Mississippi Songbird

Mississippi Hometown Cookbook, Now available !

2011-05-05T13:51:00.005-05:00

Well, I have great news. They have put 9 of my recipes in the new " Mississippi Hometown Cookbook". It's now available, hot off the presses at local stores all around . I hope you get your copy today. My nine recipes that are a part of the collection are : Mississippi Mud Cookies, Cinnamon & Spice Cookies, Tea Cakes, Creamy Potato Cheese soup, Momma's Mississippi Cornbread Salad, Cock of the Walk fried catfish, Easy Coconut Cake, Fried apple Pies and my Favorite Chocolate pie.. YUMMY!

In the Cookbook.....

We’re dishing up a double-helping of local, tried and true recipes and fun-filled facts about hometowns all over The Magnolia State. From the down-home taste of Central Mississippi to the Delta's classic country cooking to full-flavored spicy seafood on the coast, Mississippi is proud of it’s made-from-scratch style. This outstanding new cookbook is packed with favorite recipes Mississippi hometown cooks learned to make in grandmother’s kitchen.
Experience Mississippi’s all-time favorite recipes… from Finger Lickin’ Barbecued Ribs, Mississippi Must Fried Corn, Mama's Southern-Style Chicken 'n Dumplings, and Creamy Banana Pudding to Butter Pecan Cake, Mississippi Blues Fried Okra, and Southern Soul Mustard Greens. From Mississippi Mud Pie to Biloxi Bay Potato Salad... You'll taste our Southern Hospitality in 300 hand-selected recipes.

I am so proud to have these recipes in this cookbook. They are from My Momma's recipe book. She would be so happy if she were here. I know she is smiling in heaven..

Get your copy today.

Have a wonderul weekend and Happy Mother's Day!

Bunches of hugs...

Our Big 10" Snow

2011-01-21T15:13:00.002-06:00

We did it. We got 10" of snow last week and the school was out that whole week. I don't know if they will get a spring break or not. We'll see. It's snowed again last night but not as much. Here are some photos for you to enjoy..lol

Have a wonderful weekend..

Bunches of hugs..

Hard Rock Cafe / A New Tradition!

2010-12-29T23:15:00.005-06:00

Kristen playing the drums on stage at The Hard Rock Cafe/ Memphis, Tn
Kristen enjoying a non-alcoholic martini

The Boogie Cafe/ Downtown memphis

Kristen on Stage at the hard Rock Cafe/ Memphis
Kristen and Jonah on Stage at The Hard Rock Cafe / Memphis Tn 12/23/10
The horse and carriage that we rode downtown memphis
Me
Kristen and Justin Timberlakes jacket..lol

The Hard Rock Cafe/Memphis Guitar

The Peabody hotel lobby Christmas Tree/ Memphis

I hope all of you had a Blessed holiday season .
The kids and I decided to make a memory and start a tradition. So.. We went to Memphis and ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.. We also saw the Peabody ducks and walked down Beale street. We took a ride in the horse and carriage while we were there. Here are a few pictures from our day on 12/23/10.
I want to wish all of you a happy New Year now..

Bunches of hugs...

Rest in Peace, Darrell Wade Jackson

2010-11-26T09:29:00.004-06:00

On 11/16/10, My husband Darrell passed away. He had a heart attack while he was sleeping in his big truck in Monroe,Georgia. It took them several days to get him back home, but we got him home and he is at rest in Falkner Cemetary, about 2 miles from our home. These past couple of weeks have been like an awful nightmare for me and the children. It's so hard to believe. I had talked to him at noon on that day. He had been sick with a cold or something , and told me he was going to lay down and rest and wait for them to unload his truck.

We had his funeral on 11/20/10. It was a beautiful sunny day. I'm so glad that it wasn't raining.

I'm in slow motion these days. Please keep me and my children in your prayers. Keep Darrell's grown children and family in your prayers too. Darrell has 8 grandchildren. He adored them all..

I'm going to try to post a couple of pictures.

Keep your loved ones close and tell them you love them.

Bunches of hugs,

Stephanie

Getting ready for the Holidays

2010-11-09T12:25:00.003-06:00

We are slowly coming up on the holidays. I am looking forward to a couple of days off of work and I know the kids are ready to be out of school for a week. It's been gorgeous weather here lately. I hope all is well. Darrell was off a few days and we did some Fall cleaning around the house..I'm trying to fight a cold that has been on me for a couple of weeks.

We got a gift certificate for a Honeybaked Ham company turkey breast, so I am planning on going to Tupelo before Thanksgiving to redeem that. I'm sure it will be good.

I am so ready to Christmas Shop. Aren't you?

Bunches of hugs!

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

2010-09-21T20:12:00.005-05:00

I'm making Peach Cobbler!
I've wanted some for weeks. Here is a good recipe.
It's pretty simple.

PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place butter or margarine in an 8X8 glass baking dish. Place dish in oven until butter is melted.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and sugar. Mix well, then stir in milk. Spoon mixture into baking dish, on top of melted butter or margarine. Pour peaches over flour mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until peaches are bubbly and crust is lightly browned.

It's still hot here in Mississippi. It's been some long hot summer. I think the first day of fall is one day this week, if i remember right.

Maybe we will get a cool spell. I hope so.

Have a great evening and I'll check in with you..

Bunches of hugs,

Stephanie

My Summer Vacation

2010-08-03T20:41:00.005-05:00

Well, the kids and I got back from Texas on Saturday night. We had a wonderful week.
We went to visit my Aunt Dena in Bacliff, Texas. She lives by the bay. it was a beautiful area.
it has been built back from Hurricane Ike in 2008.
On Sunday, We visited with my Aunt and her husband, Feltonio.. My cousin Joe Michael and his wife , Tammy live right next door. My Aunt Marylou and Uncle Jerry came over.My cousin, Fred,his daughter Andrea, and his girlfriend, Monica were there too. It was a sunny beautiful day.

On Monday, it started to rain. It rained on and off for the next 3 days, so Monday, The kids and I went to "Main Event" and played Putt Putt Golf , Bowling and laser tag all day..

Tuesday, We went to the Kemah Boardwalk, Went in the Aquarium there, then we rode to Galveston Island and went to the SEAWALL to get our feet wet in the Gulf. The water was clear. We were thankful for that..

Wednesday, Since it was still raining on and off, we went back to Main Event.. Then
Thursday was my aunt Dena's birthday, so We all went to the Bolivar Ferry in Galveston. We saw the dolphins jumping beside the boat. It was so neat.. It was a beautiful day...

Friday, The kids and I went to Stewart Beach.. The water was clear there too. It was crowded but we had fun....Then Friday night, Joe Michael and his wife, Tammy took us all out to eat at the La Brisa Mexican Restaurant. The staff there sang "Happy Birthday" to my Aunt while she wore a sombrero...lol.. It was fun..

Saturday, We got up and hit the road back to Mississippi. On the way home, we stopped and the "Bass Pro Shop In Louisiana.... We looked around there and shopped a little. What a neat place.

All in all, it was a wonderful vacation, seeing the family.

I miss them already, but i know we have to get back to work and school starts next Monday..

Back to the normal routine, right??

Bunches of hugs...

Howdy!

2010-06-26T11:16:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a while since I posted anything, I know. It's just been so busy around here.
It's hot too. Everyone is fine. The kids are enjoying the summer. They will be going to Summer camp the first week of July and then We will be going to Texas for the week at the end of July.
I'm going to see my Aunt and the rest of the family on my Momma's side. Since we will be so close to Galveston, the kids and I are going to the beaches there too. They say they are not bothered by the oil spill. I hope it's still clear there, when we go. I haven't seen any of the family there since Momma passed away in 2007. I'm am looking forward to it.I hope the summer fines everyone well. Maybe I will start blogging again this fall, but I will catch up on the reading.. I just haven't had any time off work.

I'm starting to sell stuff again on E-bay so I'm busy with that too..

Bunches of hugs!

Car Tatoo

2010-04-22T22:09:00.002-05:00

See my tatoo on my car???

I love it.. I just had to share....
Bunches of hugs.....

Catching Up....

2010-03-26T11:40:00.002-05:00

It seems I always am trying to catch up. I don't blog like I used to, but my two teenagers keep me very busy.I keep wondering when the spring weather will get here? It's still cold around here.. Darrell hasn't had much time off, but he will be off next Weekend for Easter. Our office will be closed on Good Friday.. Oh and I got me another car. It's not brand new...But it's new to me. It's a 2008 Ford Fusion.. We LOVE IT! It will be nice having a car that I'm not worried about breaking down ,when I go somewhere..

Anyway, I hope all of you are geting ready to have a great Easter.. I'm trying to catch up with everyone.. and I'm on facebook a lot, so if you would like to add me, send me an invite.. stephanie little jackson

Bunches of hugs....

Thanks, Angela!

2010-03-26T10:47:00.003-05:00

You know how I love swaps? Well I'm in 2 Easter Swaps and my first swap box came yesterday.. Thanks, Angel for the wonderful goodies..

