2008 Holiday Favorites

This scent just sings Christmas to my family. We have the candles and diffusers.

I use the hand soap, dish soap and the counter spray. Makes cleaning a bit brighter.

Home Alone

I am home alone.

Folding a basket full of socks. Seriously, they multiply like rabbits. Or mice. Or whatever multiplies quickly.

Eating my new obsession.

Waffles.

Spread with Nutella.

And topped with sliced bananas.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Thirty-Five

Chosen One treated me to a wonderful weekend away. I needed it. Lots of things swirling in my head about being thirty-five.

I decided to list 35 things I like:

1. Dr. Pepper
2. loud music
3. chips, mostly any kind that crunch
4. to read
5. the color purple
6. and green
7. hugs
8. pens
9. fabric
10. books
11. freshly mowed grass
12. lemons
13. soft sheets
14. socks
15. sharp pencils
16. bright flowers
17. quilts that just come out of the dryer
18. artwork by my kids
19. necklaces
20. rocks
21. and stones
22. seashells
23. the beach
24. the sound of waves
25. the feel of sand
26. the sun on my face
27. sitting in lawn chairs
28. cold, cold water to drink
29. cooking pasta
30. making cookies
31. a freshly vaccuumed room
32. a clean sink, shiny like
33. a free hour
34. hearts
35. blank paper to doodle on

Happy Birthday to me!

Lyn

Enchilada Jackpot

I found a new friend! And since she provided me with the best cheese enchilada recipe that I have tasted I will be indebted to her for a long time.

Chosen One and I placed this wonderful creation in our mouths and our eyes met and well......the rest is dinner history. These are the BEST DANG cheese enchiladas this Texas girl has tasted.

Seriously, I wanted to run around the block and give everyone a taste. I called my mother and my sister! We all have a favorite place to get our cheese enchiladas but to be able to create them in your own home, so easily, anytime you want.........well, that is almost to much for a girl to ask for.

I used:
***chicken broth
***regular oregano
***2 cups shredded velvetta and 1 cup shredded cheddar
***and no onion

Go, go now and check out the recipe. Make them tomorrow night. Your family will love you!

Lyn

New favorites

Cashed in on some old books and just had to have these. Not to bad, turn in 15 take away 3.

The Wisdom of Forgiveness by The Dalai Lama and Victor Chan

Betty Crocker COOKBOOK

The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene

****************************************************************

From the last one I found a new favorite recipe.

Berry Smoothie

1 1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 6oz container french vanilla yogurt, I used Yoplait.

Mix in a blender and enjoy.

This will become a breakfast for me. YUM-O

****************************************************************

Dinner consisted of many new favs.

Beef Tips, one of the best sauces I have tasted.
Rice, this really was that easy.
Veggies, our produce has just not looked good so I checked out the freezer section.

Happy Weekend!

Lyn

Can't wait to be here again......

Days....flying by

Reading ~

Wicked by Gregory Maguire. A friend highly recommended it and I must say it has drawn me in. I was skeptical and leary but I have been surprised.

Good Poems for Hard Times by Garrison Keiller. Thank you.

Listening ~

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

Watching ~

Ladies in Lavendar can't remember where this recommendation came from......but it was someone in blogland.

Eating ~

Garden Salsa Sun Chips Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yummers!!!

Have a great weekend. And give your loved ones a big squeeze!!!

Lyn

Resurrection

One of my favorite songs lately is "Resurrection" by Nicol Sponberg.

I love her voice. I love the lyrics. I love the song.

When she sings ....

"What I've lost to the world what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again "

I can't help but cry. Every. Single. Time.

Lyn

Some Favorites

Some are regular favs, others are all NEW!

I have oily skin but my old tired legs of 34 years were looking a bit.... scale-e, to put in nicely. They needed some tender love and oil. I found this. Normally when I see the word "oil" on anything that is to go on my skin I run the other way but I decided to give it a try. It is wonderful!

As always, this lady gives me much to think about. Some things I have swimming in my head I just can't get them out on paper/computer screen. Others I have never thought of. I always find something of interest!

The Old Man Who Loved Cheese by Garrison Keillor. Plenty of giggles in the pictures and the text.

I showed you guys her wedding announcement. And I hope you have been going back. Always refreshing. She has become a fav of mine.

You must look at her etsy shop. You MUST!!!! I gave her as a Christmas present to a friend and really wish I would have kept it. Really, that is how selfish I am.

And of course....without this in the morning, I am not. worth. much. Fully leaded, on ice,love it with a straw. Tried to give it up for Lent. Failed. Have. to. have. it. For the safety of those around me.

What are some of your favorites?

Lyn

Blog Finds

I found this blog a bit ago and enjoy peeking in every once in awhile. This post made me happy. What a cute and FUN idea.

