May
2014

Last Minute Gifts for Mom!

categories: Mother's Day

Last Minute Gifts for Mother's Day

  • Bath and Body Works has some wonderful pump hand soaps that are inexpensive. Right now they are 5 for $18. They have such a large variety of new scents.  Lemon, Melon, Sweet Tangerine, Strawberry, and Peaches.  The foaming type is really good.  This is a useful gift and every Mom loves things that smell good. Slip the soaps in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon.  In the photo above, you can see that I printed out quotes about moms and attached to each bag for an extra little touch.
  • Frame a photo for Mom. Below is one of our family members with her Mom taken last week.  Wrap in a gift box with bright tissue paper and add a sweet ribbon.
  • Last Minute Gifts for Mother's Day After 40 most of us need to start using “readers”, so why not buy Mom a few pair so she can have a pair to grab in every room.  If you wear “readers” you know how much she would love this, especially if she sews, reads, or crafts.  Michael’s Crafts has really crazy cute patterns, for only $2.99 a pair.  Again, put in a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon!

Last Minute Gifts for Mother's DayHope you can use these last minute inexpensive ideas.

Just an added note, don’t forget to appreciate all the single moms out there.  What a very hard job they have raising children alone.  How do they do it?  These special women do not get enough credit for all that they do!

Getting up, dressing for work, trying to look your best, and then getting the kids up, dressing them, feeding them, packing lunches, and driving them to school or day care, and still getting to work on time.

If you have a single mom friend, give them a small gift, let them know they are appreciated.

God Bless all of them on Mother’s Day!

 


May
2014

The Forgotten Mother!

categories: Mother's Day, Random Thoughts

Many thoughts on being a mother this week.

When you become a mother you want to always protect your children from the troubles, hurts, and heartaches in life, even when they are grown.

During Easter season I watched “Passion of Christ’, the graphic movie on the killing of Jesus.

I am sharing this scene with all mothers.  It is heartbreaking.

Our children grow up and leave us to start their own lives but as all mothers know, they will always be our little ones.

Mary holding Jesus, and comforting Him as a child when he falls down, is so precious!

 


May
2014

“Brothers and Sisters Day”

categories: Random Thoughts

Today, May 2nd, is “Brothers and Sisters Day”.

I want to share mine with you today.  How I love them!

This is my baby brother, Denny!

My baby brother!Denny was my playmate and my companion when we were young children.  We played together for hours.  I loved paper dolls and he would let me place them in his toy cars and he would drive them all around the bedroom for me.

Always so sweet and so good.

Denny now lives in New York City, and years go by when we do not see each other.

I am very sad for that.

My older sister Yvonne!

Me with my sisterIn our jeans.

Yvonne loved to be out playing ball with all the boys!  We were quite opposites in the early years, I was the “prissy” one as you can see above. I so loved purses.

Were those our “designer” jeans?

When looking for photos of us together, in almost every photo Yvonne is holding my hand. She does that now!  She is my best friend in my older life.  Now that our mother has passed, Yvonne is the one I call when life is not so good.

She has so many friends, because she is loyal and loving to everyone.

      If you have a brother or sister, tell them you love them today, forget the petty things of the past.  Forgive and forget, renew your relationship with them.

Life really is too short!

Yvonne and Denny, I love you both so much!

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.

– Clara Ortega


May
2014

Treating Mom With Special Touches!

categories: Mother's Day, Random Thoughts

Mother’s Day is next Sunday, May 11th.

I found an old Country Home magazine from 2001. There was a small article on making Mother’s Day dinner special for your Mom with some simple touches.  Below are ideas from the article and a couple of my favorites added.  Although the article is 13 years old the ideas are ageless.

  • Place Mom’s favorite flower in a small bottle or vase, a vintage one would be a really nice look.  Tie a place card around it, and use it to mark her seat at the table.  I used ribbon as you can see below, but raffia would also work. I love this sweet idea!Mother's Day Table Setting idea!
  • Serve up a menu that reflects Mom’s favorites, or the family’s homemade specialties.
  • Set a pretty table using Mom’s favorite colors for the dishes, tablecloth, or napkins.
  • Before the meal, ask each sibling to write a memory of Mom on the back of a place card.  Present them to her after the meal, or during dessert and coffee.
  • Make copies of some old photos with Mom, at different ages in your life, your siblings, or grand children. The memories will be heart warming for her, and for you!  Tie with a ribbon for a sweet, pretty touch.

Hope you can use some of these special touches for your Mother’s Day dinner.

Spend time with your Mother, make memories, hug her lots, because time passes so fast!

I miss my Mother and think of her often during my busy days!


Apr
2014

Soft Pretzel Dip!

categories: Simple Recipes

Any recipe that I post will be a simple, easy one!

This is a dip I make whenever my family gathers, served with soft pretzel slices.

