ooey gooey chocolate

I finally broke down yesterday and made this cake.  I have been craving chocolate and thought this would hit the spot with some Double Chocolate Ice Cream.  I originally found this recipe a few weeks back and kept forgetting to pick up cocoa at the grocery, (it’s called sometimers….. sometimes I remember things and sometimes I don’t).  Anyway, since I had everything I needed I decided to give a whirl.
Brandie@ A Country Cook posted a wonderful tutorial on how to make this cake here. It was/is sinfully delicious.  It was quite easy and something that I will be making again.  This recipe will go in the recipe file, can’t wait to make it for my kids when they come to visit.
Speaking of kids, my hubby gave me a airline ticket to go to Maryland to visit with them for Valentine’s Day.  Trying to make some final decisions on a date.  But I am so eager to go.  I love visiting and spending time with them, but can’t wait to get my hands on my precious grandson.

This picture was made when he was here Christmas.  My daughter and I Skype at least one a week so I  get to watch him grow via the computer.  On Monday while we were visiting he actually rolled over.  I keep reminding myself how much I am missing.  He turned 3 months earlier this month and he is growing like a weed.
Well today is a rainy, gloomy day, but I really need to get myself ready for the day.  I have several errands I need to do.  So wishing you a very blessed day.
 Blessings,
       Cindy

1 John 3:18“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Chicken Spaghetti..Mmm good…Recipe

 

I put a full day in yesterday.  To the point that last night I was so tired I dropped into bed.

 

Yesterday was spent catching up from my weekend, as well as exercising.  We purchased a new treadmill about a month ago and I have been trying to walk everyday.  So far so good.  Haven’t really had time to walk on the weekend due to commitments and not being home, but during the week I am faithful to walk at least 30 minutes and getting at least 1.5 miles in with a 3.5 incline.  I can tell you that my legs are sore, but I am not complaining.  My goal is to get in better shape.  Not necessarily to lose weight (which I would love to do) but to lose inches.  There is so much truth to when you get older weight just lingers on ya.  Anyhow, I measured myself last week and this week I will see if I have lost any inches.  Thinking now, I can tell a difference in my thighs, but it might be a while before I see any major differences. But my goal is to NOT GIVE UP.  Over the past several years I have seen a major change in my body and the effects of getting older. 

More recently I have also been having quite a bit of trouble with my knees and water retention.  Oh the joys!  Sometimes I think I need to do a complete overhaul.  So decided to take things one day at a time and try to implement on good habit at a time. 

We purchased a NordicTrack C900.  I love it and couldn’t be more happy with this purchase.   At the moment it is sitting in our living room (we are in a small duplex, another story for another time) where I can catch up on my recorded shows.  Makes the excising more palatable.

Plus on top of exercising I am also trying to eat a bit healthier but at this time, still am not very good with this because we have been eating out a lot.  THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.

Last night we were home so I made dinner.  A old favorite of ours.  Chicken Spaghetti….if you love spaghetti and get tired of the same old sauce, try this one.  It is heavenly and oh so easy to make.


Cindy’s Chicken Spaghetti

You’ll need:

 

chicken ( I normally use 2 chicken breast)
salt and pepper

bottled sauce ( I use whatever I have on hand)

8oz mozzarella cheese

parmesan cheese
Spaghetti noodles

Optional:

green peppers

onion
mushrooms
extra spices i.e.. Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, garlic powder, etc. 
  

To prepare:  I boil my chicken breast or microwave it so that it is done throughout.  Then cut into bit size pieces  and set aside.

Then I put my sauce and extra  optional ingredients in a bowl and mix together.  (Sometime I don’t add anything but the sauce, again it depends on what I have on hand)

After you complete that, get a casserole dish and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Put chicken in the bottom of the dish, salt and pepper ( I go heavy on the pepper)
Top with Mozz. cheese and parmesan cheese.
Next pour on the sauce and top with remainder of the cheese and lots more parmesan ( I don’t measure the parmesan I just sprinkle it really good.

Put in a 400 degree oven until the sauce is good and bubbly and cheese is  golden brown, about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven.

Make pasta noodles while sauce is in the oven.

To serve: Place spaghetti on your plate and top with with sauce.  (I usually add more cheese at this time to mine) 
Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Your family will love this, it is definitely a family favorite here at my house.

So, do you have a family favorite that you can share with me?

Psalm 112:5“Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Blessings,

Cindy

Ghostly nibbles

I am always on the lookout for some new idea and fun tip to make our holidays more special around here.  This is something that I have been doing for as long as I can remember.  When my kids were small they never really knew what to expect from me. 