I'm going to make cooking and cupcakes for Easter.. Yipeee....

Bunches of hugs...

Thanks, Audrey!

2010-02-17T10:59:00.003-06:00

Thanks so much , Audrey for the wonderful handmade Valentine tote bag with goodies. She sent me some soy candles, some wonderful soap , some chapstick, yummy Hershey kisses and Lindt Milk Chocolate.. MMMMMMmmm. So good.. and of course a wonderful Valentine card...
I'm crazy about tote bags too.. It was such a lovely gift. Thanks for being my Valentine..

I hope all of you are doing well. We are having some very cold weather around here, as is everywhere. I'm so ready for spring...

Have a wonderful week,

Bunches of hugs,

Stephanie

Thanks, Amy!

2010-02-10T18:11:00.003-06:00

I was in another Valentine Swap and Amy was my swap buddy . She sent me this wonderful box of Valentines.. I love it... Daughter, Kristen is jealous...lol
It's got Valentine socks, Ghirardelli Dark Raspberry Chocolate, a pink grapefruit and tarragon candle by Bella, A wonderful handmade scrapbook, a notepad, some cake spreaders, some heart gel clings, Vanilla Spice hand sanitizer, a tea kettle note holder, and 2 Valentine hand towels.. She hand made a valentine for me too. How wonderful!

Thanks so much , My camera screen is broken, so I can't see what i take photos of. This seems to have gotten all the happies though..

Amy! I love it.. and Just in time for Valentines Day!

bunches of hugs,
Stephanie

We got a little snow.....

2010-02-08T15:01:00.003-06:00

So we got a little snow today. i had no idea it was coming and I don't think the weather man did either..lol
Woke up to this and the schools are closed, so I stayed home from work with the kids..
It's not ice.. It's snow.. I measured 5"'s . Not too shabby..

Thanks, Ouisa !

2010-02-04T07:38:00.003-06:00

I'm in a couple of Valentine Swaps and I got a Valentine yesterday from Ouisa... Thanks so much , Ouisa. You are so thoughtful. I love it. My kids took over the candy though...lol

I hope all of you are doing fine. I have been sick and couldn't talk. After the ice storm last week, it's tough getting over it, but I'm trying. When I answer the phones at work, everyone is confused and think they have the wrong number..lol
We are practicing for the Community production of " Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat" It's coming together..

Kristen broke the screen on the camera that she got for Christmas. It still works, but I don't know how I can delete the pictures when the memory gets full, because I can't see anything..

I guess I had better get to work.. I hope this is not going to be as busy as yesterday. I had a headache all day and the phone would not stop ringing..

Bunches of hugs...

No Ice Please....

2010-01-28T12:04:00.003-06:00

The cold front will not move through the region, until Thursday afternoon and evening, with the colder air lagging behind it. The storm system will move east overnight.. I think it will hit mostly above where I live, but we will get some freezing rain..

I've been sick a couple of days and went to the doctor and got a shot. Hopefully it will not get worse with the weather.

The kids and I have been going to the play practices. Our community theatre is doing "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" We are having a blast at that.. Unfortunately, I can't make tonight's practice because I can hardly talk, much less sing..

Has anyone else had a problem with Spammers leaving comments on their blogs?? Just wondering. Those type of comments are so annoying.. Of course, I preview all my comments.

I hope all of you are having a good January.

Bunches of hugs...

Happy New Year, 2010!

2010-01-01T00:42:00.002-06:00

WOW! It's really here.. ******* 2010 ******* It's hard to believe that it was 10 years ago that we were talking about Y2K....

The kids shot fireworks . We lit our candles , said cheers to the New year! . Darrell is on the road but we had him on speaker phone and poured him a drink, then lit his candle, just the same...lol

This past year has brought us blessings immeasurable.. I want to thank God for all that he has done for me and my family.. There have also been some wonderful loved ones that have passed from this world.. I know they are in heaven now and that someday , we will all be together..

Here's wishing you and your family a wonderful, very blessed and Happy New Year!

Bunches of hugs!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T18:01:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas, everyone

My husband is on the road. The kids and I are watching it pour down rain. Needless to say, It's not the usual Christmas eve.. But we are all in good health and are thankful. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas. Here's my dog, Chloe. she is in her new Christmas sweater.. it's not that cold out today . it's supposed to dip down in the twenties over the weekend though...
Remember ... Jesus was born on Christmas. He is our savior!

God bless you all..
Bunches of hugs...

Remember Our Troops this Holiday Season !

2009-12-17T13:53:00.003-06:00

THE GIFT

Author Unknown

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE

MADE OFPLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY

WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO

IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,

A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,

JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES

OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,

AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT

CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,

IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,

ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR

IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,

THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED

A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO

OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,

THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES

THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS

WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,

THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE

A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM

EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,

LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER

HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE

IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT

BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES

AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED

AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

"SANTA DON'T CRY,THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,

I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD,

MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.

"THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER

AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,

I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,

SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED

FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE

ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR

SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,

WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,

IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY,

ALL IS SECURE.

"ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,

AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

What brings joy to your life?

2009-12-14T14:03:00.004-06:00

I am writing to tell you what brings joy to my life because I am entering a Giveaway at Barking Mad's Blog...... . I guess I should say that the times spent and the memories that I share with my family, bring me joy.. My Mom's birthday is Wednesday. She would have been 82 years old. My memories, especially of her bring me joy.. Though they are bittersweet, I am thankful for the time that I had her..

Other things that bring me joy are my children.. Yes, even though they are in the dreaded teen years, I love them so, and they give me pleasure.. They wear me out though..lol

What brings you joy?

I hope the holidays and Christ's birth brings you joy..

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Bunches of hugs....

Check out some other blogs that tell what joy means to them..

See Mck- Linky on Barking Mad's Blog..

A wonderful Package from Spain...

2009-12-12T12:39:00.002-06:00

I had a note from the post office in my mailbox yesterday when I got home. It said I had a package.. I got up this morning, and took my dog with me to the post office She was dressed in her orange and red sweater and looked so cute. I'll have to take pictures sometimes.. Anyway, I picked up my package... I got it from my friend, Paqui.. in Madrid Spain. She sent me some yummy Empanadas, Some Blando ( looks like a vanilla fudge) and some white chocolate covered almonds and peanuts.. I also got a wonderful Christmas Card with an angel on the front. I am trying to translate it now... I can read the part that says Faliz Navidad though...lol

She and I exchanged cookies, after we had both wanted to be in a cookie swap, but the cookie swap was cancelled after it was announced, about two days later.. We decided that we would just exchange cookies ourselves...I mailed her some of my chocolate chip cookies. She loved them..
It was so fun to exchange with her.. Thanks, Paqui!

My kids have both been invited to a birthday party today for one of their mutual friends that turns 13 today. I will probably do a little Christmas shopping while they party..

My husband is delivering some frozen chicken in Houston this weekend.. He was playing on the 610 freeway in Houston last night, going round and round and round... He said the traffic was crazy... I have no worries though, because he is used to driving in the boroughs of New york, so I bet Houston would be a piece of cake... The freeways in New York are full of potholes..

Stay warm everyone..

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend..
Bunches of hugs...

Friday and Boy, it's cold outside

2009-12-11T11:18:00.001-06:00

Although we don't have any snow yet, we sure have the cold weather. In the Twenties is very cold for us around these parts. I am looking forward to a nice weekend. We have our Christmas decorations up, so I am in a Christmas mood now. I think I will make some Christmas goodies this weekend.. I love the holidays. I have seen so many cool cooking and giving ideas for the holidays. I can hardly wait til payday..lol

I hope all of you are enjoying the Christmas season ..

Merry Christmas..

Bunches of hugs...

Wishing the blues would go away..

2009-12-08T14:57:00.003-06:00

I have the blahs.. or the holiday blues.. I know it's because of the rain. I have so much to be thankful for, but I have the blues. Why? Is it just something in our chemical makeup?

Our power went out during the night and I woke up late, causing our household to be late for school and for work. After rushing around, the kids in a bad mood, I took the kids to school on my way to work. No coffee until I got to work..ARRRRGH!

Then the rains came through again.. The power is blinking at work. We may not have computers much longer for today.

My kids have these fancy phones where they can set their own alarms, if they would and are both teens. You would think that they would get themselves up! I should make them.. I guess I baby them too much in that respect. and they didn't get breakfast, because we were in such a hurry... They both didn't want it..

Needless to say, my day didn't start in the best way...

Now it's storming.. I hope all of you are getting in the Christmas mood. I sure need to...lol

I have most of my shopping done.. That's a plus!

Merry Christmas and bunches of hugs!

They're home!

2009-11-29T10:03:00.003-06:00

My husband and son are home from their trip to Oregon. They had some trip. They went through a snowstorm on the way, then the freezer part of the trailer for the onions needed to be repaired Thanksgiving eve, then on Thanskgiving, thri truck was overheating.. After all that drama Thanksgiving evening, They did get to eat Thanksgiving dinner at a nice Cracker Barrell.