Soft Pretzel DipI should have posted this on the 26th, which was National Pretzel Day.

Only two ingredients for the dip plus the sliced soft pretzels.  My local bakery sells pretzel sticks that they will slice into pieces for dips as shown above.

Soft Pretzel Dip Ingredients

The two ingredients:

– a jar of Kraft Old English cheese spread

– a tub of onion and chive cream cheese

That’s it!

Mix together and chill before serving.

It will be a hit with everyone.  Yummy! Yummy!

Enjoy!


Apr
2014

Lime Green Sneakers!

categories: Random Thoughts

Raining and storms today, so I decided to go to my “things to do” list.

I selected a quick ‘to do”, sorting out my tub of old shoes.

Came across my old Tommy Hilfiger lime green sneakers.  At first I threw them in the “donate” pile, but ……….the more I looked at them, I remembered how much I loved them, and still do!

Lime Green Sneakers!Can a 67 year old woman wear lime green sneakers?

Yes, I can, and I will!

If you have a pair of “lime green sneakers”, get them out, put them on, and enjoy life!

Oh!  This reminds me of a sweet book I read some years ago.

“When I Am An

Old Woman

I Shall Wear Purple”

edited by Sandra Haldeman Martz.

It is a tender, loving, and caring collection of poems and short stories about women growing old.  Read it if you can, it will make you laugh and cry.


Apr
2014

My Old Hymnal!

categories: Random Thoughts

Browsing in antique and old collectible shops is a special treat for me.

Can’t afford to buy a wonderful antique chest or table, but I get such joy finding less expensive items; an old watering can, a tin crayon box, old vintage buttons, and old books.  I love old books, especially children’s books.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOn one of my browsing trips I found a church hymnal, old and worn, with many pages falling out. It cost two dollars.  I bought it because one of the pages that fell out was the old hymn “Jesus Loves Me”.

When my now grown, awesome son, was small I rocked him and sang this song to him.  If he was sick, hurt, sad, or sometimes just tired, this song was magic to him.  Many times he would look up at me and say “sing Jesus Loves Me”.

I love the memory of this song so much that I decided to take the old page and frame it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI love the way it turned out. Using a black double mat brought out the discoloration of the page that age brings.

It is hanging on a wall that I pass many times during the day. What joy I receive from the memory it brings to me!

With Mother’s Day in two weeks, this is a gift to myself.

I thank God for letting me be a mother!

 


Apr
2014

Time For a New Spring Wreath!

categories: Uncategorized

Although it is raining this morning, we have had a week of beautiful spring weather here in Ohio.

I started digging out all my outdoor items, cushions for my porch chairs, pots, a wind chime given to me from a dear friend at Christmas, and also my spring wreath for the front door.  Unfortunately, my last year’s wreath was in pretty bad shape, a little crushed from being stored all winter, and missing flowers.

Now that I am no longer working, money is tight! I need to live within my budget, so just running out and buying a beautiful new wreath was not an option.  Even using a coupon, or finding a sale, spending $25 is the going price.   So I looked at my “stash” of old grapevine wreaths in the garage and decided I could come up with something I could afford.

This is it!  I really love it, simple, lovely, and sweet.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I took a plain grapevine wreath, and somewhat pulled it apart, so it was loose with lots of “twiggy” pieces sticking out.

Went to Micheal’s Crafts and bought a bunch of dogwood flowers on sale for 50% off, which came to $4.00.  I cut the stems off from the main piece, so I had individual stem pieces to work with, and then secured them around the grapevine.  That was it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAYou can place the flowers all around the wreath as I did in the top photo, or only on half of the wreath as shown above.  You could add a ribbon but I like the simple “twiggy” look.

I love wreaths, especially on the front door, it is a way of saying “welcome”.  Hope this gives you an inexpensive way to add “welcome” to your front door.

Happy Spring!

 


Apr
2014

Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche

categories: Simple Recipes

This recipe was featured on one of our local radio talk stations last Saturday.  It was mentioned as a way of using leftover Easter ham.

I tried it and served with fresh fruit and some awesome muffins.  It is quick, easy, simple to make, and so yummy!  I made it for a light dinner, but It would be good to serve for brunch.  Especially with Mother’s Day in two weeks.

Quiche Hot from Oven

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 cups cubed Ham

1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1/2 cup Bisquick mix

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the onion for 3 minutes.

2. Stir in the ham and parsley.

3. Spoon into a buttered 9 or 10 inch pie pan.

4. Sprinkle over the cheese.

5. In a blender, blend the eggs, half and half, Bisquick mix, salt and pepper until well-mixed.

6. Pour into the pan.

7. Bake in 375 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Let cool a few minutes and cut into wedges.

I am sure you could try with your own favorite veggies, like spinach or mushrooms!

Enjoy!