Below are some great little spooktacular
nibbles for either a Halloween party or just for your family on Halloween Day.   




Yummy Mummy Cupcakes

Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes for this quick and haunting Halloween cupcake.
To make the cupcake, follow these steps:
1. Use a pastry bag with a basket-weave tip to pipe on white frosting.
2. Pipe on red frosting for the mummy's eyes.
3. Make two dots using black frosting for the pupils.



Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes

With such a simple design, these pumpkin cupcakes can be made quickly for any Halloween event on your calendar.
To make the cupcakes, follow these steps:
1. Frost cupcakes with orange frosting and dust with orange sprinkles.
2. Use a wooden skewer to draw pumpkin veins radiating from the center to the outer edge of the cupcakes.
3. Break large pretzel rods into small pieces and stick into the top of the cupcakes for stems.



Moldy Cheese Balls
These green cheese balls look past their prime, but their "mold" is just an herb coating that adds to the flavor. When plated with plastic spiders, they really achieve a gross-out appearance.



Jack-o'-Lantern Cheese Ball

Turn your favorite cheese ball into a total goofball by dressing it up as a playful pumpkin. Roll your prepared cheese ball in crushed nacho-cheese flavored snack chips. Place the cheese ball on a kale-lined platter. Cut a black olive into two triangle-shape pieces for the eyes and press into the cheese ball. Press three olive halves into the cheese ball to form the grin. (You may need to remove chips from these areas so the olives stick.) Place a dill pickle on top for a stem.




Scary Cerebrum
3 pounds frozen cooked medium shrimp (with tails), thawed and drained well
1/4
cup roasted red sweet peppers, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
1
cup chicken broth
1
teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 1/2
teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/4
cup lemon juice
3
tablespoons tomato paste
1
tablespoon honey
3
cloves garlic, minced

1/2
teaspoon salt

1/2
teaspoon ground ginger
1/4
teaspoon cayenne pepper

1.In a 1-1/2-quart glass bowl (3-inches high, 7 1/2-inches in diameter), begin arranging shrimp, tails toward the center, in a circle to make 1 flat layer in the bottom of the bowl. (Only the round backs of the shrimp should be visible from the outside of the bowl.) Repeat layers until bowl is full, pressing down every couple layers. As bowl fills up, tuck strips of the roasted red pepper in and around shrimp forming "blood vessels". (It helps to peer through the sides of glass bowl to adjust as necessary.) When bowl is full, press down firmly with a plate that fits inside the bowl. Set aside.


2.In a small saucepan combine chicken broth and unflavored gelatin; let stand 5 minutes. Cook and stir over medium heat until gelatin has dissolved. Whisk in lemon peel, lemon juice, tomato paste, honey, garlic, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper until combined. Pour mixture over shrimp in bowl. Cover and chill at least 5 hours or overnight.

3.To unmold, set bowl in a sink filled with warm water for several seconds. Invert a large plate with sides over bowl. Invert plate and bowl together and remove bowl to unmold. Cover and chill until needed (up to 24 hours). Makes 12 appetizer servings.




Mummy Dogs

Cook up some 'dogs for an all-wrapped-up take on finger foods. Refrigerated breadsticks do the legwork. Make the appetizer lighter with cocktail wieners and a pinch of the breadstick dough rather than a full breadstick.



Handy Pretzels

Give new meaning to the concept "finger food" with these Halloween appetizers. Large pretzel sticks resemble useful appendages when the ends are dipped in melted candy coating and topped with a sliced almond "fingernail."



Spooky Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

These luscious jumbo strawberries are then plunged in decadent dark chocolate and half-dipped in creamy orange-colored confection, some are hand-dipped in creamy confection then drizzled with orange-colored confection and dark chocolate and some are hand-dipped in creamy orange-colored confection then finished with a dark-chocolate jack-o-lantern face to give festive flair.

And if you haven’t checked out Sara’s goodies @ Our Best Bites for Halloween, your missin it!

Just some of her yumminess…..but lots more…..



Halloween Cookie Pops



Spider Web Dip



Monster Munch

Beth @ Hungry Happenings created this fun cake and the witch's hat appetizers.


Chocolate Spider Cake



Witch’s Hat Appetizer

You can find these as well as others @ I Share Fun Food .


If you need more ideas, check out more great recipes from Amy @ Living Locurto that she has compiled from around the web. She also offers you a free menu plan.
I really want to try to ALL these recipes.  Is there one here that you would like to try?