Did you do any shopping on Black Friday? I stayed home and I bought one present On-line. That's as much as I did. I've been cleaning house and am getting it ready to decorate for Christmas. I would like a tall skinny tree this year. I know how I want to decorate it.. it's just finding it, that looks like it will be hard, without paying an arm and a leg for it..lol

On a more serious note, I want to keep some close friends in my prayers. There are a few of my friends that have lost loved ones, and they are in pain.. God be with those whose heart is hurting. My heart hurts for them too... I send them my love and support..

God bless all of you! Safe travels too...
Bunches of hugs...

Happy Thanksgiving , Everyone

2009-11-26T10:17:00.003-06:00

I have much to be thankful for. God takes good care of my family and me. I do need to learn to trust in him more. He takes care of me in ways that I don't even really realize.

I hope all of you have a lovely Thanksgiving . My husband and son are on their way home from Oregon. My daughter and I will go to relatives for Thanksgiving. Please be careful in all of your travels. I love the holidays because we always have something going on.. But I am sure I will be tired at the end of the day..

Don't eat too much and get a tummy ache!

Bunches of hugs..

join IN the Party! Starts November 23rd..

2009-11-22T20:50:00.001-06:00

Click Here to go to the party!

Join in the fun! You might win!

2009-11-17T10:49:00.003-06:00

Jolly Mom has HUGE GIVEAWAY COMING...

This is what one of you will win! Retail value of $1,497!

Does this look big enough to you? One of my favorite blogs to read, Jolly Mom, will be giving one lucky reader a HP TouchSmart 600 Computer. I'm in, are you? Giveaway begins Monday Nov. 23rd. What a great way to start the holidays, wouldn't you say? Go here now to get extra entries for blogging and adding the nifty button. Mine's over there -->>>

Good Luck!

Holiday Mail for Heroes

2009-11-17T08:06:00.002-06:00

Holiday Mail for Heroes

Join in.Send a card to a soldier for the holidays!
I'm still at home sick, but feeling a little better. I hope to be back to work tomorrow, Lord willing.
Bunches of hugs...
Holiday Mail for Heroes

I'm at home sick today..

2009-11-16T11:03:00.002-06:00

I'm home from work, sick today. It was a nice weekend, but during the night and this morning, I must have caught some sort of bug. Hopefully, it's just a 24 hours thing.. What scares me is when I turn the TV on, they have been talking about that H1N1 flu going around..I hope we don't get that.I have heard it's awful. I hope all of you are ready for the holidays. They will be here soon.
I hope all of you have a healthy wonderful week and Thanksgiving holidays coming up.. My husband will probably be working.. but that's okay.. We will just eat our turkey when he is home...lol
Bunches of hugs...

Here comes the SUN!

2009-11-03T09:57:00.002-06:00

Finally, the ground should start to dry up..

Maybe I can get back in the swing of blogging again. I am giving it a try. I am trying to catch up with every one's blogs. We are so glad that Darrell has a job now. I know the holidays will be sporadic, but that's okay. We are used to it. We are a trucker's family..lol

Speaking of holidays, I hope all of you are going to have a good one. We are going to make the best of it. Hopefully with lots of quality time with the family.

Now, I'm going to check out what everyone has been up to.

If you like, you can be my friend on facebook.

I'm emeraldrose63 on facebook .

Bunches of hugs...

Happy Fall, Everyone!

2009-10-30T09:37:00.003-05:00

Great News!

My husband found a job.. Thank you, Lord!

Hopefully, things will get back to normal. I've been busy this week, even though I have been on vacation from work. I couldn't afford to go anywhere, but I have enjoyed the time off.
Monday, It's back to the grind, but I am thankful that I have a job to go back to..

I hope all of you have a great weekend!
We are going to see what stuff is going on for Halloween.. I think I'll make some caramel apples and brownies.. I've got to prepare some treat bags too.. Got lots of candy!

Bunches of hugs!

Counting my blessings !

2009-09-30T07:28:00.003-05:00

My husband came on Monday evening and told me that the trucking company closed their doors.
I have to tell you.. This may be a blessing in disguise, because they still haven't paid him for about $400 in tolls from going into New York from the last few trips.. It's funny, this time, I don't feel so devastated, because I know that God will see us though... I'm not as afraid anymore.
Still.. Please keep us in your prayers..

Maybe I'm numb... I don't know... I know that I feel good today.. It might be that it's stopped raining and the cooler weather is here. I just want to thank the good Lord, for all the blessings he has given me. I know that things could always be worse.. I'm counting my blessings...
Maybe I can blog a little more. .

I hope all of you are having a wonderful week. I'm trying to get updated.

Bunches of hugs...

Adult/ Senior Version of Jesus Loves me

2009-09-21T16:14:00.002-05:00

Here is a new version just for us who have gray/ white hair or no hair at all.

For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.

JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow

Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him.

(CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..

YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow, With my hand in His I'll go

On through life, let come what may,

He'll be there to lead the way.

(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long, In my heart He puts a song..

Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near."

(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won.

He will take me home above, Then I'll understand His love.

(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so?

Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.

(CHORUS)

Lots of rain!

2009-09-20T15:16:00.002-05:00

Rain Rain go away.......
I am sort of glad summer is over, but I really wish we would have the breezy fall weather, instead of rain all the time.. The kids are cooped up and I'm cooped up. The ballgames are cancelled. This is not any fun... Rain rain, go away!...lol
I hope you have a wonderful week.. Nothing much going on. the rain seems to stop everything..

Catching Up....

2009-08-25T23:19:00.003-05:00

Well, I have had a busy summer. Darrell is still working, so we are thankful for that. My job is the same as ever. The kids are liking school. My son is manager of the girls Jr. High and High school softball team, so he loves that. He is busy going to games a lot. The football season has started. Kristen loves Jr. high. She seems to fit right in ..All is well with us for now. I hope all of you have had a good summer. I don't have much time to post anymore, so I have switched to facebook. Since I signed up, I have gotten in touch with so many friends . I just love it. I also got to see one of my sisters that I haven't seen in years. If you want to be my friend on facebook, my name on there is emeraldrose63 . or you can look up Stephanie Little Jackson.

Jonah and our next door neighbor, Matthew each caught catfish over the weekend. They are whoppers. Jonah's was 15 lbs and Matthew's was 13lbs. We'll have a fish fry soon..lol

Take care. I'm going to try to read some blogs now..

Bunches of hugs!

School starts in one week!

2009-07-29T15:48:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that the summer is ending.. Our schools start on August 5th.

My husband is still working, but he is looking elsewhere, because the company he is driving for, just filed for bankruptcy, changed the name and such.. The "group" health insurance that he is eligible turns out it's not much group to it..Their prices are the same range as if he wasn't even working, which is outrageous!.. But I know healthcare is on everyone's mind..

The kids and I just finished being in the community theatre's production of "Lil Abner". It was fun, but so tiring. We did make new friends though.

I'm on facebook, if you want to add me.. emeraldrose63 is my ID.. i'm sort of hooked on Bejewelled....lol

Have a wonderful week..

I'm trying to get back in the swim of things..

Bunches of hugs!

So Sad.....

2009-06-27T10:52:00.004-05:00

I'm just checking in from my summer break on blogging.. We have been very busy. Lots of things have been going on. My husband is working. He hardly gets to come home.. It's not the ideal job, but it's a job. The insurance business is as busy, if not busier than usual. I guess people want the assurance, comfort and peace of mind in these times.

This week has been one that our country lost three ICONS..

First, Ed McMahon, then Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson ...

Rest In Peace..

As far as Micheal Jackson and his music, I have always loved his music.. I told my son that I bet his music will break records again,now that he has died.. My son has watched some of his videos on You tube, and he wants some of his CD's now. I bet a lot of people have kids that are saying the same things. It's like a new discovery. I have the VHS of Thriller and the kids now want the CD...

It's been very hot here. I had a tomato plant in that Topsy Turvy contraption, but it died..

My rosebush is doing well though...

I hope all of you are enjoying the summer..

Take care and I'll talk to you later..

Bunches of hugs....

I'm Taking A Break !

2009-05-30T09:27:00.002-05:00

Since I'm outside a lot now, with Summer here... Instead of apologizing for not posting, because I am just so busy right now, I'm going to take the summer off from blogging.. I'm going to visit your blogs, and just enjoy. I hope all of you have a wonderful Summer.. I'll be back, Lord willing. Darrell is working( lots...he hasn't been home in 2 weeks) so there is much more to do at home too.. Jonah is playing baseball and Kristen is enjoying the summer too, with swimming( both Jonah and Kristen) and visiting friends and they both are going to go to camp. One, one week, and the other ,the next. I'm taking it one day at a time. My plate is full..
Love you peeps!
Bunches of hugs.....

Getting ready for the weekend already?

2009-05-20T12:03:00.002-05:00

Well, The last day of school was yesterday, so my kids are glad. I am too, because I get to sleep a few minutes extra in the morning now..lol

Darrell is working and they are keeping him busy. He only got one day off last week and we don't know about this weekend.

