Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts

Thursday, March 8, 2012

10 Things I love about you...

I would like to dedicate the following "10 Things I Love About You" to my husband Kevin.  We just celebrated our 30th anniversary.  I thought that I had  always appreciated everything that Kevin  had done for me , but it wasn't until this year that I REALLY had a new perscpective on  his love and committment.  My health has been poor in the past year and Kevin has been there for me every step of the way.  He has stepped in "big time".  He has never complained about listening to my list of aches and pains. He has helped me get dressed when I need assistance.   He accompanied me to  every single Dr. appointment  (shoulder surgeon) from Jan 2011 until Oct. 2011. He entertained me with his recollection of funny Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Martin jokes.  I love you Kevin, and thank you for  walking alongside me during this  difficult period in my life.  The following is a list of 10 things that I love about you.  You rock!


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Taking Tea…..

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This is my tea maker……..
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This is my favorite tea.  I purchased this tea  in Victoria, British Columbia, at The Empress Hotel.  It is, by far, the best tea I’ve ever tasted.  My husband and I had “high tea” at The Empress.  It was definitely one of the highlights of  my life!
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This is a picture of my husband and I have tea at the Empress

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This container holds my other favorite tea- “Wild Alaskan Berry “. I purchased this tea while on our cruise to Alaska.  The tea came in a boring paper bag, so of course I had to “dress it up”.  I had this tin leftover  from another tea that I had.  I never throw anything away, so when it came time to find a special holder for my “Wild Alaskan Berry” tea, I got this tin out and “gussied it up a bit”.  I added a piece of jewelry to the top and added twine around the center.  Better than a paper bag in my opinion!  lol. 

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A Legacy of Love


 The top picture shown above is a picture of my mother, Linda Lipsey(Spence) and my father-in-law Lyle Ashford.  
 My mother Linda was born next door to the Ashford Family.  The Ashford family had 4 boys, one of which was my father-in-law Lyle. The bottom photo is myself and my husband Kevin. We will celebrate our 30th anniversary in Feb. What a family legacy!!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Good Afternoon!  I just wanted to share a little secret.........give up?......the best fruit tea "on the planet" is Ketchikan Alaska's Wild Huckleberry Tea. 

It is like nothing I have ever tasted.  I purchased it on our cruise to Alaska last year in, you guessed it, Ketchikan.   It has a flavor that is so fresh, fruity (if you like fruity teas) and wonderful.  If you can find it on the internet, I would highly recommend it.  :)

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Pillsbury Cupcookies Recipe

 Hi!  If you want an interesting recipe to try, try these Pillsbury Cupcookies!  They are downright delicious!! Instead of cake batter, you use cookie dough.  Instead of baking them in a regular cupcake tin, you use a mini-muffin tin.  You wrap the cookie dough around a cherry and cook it.  Frosting and sprinkles come next and then "voila" you have a delicious treat!!  Happy Sunday!!
Here's the recipe:
24 whole maraschino cherries,
well drained package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!® refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Red sugar.

DIRECTIONS



  • 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 mini muffins cups with paper or foil candy cups (about 1 1/4 inch). Pat maraschino cherries dry with paper towel. Flatten each cookie slightly. Place 1 cherry in middle of each flattened cookie. Shape dough around cherry to completely cover; shape dough-wrapped cherry into ball. Place dough balls into candy cups. 2 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes; remove candy cups from pans. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. 3 In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, melted butter, almond extract and enough milk for spreading consistency. Spread over cookies; sprinkle with red sugar. .

Friday, December 9, 2011

Happy Birthday To My Sister

SISTERS
Sisters are a gift from God.

Sisters are your friends.

Sisters stay right by your side

As life twists and turns and bends.



Sisters never let you down.

They always lend a hand.

Sisters are the best example,

Of footprints in the sand.



Sisters always love each other.

Their love never fades away.

Instead- God makes it grow

It grows stronger every day.



Sisters may disagree sometimes

But they always stay together.

No matter where your sister goes,

She's in your heart forever.

I want to dedicate this poem to my sister Kathy.  It is her 42nd birthday today.  I wish her lots of love, laughter and happiness on this day and always.  I love you Kath!!     Deb



















Thursday, December 8, 2011

Cats

My silly Cats!!!!  I want to put presents under our Christmas tree but my crazy cats spend all of their time there!!  The one pictured facing forward is Basil and the one behind him is Squishy.  I think that they like the soft tree skirt underneath the tree!!   Tomorrow is officially my "sewing day" (after visiting grandma).  I need to do a lot of sewing to get caught up on my Christmas gifts.  It was another beautiful day here in California after the fog burned off this morning.  It was a bit "chilly" for us Californians though- in the 30's.....lol....