Love, love, love this place.

Well, this morning I woke up with dirty blonde hair and tonight I go to bed a more burnette with red highlights kind of gal. I love it. It is short. It is sassy and I have been told I look younger. I can deal with that.

Lyn

Exciting

I have GOT to lead you here. And you have GOT to listen to the song and watch the video!

Very cool!

Thems some cute little Canadians! And talented to boot! Congrats to the proud mama!

Lyn

My OWN Strength

To show me my own strength God sent me Chosen One with a new kind of Blue Bell! It is called Cake Batter. CAKE BATTER, I say! And it is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But you see I can't handle dairy without medicine and even with medicine sometimes ice cream still makes me sick. So I took a nibble. Just a nibble.

STRENGTH!!!!!!!!!

I prayed for it. Nobody to blame but myself.

Lyn

Cracked. Me. Up.

I am catching up on my blog reading. When I got to this story I had to get the box of kleenex, I laughed so hard. I love the way she writes and that she is not afraid to tell these tales.

Seriously. I was C.R.Y.I.N.G. I was laughing so hard just imagining the pictures in my mind as the story was unfolding.

Just imagining a child in a highchair saying "I see fire!" is enough to make me start laughing all over again.

Lyn

Positive Thoughts

"All the great blessings of my life are present in my thoughts
today." Phoebe Cary

Positive List for TODAY:

Having a FAB-U-LOUS outfit to wear today! And Chosen One making a wonderful comment about it.
Being greeted with much excitement at the new work place.
Having these waiting for me when I got home. Man, was I ever glad to slip into them! (a Christmas present from one of my favorite aunts that I wear Every. Single. Day.)
Easy and yummy dinner. Homemade pizza.

Lyn

200th Post

And for my 200th post I leave you with some of my family's favorite things in 2006!

From the fam:

Everest: Beyond the Limit on Discovery Channel

Iron Chef America on Food Network

Mancala

Story of the World

baked potatoes with steamed broccoli

Skippyjon Jones as talked about here

This animal!

From Me:

Broccoli Salad

Brothers and Sisters on ABC

Cottage Living ~ I love this mag!!

this hand cream

these earrings ~ they are the first ones I reach for when I go for earrings.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven as noted here. I still think of this book. And I have since seen the movie and was not disappointed. It still makes me think and wonder.

What are some of your favorites?

Lyn

Christmas Laughs

I either love Will Ferrell or hate Will Ferrell. Thankful in Elf I love Will Ferrell. It is one of the few things that can make me laugh at the moment!

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

"Francisco! That's fun to say! Francisco... Frannncisco... Franciscooo..."

"Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS! "

"I'm a cotton-headed ninny-muggins."

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

Today

This about sums up how I feel, 'cept my thighs aren't that toned!

This is one of my favorite sites. The photos submitted are breathtaking on most days. And then on other days it's like looking in a mirror. That is how this frog made me feel today. But he does look like he has a pretty good grip, so that makes me hopeful!

Lyn

Searching

The holiday season is upon me. No way to get around it. I used to enjoy the season and I think I still can, I just have to get my head straight. Family stress, financial stress, food stress, stress, stress, stress! That is what I see. Now isn't that sad? Really, pretty SAD!

Today I pulled my lazy bones out of bed early to take a short walk. My real motivation was that we were out of Dr. Pepper and I have to walk by little neighborhood store in the process of exercising so it made my "fix" more justifiable. I did wait until after I completed said 20 minute walk to purchase said fix! Come on, what do you take me for?

Anyway, during my walk I was searching. How can I get my "groove"(Beck knows she needs to get her groove on as well!) in the mood for the holidays? There is something more than this feeling I am feeling, isn't there? This is not they way the season is supposed to start out, is it? In my searching I know I am learning. I am learning the hard way because I am a slow learner. Very slow.......

Every moring I visit places like this and this. And, oh, this one too. So peaceful. So clear. So intent. So content! I am searching for a feeling like that. I know what I believe. At least I think I know what I believe, most of the time. I know this is His season. I know that. I know I want my children to know that. I want them to feel that. But my actions don't always, naturally, show that. And that is what I am searching to correct.

He is what I am searching for.

Lyn

Something fun.

As I sign off for a long weekend with the family I leave you with something that e recommended.

Looks fun. I signed up today. Phrase a week. Check it out.

Lyn

RIP Steve Irwin

It is a sad day in our house. Crocodile Hunter was a favorite around here. Wise One even dressed as him for Halloween when he was 3 year old.

“It's just great, ... You're fortunate in your life to be in a good enough
position to help someone.” Steve Irwin

Prayers being said for his wife and two children.

Lyn