My son and I went bowling last Saturday night( It was my birthday ) . My daughter spent the night with her friend and Darrell was on the road.

We had fun. I had not been bowling in ages.. We even played a game of pool , while we were waiting on a bowling lane..

I got my car repaired and my A/C repaired, so I am ready to go anywhere.. lol

I don't really know what we will do this weekend, but I don't want to just stay at home.. Our office is closed Monday, for Memorial Day..

Maybe my posting can get back to normal too... I have had issues with the browser letting me do anything... So frustrating..

Have a great week..

Bunches of hugs....

Hello,All

2009-05-14T13:50:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry but my computer at home has been acting up and I can barely get a browser to work. it's so frustrating..

Darrell seems to like his new job.. He's in Texas now, heading home..

I have a photo of my son above, in his Prom Tuxedo. He looks so handsome, doesn't he..

His 15th birthday was on Mother's day.. We didn't do much, because my car has been in the repair shop, but I got it out yesterday, so now hopefully, we can go places. The kids last day of school is next Wednesday..

I am going to try to catch up on my blogging now.. Please bare with me... My life has been a mess...lol

Bunches of hugs.....

Thanks for your prayers!

2009-05-06T21:24:00.002-05:00

Thank to all of you for your prayers.. We feel such a relief, now that my husband is working again.. The kids will be out of school on the 20th. They are looking forward to that, and so am I.
I will try to catch up on my blogging.. I would just like a little normal in my life..
So...when 's the weekend???

Bunches of hugs...

He's got a JOB!

2009-05-05T22:18:00.000-05:00

He started Sunday. He is a driver again.. I've been trying to post for the last few days, but I keep getting kicked off. I think I'll have to download a new browser on my computer.. I hope all of you are having a good week..
Bunches of hugs!

8th Grade Prom night

2009-04-24T18:43:00.004-05:00

My Son's 8th grade prom is tonight. I just took him at 6PM and will pick him up at 10pm. I hope to have some pictures in a few days..

To all the ones that participated in the Easter Swap.. If you took photos, please leave that link to the photos on the comment of this post..

and Thanks again for participating..

Also, My husband got a phone call this morning from a company to drive for.. Then a lady called around lunchtime to ask what sort of medications he takes and to set up a physical for him next week.. We think this is all good news. Please be in prayer for us, that this might be the job opportunity he needs. It's almost been 6 months now..

Thanks for all your prayers and wishes..

Have a great weekend!

bunches of hugs!

Easter Egg Swap!

2009-04-14T10:17:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all of you that participated in the Easter Egg Swap. It was such fun to find things to put in the eggs..

Here are some photos of my egg carton and my daughters eggs ( she got a basket).

Thank you, Bonnie for my beautiful egg carton filled with wonderful things!

and my daughter, Kristen says "thank you" to Susan for her Easter Basket with eggs!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter.. My son starts ball practice this evening. I just hope it doesn't rain...

Bunches of hugs!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T09:21:00.002-05:00

I hope all of you have a Blessed and Happy Easter!
Bunches of hugs.......Stephanie

In reference to the Easter Egg Swap....

2009-04-09T10:34:00.004-05:00

I hope all of you are ready for a wonderful Easter Weekend.. and for those of you that are in the Easter Egg Swap. Please send me a note as to whether you get your Egg carton in time for Easter or not.. There is no police here..lol I just want to see how successful it was. If it is successful, I want to have another one sometime, but if not, I'm going to scrap the idea. I did this for fun, not for anyone to be dissed..

What are your plans for the weekend? We are off work and school tomorrow. I am realy happy about that.. I am going to sleep late tomorrow..

I hope all of you have a wonderful Easter Weekend!

Bunches of hugs!

Hello, Sweet Peeps!

2009-04-07T11:49:00.003-05:00

Well, It got cold again last night but not for long. It's supposed to be in the seventies today.

Our office is Closed Friday and the kids are of of school.Wewill probably be painting the outside of the house ( shutters and framework of our brick house). It looks pretty good. We have the front porch and the carport done. It feels like a new house. Now,if I can just spring clean the inside.

I love a good day, when I don't have to go to work and I can open the windows up and start cleaning the house like crazy. Maybe I can have one of those days this coming weekend. I hope all of you are doing okay. My husband is still looking for a job.. I hope it will be soon.. There comes a time when the reserve runs out, and I think we are nearing that time...lol

I actually think I will take a mini-vacation ( like a two or three day weekend) whenever he starts back to work. The kids will be going to camp. One ,one week and the other the next. I signed my son up for baseball, so we will be going to games a lot.. I actually am ready to go to the games.. I feel sort of cooped up from the winter..

I hope Spring has started for you.. it has for me. Have a blessed week..

Bunches of hugs.....

Happy April Fools Day!

2009-04-01T10:48:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry, I haven't been on line much lately. We have been very busy.. I have gotten the Easter Egg Swap package ready to mail and will get that in the mail to my swap partner this week..

If anyone in the swap needs a question answered, just e-mail me.. I don't want anyone to not get their swap package, so if you have a problem that makes you unable to get your package to your partner, Please, please let me know now...

Well, last night I stayed up late, making sure my computer is protected from that mean Conficker virus worm that's supposed to be going around.. Be careful what you open today as far as your e-mails are concerned..

I haven't had an April fool joke played on me yet... but I am on the lookout..

I hope you all have a wonderful April Fools day, and that you don't get fooled too bad...lol

Bunches of hugs...

Pay It Forward !

2009-03-16T15:24:00.003-05:00

After visiting Sincerely Susie Homemaker , I have decided to join some fellow bloggers, and post the
"Pay It Forward"challenge on my blog. The first 3 people who leave me a comment (on this post only) will receive an item from me sometime in the next 3 months. Just one day, out of the blue, at no cost to you, a special something will arrive in your mailbox. (Be sure to leave contact info so that I can get your mailing address and a link to wherever you posted your "Pay It Forward Challenge"). The turnabout is that you must choose to participate in this round robin of giving by giving yourself and posting the "Pay It Forward Challenge" on your blog or facebook.
Let's " PAY IT FORWARD "together.

***If you want your special item to go to someone special in place of you just let me know when I contact you and I will get their mailing info then!***

Egg Swap Participants...

2009-03-15T15:23:00.002-05:00

It's not too late to sign up. The deadline is March 2oth..

Here are the ones that I have the addresses for so far.. If your name is not on here, then I haven't gotten your mailing information yet. I have had a few that commented that they wanted to join, but have not sent me their mailing address( Not the e-mail, the snail mail..lol)

If you want to join in, come on send your mailing address(not e-mail) to me at emeraldrose63@yahoo.com and MAKE SURE you put EGG SWAP in the subject line. I have found a couple of them, in my spam, with no heading. I'm trying to check both, but that becomes hard when you have a few hundred in spam..

Here's the ones I have the info for :

1. Bettina - Vermont

2.Susan - Jew Jersey

3.Rebekah- Texas

4.Ashley - Arkansas

5.Sherry- New York

6.Mallory - New York

7.Lisa - Ca

8.Pam - North Carolina

9. Samantha - Ca

10. Cindy - Texas

11Deborah - Florida

12Tammy - Va

13.Bonnie - Ca

14.Angie - Utah

15. Kristen - Mississippi

16.Stephanie- Mississippi

okay.... If you don't see your name on here and you sent me an e-mail, then commment here that you are sending me an e-mail and I will look for it..

I would like this to go smoothly..

And if for some reason, that after you get your Swap Partner's name, you cannot send their eggs, PLEASE PLEASE let me know ASAP, so I can make arrangements to get their eggs to them... I want this to be fun, not dissappointing to anyone... I know how it feels to be in a swap and then get nothing back.. It's happened to me a couple of times...

I hope all of you are having a good weekend.. It's Spring break for my kids, so I will sleep an extra 30 minutes because I don't have to get them on the bus..lol

Have a great week...

My Weekend!

2009-03-09T19:07:00.005-05:00

This past weekend had some fun and some drama... ...Saturday afternoon I went to Corinth, where I got my haircut and when I came out to the parking lot and got in my car, a young woman holding a baby, came up to me and asked me for a ride, then I didn't even have time to reply when a man in a Dodge Durango pulled up behind my car, started yelling at the woman( profanities) for her to get in the vehicle.. She got into the vehicle, and then as he squealed his tires as he moved about 2 parking aisles over, then she got out, and opened the back door and started to put the baby in the car seat.. They were there about 5 minutes arguing..I sat there, watching.... The parking lot of the shopping center was covered up and people were driving in and put, but I sat there.... I could hear all the vulgar, hateful things he was saying to her. She was crying and the baby was crying...... She then shut the back door after she had buckled the baby into the car seat... and then as she tried to get in , he started pulling away... yelling at her... Then he yelled" Get in... I'm going to kill you! "..... Well the woman actually got int the car.... At that point , he sped out of the parking lot....... I wrote down his tag number and the description of the vehicle while I was watching all of this... I then called 911 on my cellphone.. I told the officer that I didn't quite know what to do, but I was not going to simply ignore what I saw and heard and then something happen to the young woman and baby.. The policeman asked me what state the tag was.. That, I didn't write down, but I thought it was Mississippi.. In my mind , I could visualize a Mississippi tag... He said that was okay.. He said I did the right thing and they had some cars in the area and they would check it out and see if they could see him...