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Fall in California

Hi!  Hope that your weekend is going well!!  The above picture was taken standing in my front yard.  I love the colors of the leaves on the trees in the Fall.  I hope that you have a wonderful Sunday!!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Treasured Heirlooms



Yesterday was a very special day for me!  I love old heirlooms AND  bibles, so I was SO excited when my husband came home from a visit to my mother-in-law's home  and brought back with him some old family bibles.  Inside of one of the old bibles (third picture from top) was an old Billy Graham tract, old obituaries taken from a local paper, an old flower, and my husband's birth announcement (second pic from top).  This bible was from Britain, the front page being dedicated to His Majesty, King James' Church of England. It belonged to my husband's Great Grandma (Nana).  My Mother-In-Law, Joan, also sent my son an old Music Book (copyright 1914) & my daughter an old  white bible from her Grandma . One of the little black bibles shown in picture #1  belonged to my Father-In-Law, Lyle, and has his baptismal  certificate located inside the back cover.  My passion in life is first and foremost my relationship with God and then my family.  So combining the two.... with the gift of  "family bibles" is an absolute ultimate treasure to me. Thank you Joan!!!!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Helpul tips

Hi!  Happy Friday!  I loveeeeeee Fridays!!   Today I have some great, helpful tips that my Mother-in-law gave me.  I hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Rub an insect bite with Vick’s VapoRub and it will instantly stop stinging or itching.”

Tar from the freshly paved roads stuck all over your new car's  paint job? Spray Shout on the tar and it will wipe clean immediately.”


“A Chattanooga fireman told me to use McCormick Vanilla Extract on a kitchen burn. I keep a bottle in the cabinet and whenever I burn myself frying or by accidentally touching a hot item, I apply the extract. I thought he was nuts until I tried it. I learned this hint over fifteen years ago, and I have not had a painful burn since then.”

“ Plain white Colgate Toothpaste gets water stains off antique furniture without harming the finish. It works like nothing else.”

“I use Cascade dishwasher detergent to soak out any stain from my clothes. Mix one-half cup of Cascade in a sink of very hot water, make sure it is completely dissolved before adding laundry. Soak overnight to remove ink, blood, grease, grass, mildew.”

Squeeze Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste on a dry, soft cloth and scrub off the gunky build-up on the bottom of your steam iron (when the iron is cool). Then wipe clean with a damp cloth.”

Squeeze Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste on a dry, soft cloth and scrub off the gunky build-up on the bottom of your steam iron (when the iron is cool). Then wipe clean with a damp cloth.”

“Forgot to check kids’ pockets and have gum all over inside of dryer? A dab of Jif Peanut Butter removes gum from inside clothes dryers.”

“To reduce the pain when plucking your eyebrows, dab on some liquid Orajel first to anesthetize your skin

“Did you know that you can clean your toilet with Efferdent tablets? Just drop two or three into the bowl and watch it clean that ring like never before.”

Thursday, October 20, 2011

KINDNESS!

The pictures above were brought to me by my parents today.  Isn't that sooooo kind?  They really lifted my spirits.  They brought them over to cheer me up because I have been in so much pain from the Fibromyalgia lately.   I barely make it out of bed in the morning.  I'm SO stiff, I feel like I'm 90 instead of 50! lol.... The pain in my chest and shoulders just throb all day with no relief.  But, I know that God is holding onto me and that's what gets me through each day!  Thank you mom and dad- you are SO sweet!!  They also gave me an amazing candle.  It smells just like the real thing, but is a battery-operated model with a timer.  It stays on 5 hours and then goes off automatically.  It has a flickering "flame" so it looks so real.  It will go on at the same time the next day and go off 5 hours later.  Cool huh?  I think so!  No craft projects today- not up to it. On the "up side" the weather here today is my all-time favorite!!  It is a clear blue-sky  day with a temp of about 72 degrees.  PERFECT!!  So excited about my grandma and brother Mike's birthday party tomorrow My grandma will be 97 and my brother will be 49.  What a celebration it will be!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

A legacy


The above video is from Nicole Nordeman and it features her song "Legacy".  This song has really got me thinking about a woman named Staci.  Staci  has fought a valiant and courageous battle with stomach cancer and she is in the final days/weeks of her beautiful life. She has a wonderful husband and two beautiful girls.  She will leave behind a beautiful legacy for them.  Everyone who meets her comes away a better person because that is just how she is.  Please keep Staci,  her family, and her friends in prayer during these special and challenging days ahead.  This has made me think of 'my' legacy and I hope that I leave behind one as precious as Staci......

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sunday

Good Afternoon!  Today I opened the last of my 7 presents from the Joy Box that the wonderful ladies at my church gave me last Sunday.  The first day I opened a candle (pictured) that looks like a jar of parmesan cheese, even has the holes in the top just like a regular cheese dispenser.  The second day I opened a box, not just any box, but a "willow tree" wooden box with an engraving inside which says "An embrace of comfort and love".  The lady on the front is cuddling a cat, of which I have two that I love.  The third day I received a metal "springy  lady".  It is so cute and she hangs from a spring so that she moves all around when you hang her up.  The fourth day I received an awesome organizer with a magnetic opening which is just what I needed.  The Fifth day I received a pretty mug with the words "faith" inscribed on the front.  The sixth day I received a great book on trusting God in difficult times.  Today, was such a huge shock....I opened a very large box to find a beautiful, and very soft hand-made blanket.  I was so touched.  It will provide a lot of comfort on those painful days. What a blessing this week has been, opening up a gift everyday and a card everyday that said just the right thing for that particular day.  Thank you ladies of the "Joy Box" ministry!!  You are such a blessing!!! Have a great Sunday! 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