Hugs,


Cindy


Photo’s and recipes courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Romans 12:1“[A Living Sacrifice] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

A new recipe, tried and true

 

 

Last night I decided to try a new recipe, boy was it  yummy

.  It is called “ Crock Pot Santa Fe” .  I found this recipe while surfing the web a few weeks back and ran across this wonderful Recipe blog.  Gina @ Skinny Taste has some awesome recipes. She also offers info, such as:

Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

Below you will find a snapshot of the recipe she took.  (it’s much better than the one that I took)

Cooking in the crockpot….

And all served up.  (I didn’t have any scallions to top it with, but it was tasty all the same)

Serve this up on a bed of rice and top with cheese and your set.  Hubby really like this recipe so it is one I will definitely be making again. Easy (slow cooker meal)!

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice.

**Sorry the pictures are so blurry. 

Philippians 3:20“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Cindy

Simple Pleasures and Thankful Thursday

all rolled into one.  :)

Today I am joining Dayle @ A Collection of This and That for Simple Pleasure and Lynn @  Spiritually Unequal Marriage for Thankful Thursday. 

I have so much in this life to be thankful for and I give God the thanks on a daily basis. Even the small things.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Today my simple pleasure is really simple really.  Pumpkin Spice Latte…

When I see the signs go up at Starbucks or DD I know that fall has finally arrived.  It is the one thing during this season I afford myself the pleasure. 

I love curling up with my latte and thumbing through some old books or magazines or simply watching a wonderful old Classic movie.  Doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

You might ask why I am thankful for this little simple pleasure….well again for me, it is simple.  For the past several weeks, when my children have come through town on the way to my house, they have stopped off and picked one up for me.  Why, because they know it is a treat that I love.  And seeing their giving and generous hearts is always something to be thankful for.  Plus I am thankful that it is a wonderful time to create  special memories with them while we sip our drink of choice for this colorful and beautiful season. So what are your simple pleasure today, and what are you thankful for?  

God is so good!

Pumpkin Spice Latte
makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (I use canned pumpkin)
2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it - just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

Life is Good!

Romans 12:2“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Dough Riser decked out for the Autumn Season

Happy Tuesday ladies, wow, can’t believe I haven’t been here since  Friday, but I have been one busy woman.  Lots of things going on in my little house.  I have been spending my time creating a happy cozy harvest home for me and my family.  Oh the joy I have been having.  (I will post some more of my fall pictures soon)

Saturday and Sunday were spent with me putting out more decorations in my home, as well as sorting out some boxes that have been storage.  It was almost like Christmas for me.  I had forgotten just all that I had.

On Saturday evening, my children all gathered here for the night so that they could watch Football on Sunday, (we have the football package)  so they can see all their games and it was just a great time of family and fun.  Plus we had lots of yummy finger foods to snack on.  One thing I made that was a big hit was a Rueben Dip.  So yummy.

Rueben Dip Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
• 16 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry
• 8 ounces shredded corned beef
• 16 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and dressing.
3. Spread sauerkraut into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer corned beef, Swiss cheese, and the mayonnaise-dressing mixture on top of the sauerkraut.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Now, where was I…..

Yesterday was spent out with my daughter, she and I spent the day shopping and going out to lunch.  We had a wonderful time.  I really miss spending time with her, afterwards we came back to the house and just vegged and watch some TV together until it was time for her to leave. 

So today, I am playing catch up with my blog hopping and posts.  Lots of ideas twirling around in this head of mine, and I need to get them all wrote down and on paper, or in a post, before I lose them. 

Heading out for a bit to grab some spray paint, I have a few little projects that I need to work on and will be showing you later.  But first things first, BUY PAINT! 

But before I head out I wanted to share a wonderful dough riser all decked out for the harvest season.  Now, you don’t have to use a dough riser for this, actually any kind bowl would work if it were large enough, or maybe a wooden tray, really anything that would HOLD your “fillers”.

 

How easy would this be to do?  I love all the colors and textures found in this centerpiece. 

Fill the dough riser with small pumpkins, gourds, and candles, pinecones.  Then sprinkle it  with things found in nature, gather some leaves, acorns, a little moss, etc. feel free to be creative.

This would make a great  low centerpiece on a dining room table, entry table or sideboard.  It's  great for parties or get togethers because  it doesn’t block  views of your guest or the food.