I have been thinking about this since it happened.. I've said countless prayers for this woman and child that I do not know.. But I know God knows them......

Then last night, I took my daughter and 2 of her friends to WINTER JAM in Tupelo, Ms

My son went with the church... The arena was packed, but it was fun... I still have some ringing in my ears though...lol

Please pray for my friend, Tracy's grandmother... Mrs.Mary.... She had a stroke yesterday and is in the hospital.. She is responding so that is good, but they said she is paralyzed for now... Please keep them in your prayers...

I hope all of you have a wonderful week..

Remember, you still can sign up for the Easter Egg Swap, if you like..

Bunches of hugs....

My Daughter's a beauty!

2009-03-04T21:25:00.004-06:00

Well, Kristen was in the beauty review for Falkner Elementary on Monday.. It was held at the High School.. She didn't win, but she did well.I am proud of her. Here is a photo of her ( on the right in the black dress) and her friends, Kristin and Whitney ( Left and Middle) . There were about 100 girls in the beauty review.. The High school review was last night, but we didn't go to that one. Our auditorium is tiny, so it was so crowded.

You can imagine, with the family and friends of 100 girls...

I don't know if she will want to be in another one or not.. This was HER idea..lol

I'll back her, whatever she wants , if possible..

I hope all of you are having a good week. I have been sick, but still working... My husband is still looking for a job.. Please keep us in your prayers...

and Don't forget to checkout my Easter Egg Swap on the previous post. You might be interested in joining in..

Bunches of hugs.....

Easter Egg Surprise Swap

2009-02-20T11:28:00.006-06:00

JOIN IN ON THE SWAP!

I just wanted to do something that was fun. If you have little ones, they might enjoy helping you fill the plastic eggs to send..

Description:
You will need One Dozen plastic Easter Eggs (NO REAL EGGS PLEASE) and an empty egg carton to decorate.

You will have 1 partner. Fill each egg .

Here's suggestions of things to put in the eggs, but feel free to be creative...
Candy

Charms
A little note from you.
Fortune Cookie.
Little Tiny Note pads.
Ribbons
Buttons
Thimbles
Needle threaders
Lip gloss
Little Magnets
Bottle cap pincushions
Bottle cap magnets
Let your creativeness run WILD!
You can also decorate each egg if you like. Make sure that each egg is sealed, You will be putting the eggs in the egg carton and that can be decorated as well.

I thought this would be a fun Swap to get everyone in the mood for Spring and Easter..

The deadline to sign up will be March 20th,2009..

That will give us plenty of time and make sure your partner gets it BEFORE EASTER (04/12/09)

Sorry.. This is USA ONLY !

To sign up, Send me your name and US mailing address and I will assign partners RANDOMLY .

E-mail me your Name and Mailing address at emeraldrose63@yahoo.com and make sure to put EASTER SWAP in the Subject line..

Let's have some fun!

Bunches of hugs!

I'm tired and it's ONLY Tuesday!

2009-02-17T00:53:00.004-06:00

I tell you..... I need some sunshine and vitamins... I'm also going to just eat salads and fresh veggies for a couple of weeks. I have this funk, and I need some spunk!

Please keep us in your prayers.. My husband is STILL looking for a job .... It's been over 3 months now.... and it's been a LOOOONG 3 months..

My daughter will have her reading fair tonight..( yes, it's Tuesday and it's about 1am when I am writing this.. )

She did her project on Judy Moody predicts the future.. I'll try to remember to take the camera home from work, and take a quick snap shot..

Speaking of snap shots.... I got some great Valentines in the mail.... I hope all of you had a good Valentines day.. I had a lot of sweet happies...

The white basket with goodies is from Beanie!..Thanks so much for brightening my day!

The card and cool heart pin and heart shaped emerald are from Mary and Mark in Texas.. Some other cool friends ! Thanks Sweet Peeps...

and that's Kristen and her friend, Whitney with their giant Teddy Bears they got for Valentines Day!. She took that with the Cell phone...

I can't believe I'm up this late.... But I had to install a Nortons' 2009 anti*virus update.. Those things are important...lol

I 'm going to catch up on blog reading this week.. Honest!

I hope all of you have a good Week...

Bunches of hugs.....

Prints and Salsa

2009-02-09T22:30:00.003-06:00

I got another wonderful Valentine in the mail.. Beautiful prints from Buzz and Delicious Salsa and pickle relish from Jrzy. They are more friends on Radio Paradise.. These are special people, to make this fo me.. I truely appreciate it.. Thank you, Sweet peeps!

So far, no jobs are out there, but there are hopes that soon, my husband will get a job. We are keeping our fingers crossed and praying a lot.

My son and I went to the Boat and RV show last Saturday. We thought it was flea market weekend, but that is next weekend.. We saw lots of beautiful 5th wheel campers and Rv's and pontoon boats galore! It's fun dreaming about owning some of that stuff..

I hope all of you have a wonderful week.. I am trying to catch up on reading blogs and keep up with posting too..

Bunches of hugs...

An Unexpected Valentine

2009-02-06T19:06:00.002-06:00

I got this in the mail yesterday from some friends from Radio Paradise..Justin,Scott and their beautiful children. There was toffee too, but it didn't make it o the camera..lol

I am going to make biscuits in the morning to go with the jams..Let me tell you, they are soooooo good..

I hope all of you have had a good week.I am so ready for the weekend.. My husband is still looking for a job.. and to top it off, we got a letter from the COBRA health insurance that they had priced the health insurance wrong. It will be DOUBLE what they originally billed us.. NOW WHAT?

Please keep us in your prayers and so many other folks that are going through the same stuff.

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend..

Bunches of hugs!

Are you watching "The Batchelor"?

2009-01-27T18:12:00.004-06:00

I'm sorry, but I'm hooked..!lol

My daughter and I have been watching it, and that has been super fun... Actually, the fun part was watching it with Kristen.. We get a laugh out of the way some of the women act.. It's unreal!

But it's like a train wreck...We can't help but watch..

Okay.....You see one of my guilty pleasures.. Watching this show..

I am actually rooting for Stephanie..... Not because she has my name... Just because if I were a matchmaker... I think she would be perfect for Jason...

If you watch it, let me know who you think he should end up with at the end of the show....

We are expecting some sleet and rain in this area..The kids are already excited that they might get out of school.. I'm not looking forward to the drive to work though... I grew up in Texas, and am not used to any kind of sleet or snow while driving.. Wish us luck...

Oh, and please pray that my husband will soon find a job..

( Oh yes... I guess he could drive me to work tomorrow, if needed.. We'll see.)

Bunches of hugs.....

Two Years ago today.......

2009-01-23T07:52:00.003-06:00

This is an old photo of my Grandfather,My Mom, My great grandmother and a cousin.
My Grandfather has been dead about 20 years and my great granny has been gone about 30 years, so this photo is old...

It was 2 years ago today, that my sweet Mom passed away.. I miss her so much and I think the only reason the pain has eased up, is because I try to only think of the times when she was happy and smiling, which was almost all of the time. Whenever I usually saw her, she had a wonderful smile on her face and her heart was always thinking of the good things.. I was so blessed to have her as a Momma..

I've decided to treat this day as one day closer to when I will someday get to see her again in Heaven. I know she is smiling down on me. I feel her everyday.

I hope all of you have a great weekend. It's sunny here and not too cold.I guess we are waiting until February to get any slush and ice around here. I know we won't get through the winter without it..

Stay safe, sweet peeps !

Bunches of hugs..

So I got a new Day Planner

2009-01-18T14:05:00.003-06:00

I love picking out a new day planner every year.. Then I get busy with filling in the stuff. That is a lot of work..Let me tell you.. I haven't graduated to the electronic day planner yet.. To me, there is just something satisfying about penciling it in.. Gives me something to do, as far as a little control in my life..lol

The kids are out of school tomorrow and Tuesday,for the MLK Holiday and then Tuesday for teachers meetings, which will get out after a couple of hours, because of the inauguration . I have to tell you, I am getting excited about the festivities. I love to watch them every 4 years.. I don't think I've missed one, since I can remember.. I just love to see the hope in peoples eyes, that things will get better...

I am fighting off a cold, so I'll close for now.. I hope all of you enjoy this holiday week and the festivities and look forward to a new beginning...

I've got to go and fill some more stuff in, in my day planner...

Bunches of hugs.....

Let it go!

2009-01-12T07:44:00.003-06:00

Okay... I'm ready for the week ahead.

I've been fighting off a cold, with Ny-Quil. That stuff really works, but it does make you dream strange dreams.... I had one dream where I was at some sort of reception, and there were live tiny shrimp on the crackers , covered with cheese... When people weren't looking, I would pull one off, and watch it run out the door......lol .....Then the next day, my friend told me about an article where a restaurant saved a lobster that was like 140 years old... I had no idea..... It must have been a premonition...lol

Now, If I could only harness the power......lol

My husband is looking for a job. He does have some more prospects that are good, so please keep us in your prayers....