This is how I feel today......I will do as the chalkboard says and I will cast all my cares on Him.  Welcome to Fall! Fall is my favorite season of the year!!    I love the cool, crisp air and the beautiful trees declaring God's splendor.  I love baking apple and pumpkin breads.  I especially love filling my home with light from lots of candles and the scent of cinnnamon. I have to say "Happy Birthday" to Cindy from "My Romantic Home" !!  Happy Saturday

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Hi everybody.  There is a new giveaway over at Coastal Charm. The prize is a canvas printed with your choice of picture.  Check it out. : http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

ENJOY WHAT'S ON THE MENU

     I read a devotional passage this morning from Charles Stanley.  It really touched my heart.  It went like this: "Jim saved for a long time to take an Alaskan cruise.  At last he was on board with two carefully packed suitcases.  The first evening, when he heard "dinner is served" announced over the loudspeaker, he took the peanut butter crackers from his suitcase and sat at the table in his small cabin.  Everyday at mealtime, he repeated the ritual.  It wasn't that Jim didn't like the ship's tasty banquets.  He simply didn't know that his meals were included in the price of the ticket.  For two weeks he enjoyed beautiful scenery off the decks but ate dry, stale food in his cabin.
     This sad story is a metaphor for how some believers live the Christian life.  God has promised to meet every need of His children-His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Eph. 1:18) yet many folks are trying to live out of their own resources.  They don't know that the wealth of God's love, power and provision is on their menu.
    A believer's relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity.  Jesus is our life.  His Spirit lives through us.  Therefore, everything that is available to Him is also available to the brothers and sisters in Christ- all power, strength, and endurance, as well as whatever is required to fulfill physical and emotional needs."
     Jim didn't know he had the right to satisfy his hunger in an extravagant way."

Have a blessed day. In view of todays reading, enjoy the above  picture, taken on our cruise to Alaska this summer.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Great Weekend


Hi everybody, I hope that your weekend has been a good one!!   The weather here  has been spectacular this weekend.  I feel Fall in the air.  I spent hours last night pouring through all of my "Fall" boxes out in the garage.  I decorated our home and had tons of fun doing it.  We went to a fun Grand Opening celebration for a new local store that just opened yesterday. The name of the new store is "Magpie"and  they are "Shabby French". I just loved their decor. Tonight our family is having dinner with my parents.  Can't wait....Have a great Sunday!!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Alaska Cruise


Greetings!  I took a bit of a break from blogging, but I'm back.  School got really busy in April and May, with all of the end of the year parties that a Kindergarten class holds.  We enjoyed everything from  "muffins with mom" to "donuts with dad" to "end of the year carnivals" and much more. Then school was over and I jumped right into working Summer Day Camp.  Then came the day in July that we left on our wonderful cruise to Alaska.  My parents treated all of our family to a cruise to Alaska to celebrate their 50th Anniversary.  There were 14 of us!  It was a trip of a lifetime and we could not have enjoyed it any more than we did.  Thanks mom and dad!!  We cruised on the best ship at sea-Norweigan Cruise Line's "The Pearl."  It was amazing.  I am a cruise-fan for life now!  I can't wait to go on another one!!  School starts for me next week.  The kids are not the only ones that get "butterflies" in their stomachs when school time comes around.  We do too! 

Sunday, April 4, 2010



Happy Easter!!

Today is a wonderful day of celebration.  We will be going to church and then over to my brother and sister-in-laws for lunch afterward.  We will try to get in an easter egg hunt for my niece and nephew as well.  My kids work retail, but one of them was able to get the day off to go to church and lunch with us. I am really excited.  I hope that you have a wonderful day. 

Monday, March 29, 2010

Hey There!  It's been awhile since I've blogged.  I've missed it!!  We are still missing my Father-In-Law very much! Everyday finds us trying to squeeze the enjoyment out of it, because we've been reminded again of just how precious and fragile life really is.  Death has a way of doing that.... Everything is growing here and allergy season is upon all of us in my household!    My parents surprise 50th Wedding Anniversary party went very well last weekend. ( see above picture of my parents)  We had a lot of fun and my parents were very surprised.  The Italian restaurant that we held the event at was fantastic.  The food was delicious.  Speaking of delicious....my son just made spaghetti for the family (with garlic bread).  He is an amazing cook in the kitchen.  And I just sat at my computer while he did it.  Awesome!!  So excited about Easter this coming Sunday.  My kids ( I mean young adults) will make time in their work schedules to make it to church.  That makes me very happy.   I will have 5 days off in a row for Easter break and I am very excited about it.  My husband says that we will head to the ocean for one of the days and that makes this girl smile....