And one of the best thing about it, is it shouldn’t be expensive.  Relatively cheap since most of things are free.  Try bringing the outdoors in.

Oh yeah, I wanted say thanks to all that have dropped me a note about my header, I am so glad you like it….however, I am working on something else that I would like to use, but at the moment I am kinda stuck…but if I get it all figured out, then I am hoping to have a different type of banner for you to see. 

Have a very blessed day today.  I hope to get around to visit with you all later today or tomorrow. 

2 Corinthians 13:14“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Summertime is here

and with that we tend to spend more time outside so with that  in mind, I thought I would share a little inspiration with you.

What better time to head to your local Diary Queen or other favorite ice cream spot, to have  a nice cold treat on a HOT summer day.

Sometimes my hubby and I like to take a walk in the evenings up to our little ice cream shack that is patronized by all the locals here.  It’s a great way to cool off as well as catch up with some of your neighbors. 

 

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.  ~Celia Thaxter

Now would be a great time to dust off that picnic basket and load it down with all kinds of goodies.  Maybe grab some books or a fishing pole.  Head off to the nearest lake, or meadow and just relish in the day.

You can’t have a picnic without food, so I have shared a few treats with you below.

"If a June night could talk,
it would probably boast it invented romance."
-  Bern Williams

Summer just wouldn’t be Summer without the “House Wine of the South”.  Ice Tea.  It’s always a favorite drink of mine, not only in the summer.  It is something I drink year round, but will tell you that it taste best on a HOT summer day when it is chilled with loads of ice and some lemon. 

Wine of the South-Sweet Iced Tea

Ingredients
3 Family size tea bags
2 Cups of cold water
1 Cup of sugar

Directions

I recommend Luzianne Tea Bags if available, if not Liptons is another great choice.

Place the two cups water in a pot and add the tea bags. Bring to a boil, do not continue boiling. Remove from heat and let steep. Pour warm tea into empty pitcher. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Fill remaining pitcher with cold water.

In summer, the song sings itself.  ~William Carlos Williams

And what about some fresh strawberry pie.  Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 (8 inch) pie shells, baked
• 2 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

Directions

1. In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.
3. Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Summer has set in with its usual severity.  ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Or some good ole Strawberry Shortcake!  Delicious!!!!

Biscuits
3 1/2 cups (14 7/8 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup dried buttermilk powder*
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter or margarine, or1/2 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup (8 ounces) milk*
Shortcake
2 quarts hulled strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup (8 ounces, 1/2 pint ) whipping cream

*Or substitute 1 cup buttermilk for the buttermilk powder and milk.

The Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Whisk together the dry ingredients, and cut in the cold butter, margarine or shortening. Whisk the vanilla and egg with the milk, then add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times, just until it holds together. Pat the dough out until it's about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick, and cut it into circles (using a sharp cutter for the highest rising biscuits). Place the biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet, brush the tops with milk or egg white for a shiny surface, sprinkle with sugar if desired, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 9 biscuits.
To Assemble Shortcake: Mash 2 cups of the strawberries. Slice the remaining strawberries, and mix all of the berries with the sugar and lemon juice. Let rest 1 hour. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Just before serving, split open the biscuits, spoon half the berries and whipped cream on the bottom half, top with remaining biscuit halves, and spoon on remaining berries and cream.

Summer time an' the livin' is easy, Fish are jumpin' an' the cotton is high. Oh, yo' daddy's rich, and yo' ma' is good-lookin', So hush, little baby, don' yo' cry.
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward

I hope you have a blessed day and weekend.  Get out and enjoy our beautiful summer weather.

It’s just been one of those day

to get lots accomplished, which is a good thing because I got NOTHING accomplished over the weekend.  The weather here was rainy and cold and perfect for doing nothing.  Granted it would have been perfect for getting some projects completed, but my heart and body weren’t in it. 

Although I did get through a mountain of magazines that has been sitting on my coffee   table for a few weeks, tagged and ready for me to clip and save my inspiration pages, etc…so might work on that this afternoon.  I got high hopes.  :)

Had time to share some of my Sunday with my son, he came over for awhile and he and I watched the SEC championship.  It was alot of fun watching it with him, but will confess that I sat   on pins and needles the whole game.  It was a nail biter.  Not sure how I managed to keep mine.  Here at our house we are gearing up for the NCAA playoffs.  Being a Kentucky girl, we are pulling for our WILDCATS!  Go big blue!!!!