I hope all of you have a wonderful week..

Bunches of hugs.....

Back to (Semi-) Normal?

2009-01-07T07:49:00.003-06:00

The kids are back to school this week..Husband still needs to find a job. It's been 2 months now, so hopefully, He'll find something soon.. Everywhere he went bfore the holidays, said come back after the first of the year..

It's a job keeping up with where he went, sending in paperwork for unemployment and we have to call once a week to "certify" for his unemployment check (which is not much).. Well, Enough on that...

I am ready for a good year.. I think that attitude can help me get through it..

Yesterday, I was a basket case, but the rain for the last week has not helped my mood.. It's still cloudy outside, but at least the rain has stopped.

OKAY...... Ready or not.... Let's get this NEW FABULOUS YEAR ROLLING!

Bunches of hugs.....

Have a Safe and Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

I haven't made any New Years Resolutions.... When I do that, I usually end up forgetting about them... So I'm just going to say that I am going to do my best, to make my life and my families life better.. I hope and pray for good health and prosperity for all of my family and friends.. God Bless all of you...

Bunches of hugs......

New Years Eve!

2008-12-31T00:36:00.002-06:00

I'm off work today and tomorrow.... YEAH!!!!!

We are supposed to watch fireworks tonight... It's been pretty weather and not too cold. I'm sure it will get colder as January arrives.. I have blackeyed peas and greens for tomorrow, so we are ready for the New Year! lol ......

I hope all of you have a safe New Year's Eve!

Bunches of hugs........

Honest Scrap award

2008-12-29T19:36:00.004-06:00

CindyDianne has awarded me the Honest Scrap Award

Thanks, CindyDianne.. I'll do my best....

I am honored to receive this auspicious award and I am bragging big time!

Honest Scrap Award Rules

When accepting this auspicious award, you must write a post bragging about it, including the name of the misguided soul who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to said person so everyone knows he or she is real. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have 7 friends. Show the 7 random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Weblog.” Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon. List at least ten honest things about yourself. Then, pass it on!

Ten Honest Things You Probably Don't Care About hearing but here goes...

1. I love old movies with real movie stars like Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Jimmy Stewart, Joseph Cotton, etc...

2. I love vintage clothes and antiques... I guess you could call me a recycler, because I like to reuse everything, if possible .

3. I give away lots of things and get things at garage sales...

4. I get my purses at garage sales...

5. I know how to twirl a baton... I can even throw it up in the air and catch it...

6. I once caught an 8 lb catfish.

7. I have an autographed photo of Donnie and Marie Osmond

8. I write important life events down in our family bible.

9. I was once in a 7 year contract as a demo-singer.

10. I went to Columbia School of Broadcasting for 2 years in Texas.

Okay.... Wake up!

It's almost the New Year....

I'm supposed to pick 7 victims....lol

Well, I'm going to go random, but I have a bunch of bloggy friends, I just thought I would make some more for the New Year.

So These are new peeps, that I hope to make new friends with. I have read their blogs and I am enjoying them. I thought I would share them and that I would introduce myself..

Happy New year Sweet Peeps!

I'm not a stalker..Honest.. I just like reading lots of blogs...

Bunches of hugs....

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T10:58:00.004-06:00

It's been a busy Holiday Season here, even with the economy like it is, everywhere we went, there was a line.. They may not be buying expensive stuff, but they are buying stuff..lol

I hope all of you are enjoying the holidays.. I am off today then until next Monday. That will be a welcome break because we are busy at work, trying to get policies issued for the end of the year...and there are claims to take care of too. The holidays are the worst for accidents, so please be careful out there while traveling.
My husband is still looking for a job,so please pray that he will find one soon...like so many out of a job now.. I pray our country takes a turn for the better.. We can hope.......
So today, I'm going to clean and straighten up this morning, then this evening, we are going to Christmas Eve Service at the church at 5PM... After that, we'll see.

I want to thank the lovely ladies in the Cookie Swap.. We have enjoyed the cookies so much... I have shared with neighbors and co-workers too..

And I want to thank Susie for my wonderful Christmas Swap gifts...She sent me a box full of wonderful things...I'm using my coffee mug now.. It's become my favorite....

I hope all of you have a blessed and Merry Christmas..
I'm trying to catch up on reading blogs this morning..

Bunches of Hugs!

Sunday / Family Time

2008-12-14T18:06:00.002-06:00

Well, We have had plenty of together time this holiday season.I think that the holidays are getting to us..lol We have been painting, remodeling, got a new refrigerator and a new dryer.. Re-did the bathroom vanity today...and now , My husband and son are putting in a new side door and then they are going to put some enclosed blinds on the front door... All this is like remodeling , which really is getting on my nerves..Don't get me wrong... I am thrilled to get these things done to the house..... But since my husband has been out of work, he has had daily projects, that consequently, include all of us working... and that's after we have been at work and at school all day, during the week.. and of course, during the weekend, there are the regular chores, like laundry,cooking, cleaning...etc....

Let me just say, that I will be so thankful when he goes back to work.... I'm sure he will be too..lol

I hope all of you are having a good Holiday season.. I'm sorry I'm not posting much... Don't have much time.... too many projects..."rolls eyes"

OKAY... I'm through ranting now...lol

Bunches of hugs....

Happy Wednesday/ Thursday too!

2008-12-10T18:16:00.003-06:00

I have been so busy at work and home, that I haven't had much time to do any posting.. Forgive me.... I hope all of you are enjoying the Holiday season. I'm waiting on several packages...Some are gifts I have ordered for my family.Some are some E-bay items.. I started Christmas shopping around Thanksgiving, for my kids.. I'm just hoping that their stuff gets here in time.. I won a $50 gift certificate from Indianola Pecan House in the mall in Tupelo in a drawing at the radio station that I listen to.... I need to be sure to make a trip to Tupelo to cash that in.
We just put our Christmas tree up last night... It's been raining here for the last couple of days and is getting colder. My son is anxious to get the outside decorations and lights put up, but he will have to wait until it dries up a little.
He and My husband always put lights all the way around the house and wreaths on the windows and doors.

My husband may have a job at the beginning of the year. He talked to one of the supervisors today.. Please keep us in your prayers...

Have a wonderful week, Sweet Peeps. I will try to post more frequently, but you know how it is....lol
Bunches of hugs....

Lend A Helping Hand....

2008-12-02T11:10:00.003-06:00

I'm reading a book called "101 Ways to Simplify Your Life, by Candy Paull.

It has some good advice. I have skimmed it before, but since Christmas time is a reflective time of year, I wanted to see if I could apply what she says. One of them is to Lend a Helping Hand. To a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker, a child, a relative.. Seek out someone to help everyday. Just the simplest things can make someones day better..The law of sowing and reaping says that you will receive what you are willing to give. Don't be shy about asking someone if they need help. It doesn't have to be monetary help.. Not just at Christmas time, but all through the year.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" Galatians 6:2 NV.

I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving. we did...although there was turkey and football everywhere I went..lol

I was tired of turkey by Friday night...and still had one more family gathering to go to.... My family was ready for pizza by Monday.....

Tonight, we are going to the Christmas Parade. I hope it's not raining. It looks like it might be clearing up. I can handle clear and cold... We'll bring blankets and sit outside in front of one of our friends house. They live on Main Street and they have an Open house for their friends every Christmas Parade night...We can go in and get warm , and have goodies and Hot cocoa or cider and coffee... then we go back outside on the porch and watch the parade pass.. It's fun , as long as you are bundled up..

I hope all of you are getting in the Christmas mood. I sure am..

Bunches of hugs....

Got any plans?

2008-11-24T11:45:00.002-06:00

Hello,Sweet Peeps!
I'm off work today and so far, haven't done much except cook breakfast and a load of laundry. I'm planning what I am going to make for Thanksgiving and what I am going to take to relatives. I made some homemade bread loaves. I cooked one yesterday and have 4 in the freezer. They turned out pretty good, except it's not the sweet yeast bread that my Mom used to make.I have been looking in her cookbook, and through some of her loose recipes, but cannot find her recipe for it.. Does anyone know how to make that sweet yeast bread? Do you just add some sugar? I though that the sugar would mess up the rising part. If you know the recipe,please fill me in.. The bread I've made is good, but it is just regular bread.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving week ahead. I go back to work tomorrow m then I'll work until noon Wednesday and off the rest of the week.My kids are out of school for the entire week, so my husband will keep them occupied..
Happy Thanksgiving..
Bunches of hugs!

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together.

People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

There's a Cookie Swap going on! Join IN!

2008-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Cindy Dianne is having a cookie swap. She'd like to get some more people to join in. The deadline to put your name in is December 1st. Stop over at her blog for the details..

Please consider joining in. It will be fun!

I just love the holiday activities!

Bunches of hugs...

Manic Monday!

