite a scare.

3. My brother-in-law fell in the shower on Saturday and has been on his back. He's coming along, but another slow process. And his youngest son, my cutie pie nephew, has pink eye!

4. I went to the grocery store today to pick up a few things. My total: $17.76. How cool is that on Independence Day?

5. My neighbors are having a party. And they are being loud. It could be a long night. I have never had any trouble with neighbors. This is a couple who moved in a few months ago and they are noisier than the couple with two kids who lived there previously!

6. I have some pictures to share. They're on my camera upstairs. I am too lazy to go up and get it. LOL I'll share them this weekend.

7. I went to mom and dad's today for a picnic. It was just them, my brother, and me. We had BBQ spare ribs, corn on the cob, cole slaw, grilled zucchini, and I made shortcakes and brought strawberries to go with mom's homemade ice cream. De-lish! And mom gave me leftovers!

8. Tomorrow is the 6th anniversary of my brother-in-law's death. I am so thankful he knew the Lord and is heaven, but it's hard on my sister and nephew. They're at Boy Scout camp this week, so I don't know if they'll commemorate tomorrow or not. They usually release some balloons.

9. Well, that's about all I can think of. I'll be back this weekend to share some pictures.