Woke up this morning to another dreary day, but I had my handy dandy list made out and so I got right to work on taking care of business. Two major accomplishments for me this morning, I finalized the menu and venue for the rehearsal dinner for my son’s wedding.  Woo Hoo!  and I also got my menu’s made out for next week.   I have been saying for awhile I was going to get back into making a list, because we tend to eat better and I know when my feet hit the floor that day what I am going to be making for dinner.  So I scoured some of my favorite cooking sites and came up with some wonderful new recipes for us to try over the course of the next couple of weeks.  I also spent time organizing my portable office.  Portable office you ask, it is my Longaberger basket chock full of my lists for everything.  It carries my files  that consist of my shopping list, menus, cooking magazines, my spiritual binder that houses my prayer list, inspirational and motivational thoughts, as well house inspiration.  This little basket is overflowing but I love it, because I know where everything is that keeps my mind clear of clutter and thoughts.  I am in the process of reworking some of files.

I still have a pile sitting beside me of the things that I need to get too today, so instead of writing this, I should clipping my coupons.  So off to clip and save.  What are you doing today?  What makes your feel productive?

Blessings to all,

It's my Monday!

Wow what a weekend! I know it's Tuesday but today is my Monday! I took a extra day this weekend so that I could have a three day weekend. I wanted some much needed "Me" time. So yesterday I just spent at home accomplishing things on my to do list. I had numerous little decorating projects that had been calling for me to tackle but just finding the time to do them was unreal.

Anyway, let me backtrack. Friday when I got off from work, Michael and I went out to dinner with some friends and got AUCE Maryland crabs, king crab legs, and steamed shrimp. Can you say YUM! It was so good. We try to go there at least once a year and it was so worth it this time. We all enjoyed it so much. The evening was perfect as the temps have been somewhat cooler for this time of year. Outside it was a light sweater night. PERFECT!

On Saturday morning, we headed out to some yard sales, but really didn't find much. We eventually wondered over to a auction. What a auction it was for me. NOt that I got alot of great things, (although I did get a few things that were on my mental list of decorating helps!) :) But what I got was in great condition and old. The estate being sold off was from a 90 year old woman who passed away in February. She had oodles and oodles of stuff. I came home with one hugh box of cookbooks. Yes I know, I must be crazy, but these are so much fun. She has little notes wrote the margins, and tons of newspaper cutouts from years ago. In the collection as well was several scrapbooks of what our area looked like in the early 1900's. Amazing! Did I say a TON? These were pulled out of a pile of junk that Michael bought for $1.

What else can I tell you about.... I also got a 12 placesetting of Christmas dishes for $2. I think they are very pretty and I do like them, just not sure yet how I will use them because I tend to decorate a little more country than most. But might just have to decorate using them this year.

I took a picture off of all my goodies after we unloaded it into the garage, but haven't uploaded the pictures from the camera. Maybe I can do that tonight.

Sunday I spent at home basically playing catch up from the last week and the auction day. Saturday we also went to the grocery store but when I got home was to tired to put the stuff away, only the cold got taken care of....so I had all that to put away, cleaned out the fridge, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, washed new glassware from the auction, did laundry(washed, dryed, folded and put away), helped Michael in the yard with a new shed, and all those things that we have to stop for because we get sidetracked. I don't know if you ever do that, but I certainly do. I am constantly starting something just to get sidetracked and reminded whilst I am working on one thing that I need to do this or that and then I scoot along to something else, not completely finishing up what I started. :) For me it is best if I stick to list. I have a hard time staying focused when I am in the house working on decorating.

Yesterday was spent working on my little list of projects. I've had a increasing list of items that I have wanted to update with some black spray paint, so I finally got that taken care of. That was a a great feeling, and a load off my shoulders, I had also picked up some lovely little prints at a yard sale weeks ago, but HATED the frames they were in, so I painted them black and distressed them weeks ago, but never got them hung. Well I did yesterday too. Love them! Now I am thinking that I have several more old frames that I don't like the look of, that I most likely will paint too. I went through six cans of spray paint yesterday and still didn't have enough of the projects that I did. I need at least a few more. I have a metal lamp that I want to spray so that it matches the rest of the a lamps in my family room. So most likely I will be working on that this weekend. I will try to post some of finished projects soon. Believe me there are many.

Yesterday I decided to start a sourdough bread starter. The recipe I used for the starter was super easy. Michael loves sourdough bread so thought this would be a good way to keep in him the dough. :) Keep your fingers crossed it turns out.

Well ladies, I need to scoot, have a blessed Tuesday!
Hugs!