2008-11-17T11:24:00.004-06:00

Yes, It's manic. We were running around this morning. Now I am at work and settling down for a few minutes. My son has some spider bites. he has 3 under his arm and one on his neck and a couple of others.He must have gotten into a nest of them, while in the woods beside our house.. My husband is at the doctor now. He just needs some medicine and maybe a shot. He always cringes when we tell him he needs a shot.. Bless his heart. He is in some pain.. I'm sure the doctor will fix him right up though....

I hope all of you had a good weekend and are going to have a good week. My friend, Tracy's grandmother is home and doing well... Thanks for your prayers. They have had a touching last couple of weeks.. Hopefully, things have settled down. My husband is still lokking for a job, but everywhere that is a good potential says they won't be hiring until after the first of the year. We're taking it one day at a time.. We are so glad that our home is paid for. That is a blessing.

I did go shopping Saturday and have everything we need for a nice Thanksgiving. Hopefully, everyone will be well..

Have a great week..

Bunches of hugs......

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEBRASKA SUNRISE SOAP

I am blogging about a contest for some Nebraska Sunset Soaps.

Just drop over to Chocolate Fingerprints Blog and check out how you can enter her giveaway to win some Nebraska Sunset Soap. You have to go to Chocolate Fingerprints blogsite to enter. Deadline is Wednesday .

Debunking the Hoaxs - Use Snopes

2008-11-12T15:00:00.003-06:00

I have been getting a lot of E-mails lately. I love to get the cute E-mails with the pictures and the inspirational e-mails..... but the ones that are rumors, well, I have to say,I just delete anything that hints of a rumor now.. And If I think twice about something, I ALWAYS look it up on SNOPES now... Snopes has saved me a lot of embarrassment.. I got another rumor, saying that Home Depot had banned Christmas from it's website.. It's FALSE! I think the people that come up with this stuff are just looking for things to do. Do they not realize that they could actually ruin peoples lives by passing around lies??? It's like gossip on steroids! Give me a break! Just had to get that off of my chest..

I hope all of you are having a good week. My husband is job hunting. He has spoken with a few companies, but they want him to be gone for 3-4 weeks at a time.. He thinks he can find something where he can be home a couple of days a week.We'll see.

And my friend, Tracy's grandmother is coming home from the hospital after the heart surgery she had last week. She is doing okay.. She will have to have round the clock care for a while though.

Please keep us all in your prayers..

Bunches of hugs.....

Happy Veteran's Day!

2008-11-11T09:59:00.006-06:00

To all of our veterans and our troops, I would like to wish them a Happy Veterans Day.

I thank God for the freedom that our country has, and for the men and women that fought for that freedom. God Bless you and God Bless our great nation.

I found one soldiers story on CNN. I hope you take a few minutes and read it. It brought me to tears...

Have a blessed day!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Win one of three quilts

Enter The Old Red Barns Contest !

Go to the Old Red Barn Blog for details....

width="100%"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="220">

name="storeItemsMovie4237"
allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://images.bigcrumbs.com/images/crumbViewerHorizontal.swf?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bigcrumbs.com%2Fcrumbs%2Fnet%2FcrumbWidgetBody.jsp%3Fe%3D4237%26r%3Demeraldrose63%26s%3D30553%26w%3D7" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="220" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="100%" wmode="transparent" scale="noscale">

Count Your Blessings....

2008-11-07T07:41:00.003-06:00

Well, It's been a long week full of Life changes..

Thanks for all your prayers..My friend Tracy's grandmother is doing well, after the heart surgery.

My husband has gotten three calls that he needs to return, from other trucking companies, offering him a job. We will see what those have in store.. I know that God will provide and take care of us.. He has all of my life, so my faith is there. It's easy to say you have faith, but much harder to actually live only on it, isn't it?..lol

We have a lot of things to be thankful for, this Thanksgiving and every day.

I'm going to count my blessings.. I have lots of them..

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend...

Next Thursday and Friday, I'm going to get my recipes back out..lol

Bunches of hugs......

Prayers needed..

2008-11-06T11:32:00.002-06:00

Please pray for my family and others.. My husband just got layed off, along with about 30 other drivers.

and also pray for my friend, Tracy's grandmother. She is having open heart surgery..

Can't say much right now...Just keep us in your prayers please.. Bunches of hugs.....

Congratulations, President - Elect Obama!

2008-11-05T10:51:00.002-06:00

It's a new day, and a new chapter in American history. Last night, I cried during both speeches, John McCain's concession speech and Obama's Victory speech..

The unity that I felt was very peacful ... We are all Americans and I felt it last night...

So let's stand together, and feel that peace and let's all prosper together. The problems our country has are many...... But together, I think we can take them on..

I'm so glad the campaign is over... Of course now... It's time to clean up the stuff left behind..

Congratulations, Obama

and Bunches of hugs, Sweet Peeps!

Getting Ready for the Holidays!

2008-11-01T13:20:00.004-05:00

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas ! To me, they are the most joyous time of the year..

November is going to be a busy month. I'm off of work until next Thursday. So far, I'm having a nice vacation..

I have been doing some house cleaning, and My husband and son have gone to mow his daughter's yard for her daughter's Birthday party tomorrow. Kristen and her friend, Kristina are here and Kristina is spending the night and then will go to church with us in the morning and go home with her parents from church.

We are supposed to go to the Mall this afternoon, so that should be fun. My husband's birthday is Tuesday, but he will be in Pennsylvania, so we will probably eat out tonight. It is a beautiful fall day today. You couldn't ask for better weather. I hope all of you are having a blessed weekend..

Bunches of hugs....

Some thing's gotta give!

2008-10-31T14:38:00.003-05:00

I've decided to do some changes in my time and effort and life.. I've been overwhelmed with some things, so some thing's got to give.. I am going to stop selling Watkins products. I have so much going on, and I do not have the time to do it and the other things I like. Since I have gotten more into E-Bay, I just really want to have E-bay as my part-time instead of Watkins. I love both of them, but in this economy, the E-Bay is doing better... So, I will be phasing out my Watkins website and my Watkins cookbook. it's been fun, but with Watkins shipping going up and then their catalogs and website fees..... It's eating up my profits.....So, I would like to thank all my Watkins customers.... Watkins is still there. I just won't be an associate anymore.. I am registered to sell until my April renewal, but I probably won't do much of anything else..

In other news .... The Harvest fest, Chili cook-off went well last night . Our booth handed out candy and gave away lots of door prizes, so that was fun.

I'm taking a mini -vacation and won't go back to work until next Thursday. I am happy about that. I need it..

I hope all of you have a very Happy Halloween !

Bunches of hugs!

Tamy's hosting a "Home For the Holidays" Swap!

2008-10-30T05:30:00.000-05:00

Tamy at 3 Sides Of Crazy is hosting a Christmas Swap..

She wants us to spread the word, so check out the rules at her blog and sign up for some holiday fun.

I am looking so forward to this..I hope you join in too..

I put her button in my sidebar too..
Bunches of hugs!

Getting ready for Halloween !

2008-10-29T16:26:00.005-05:00

We are getting ready for Halloween. My work is having a spirit booth at the Chili Cook-off tomorrow night. We are not making chili at our booth, we are handing out treats and giving away prizes that people draw for at our booth. Others will have the chili booths. Last year and every year before, it has rained.. In sure hope it doesn't this time... Both of my kids have had poison oak , the last couple of days. They are getting better now..Just whiney..lol

I do feel sorry for them. They are covered in calamine and ointment though.. I don't think I will catch it. I believe I would have signs of it by now..

Friday night, my daughter is going trick or treating with her friends, and then she is spending the night at one of their homes. Then, Saturday night, A couple of her friends are supposed to stay overnight with us.. That should be fun.. My son hasn't asked to do anything yet. He may just hand out candy. He's a little too old for the trick or treat. We may do something that evening..We'll see.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Halloween week. We have been very busy.. I like it that way though..

Happy Halloween and bunches of hugs....

WINNER OF MY BLOGGY GIVEAWAY!

2008-10-24T10:02:00.004-05:00

Thank you to all of you that entered my Bloggy Giveaway!

The winner of the Breast Cancer Crusade Ornament and the keychain is Mary at

Mary's Writing Nook. go check out her blog. Congratulations,Mary.

I want to have a giveaway for Christmas too, so stay tuned..lol

I've been busy, selling stuff on E-bay .. Go check out my stuff, and also check out my cooking blogs..

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Bunches of hugs.....

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers / Slow Cooker Thursday

2008-10-23T12:28:00.006-05:00

6 green or yellow bell peppers
1/2 medium onion
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package chicken flavored rice mix ( I use Rice-A-Roni.That's where got this recipe)
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
1 8-oz can tomato sauce

Wash green peppers and cut tops off. Clean out seeds from inside of peppers. Chop the tops of the peppers and set aside. Chop the onion. Saute ground beef in skillet until lightly brown. Drain off grease. Add beef back to skillet and saute with chopped onions and chopped pepper tops until peppers start to soften. In medium bowl, add Rice-a-Roni, beef mixture, corn, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cheese. Mix well. Scoop mixture evenly into the six peppers. Lightly coat the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray for easy cleanup. Place the filled peppers in the slow cooker. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the peppers.

Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low-heat setting or 3 to 4 hours on high-heat setting.

Slow Cooker Thursday Is Hosted by Sandra at Family corner. Go check out the other recipes and Join in, if you like..

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY BLOGGY GIVEAWAY( Go to Monday's Blog Entry) and comment to be entered to win my Bloggy Giveaway!

Random Tuesday

2008-10-22T09:45:00.003-05:00

I stole( um..borrowed) this idea from Cheryl..lol ..No... She said I could..really...

Her inspired questions for the day...

~ Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall?

I love Fall the best, so I guess this is my favorite.. I love sweater weather, and the colors on the leaves, the smell of apples and pumpkin pie and sweetpotato pies, and Fall Festivals, and Halloween critters... The hayrides and the hot apple cider.. oh, and Of course the candy corn and the caramel apples..and those little peanut butter taffy kisses.. WOW...and Thanksgiving cooking, and the family gathered around.. it's all good, I think.. and the pep rallies and the football games too...

Who is your favorite Disney princess? I would have to say Snow White, because I just love her. and what she was able to do with the dwarfs house.. it was a mess, before she cleaned it and them up.. .. and that glass casket they had her in. That was weird, but when the prince kissed her and woke her up, it was all good... I didn't like that mean queen.... She scared me.. Her voice was so eerie...

~ What's the last book you read? What book are you reading right now?

I read Abide with Me, by Elizabeth Strout. About a preacher that is grieving over the death of his wife and he has a daughter that is going through some problems.It was pretty good.

and I am going to read Help Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper
by Katharine DeBrecht..lol

~ Name one "presidential" memory (an election you remember as a child, voting for the first time, etc.) I volunteered at the George H.W. Bush campaign headquarters in 1988 and that was so much fun.. I was single then, and I worked all kinds of hours.. It was an experience.I really enjoyed it!

~ What are three things that scare you/freak you out.

1. Being a Mom, I say a little prayer for my kids, that they stay out of trouble and harm everyday..

2. The level of violence in America scares me..

3. I'll get back to you on a third one..lol

If you were running for office, what would your campaign slogan be -

If I were running for office, my slogan would be.. Enough with raising the taxes already.

~ Who's your favorite football team? How are they doing this season?

Right now, It's the New England Patriots!

~ Do you have anything particular that you're looking forward to this Fall?

Yes, Halloween carnivals, Harvest Festivals, Thanksgiving.. Hayrides.. etc..

~ Are you craving anything right now?

Since I had some applesauce for breakfast, I'm really not hungry yet.. but I'm thinking about a chef salad for lunch with lots of croutons!

~ What's the last thing that really made you laugh out loud?

an e-mail showing some cute puppy dogs, dressed in Halloweeen Costumes..

Thanks, Cheryl!

join in the Random Tuesday fun if you'd like! Answer all of the questions...answer one of the questions...answer some of the questions. Or just comment Either way, post in the comments or let us know that you're doing it on your blog (so we can come visit you).

Bunches of hugs!

and don't forget to check out my Bloggy Giveaway( from Monday ) and enter....

and Check out my E-Bay Items too.( at the bottom of the page)

Bloggy Give-AWAY

2008-10-20T10:17:00.003-05:00

Good Morning, Sweet Peeps!

I hope all of you had a great weekend! I did..

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month,I am giving away an AVON BREAST CANCER CRUSADE ORNAMENT and a keychain to one of my bloggy readers... To enter, Just leave a comment.. Make sure I can get in touch with you if you win. If you have a blog, it will show up , but if you don't have a blog, make sure you send me your E-mail address .

My e-mail address is emeraldrose63@yahoo.com

I will draw a winner at the end of the week..

Good Luck and Bunches of hugs!

Tips For Tuesday!

2008-10-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a tip on cooking, cleaning, homemaking, kids, marriage, travel or anything that you would love to share? Feel free to join in! Hosted by Sandra at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom . She has some wonderful blog ideas...Thanks ,Sandra

With Halloween coming up and also the holidays, We might need some of these hints..

Candy Stain Removal Hints

Candy stains can generally be removed by using a good pre-soak, and laundering in warm, sudsy water. Never dry any garment in the dryer before you insure the stain is gone, as the heat from the dryer will set the stain. If the stain persists after a general washing, presoak once again and add a few drops of ammonia to the presoak. Allow to soak for 30 minutes, and rinse with cool water.

Then, soak the garment in a solution of one quart warm water to one tablespoon of white vinegar for about an hour, rinse well, and launder per care label instructions.

Remove candy stains from carpeting by scraping up the excess with a spoon, and sponge with warm water. Blot the stain with a white cloth until all evidence of the stain is gone. If the stain persists, use a wet spotter mixed with a little white vinegar, and let stand for as long as it takes to remove the stain.

Rinse well with water to remove any trace of the cleanser, and blot until dry with an absorbent cloth.
Mix one teaspoon of a mild ph balanced detergent (a mild non alkaline non bleaching detergent) with a cup of lukewarm water
Blot
Mix one third cup of white household vinegar with two thirds cup of water
Blot.
Mix one teaspoon of a mild ph balanced detergent (a mild non alkaline non bleaching detergent) with a cup of lukewarm water
Blot
Sponge with clean water

Blot Note: Always test an inconspicuous area for colorfastness, etc. before treating the exposed area. Also note that certain stains are permanent

Random Things About Me ! / A Meme

2008-10-13T11:38:00.005-05:00

I've chose to be tagged by Sandra at Family Corner.

Here are the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you( I chose to be tagged because Sandra said I could..lol ).

Post the rules on your blog.

Write six random things about yourself.

Tag six people at the end of your post.

Let each person know he or she has been tagged.

Let the tagger know when your entry is up

**Random Facts about me:**

1. I play music by ear... I can only sight read a few notes...When the notes go up, I go up.. Same thing with harmony. When I sing harmony, It's just because I hear the notes in my head..lol

2. My dream is to have my kids grown and healthy.. These teen years are going to be tough.

3. My daughter and I rode in a Hot Air Balloon one time. Will not do that again.. It scared me so much..Of course, my daughter loved it..

4. I love old movies.. The ones with the real movie stars, like Betty Davis, Jimmy Stewart, Joseph Cotton, Clark Gable...Joan Crawford..The list is endless. I love to see the clothes they wore too...

5. If I could go back in time, I would want to re-live my teenage years..I would want to know what I know now though...

6.I was born in Mississippi, and grew up and graduated in Texas. I worked at Astroworld in one of their shows for the summer. I got to sing and dance. It was so much fun!

I'm not going to tag anyone, because I don't want to leave anybody out, so If you are reading this, you are tagged if you want to participate..

Bunches of hugs!

Garlic & Herb Chicken - Slow Cooker Thursday

2008-10-09T14:43:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds chicken

1 package (8 ounces) mushrooms, halved or sliced

2 Tbsp. New! Watkins Natural Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

Directions:

1. Place chicken and mushrooms in slow cooker.
2. Mix Seasoning, tomatoes and tomato paste until blended. Pour over chicken and mushrooms. Cover.
3. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH.

Remove chicken and vegetables to serving platter.

Stir sauce before serving.

Serve over hot cooked pasta

Serves 6

Check out the other recipes of Slow-Cooker Thursday, Hosted by Sandra at Family Corner

And check out my Watkins On-line Catalog for more Watkins products..

We have some neat stuff for cooking your holiday meals..

Bunches of hugs....

Christmas Seals!

2008-10-06T22:50:00.002-05:00

This is a post to promote Christmas Seals.. The American Lung Associations site.

Check out the site.... They have Christmas cards and e-cards and even signatures for your e-mails. You can leave messages of hope, and find out more helpful information....It's such a wonderful cause and a neat site..

Since Christmas is right around the corner, why don't you check it out?

I hope all of you have a wonderful Tuesday...

Don't forget to watch the debate tonight!

Bunches of hugs!

Happy Harvest!

2008-10-06T12:07:00.002-05:00

Well, with the stock market tanking as we speak.... I hope everyone is holding on to their stomachs... It makes me ill to read the news these days..

Moving on.... I hope all of you had a good weekend.. Mine was okay, I guess.. No major illnesses or disasters to report, so I am blessed.

I had the blues this weekend, BIG TIME... but I'm getting over that.. I know.. How can I ? lol

One thing about it, I have always tried to keep my spirits up. I got that from my sweet sweet Mama.. She was an optimist!.. I had a dream about her last week, and in the dream, we were trying to find her another apartment, because her old one was rented out, because everyone thought she was gone... When I woke up, I had to think a few minutes.. It felt so real...

so. I think my Momma was watching me that night.. She knows when I need her..

I hope all of you have a wonderful week.. I am praying that things will get better.. In all our lives and in our country....

Now, I'm going to get some pumpkins and mums to decorate my porch...

Bunches of hugs.......

Bunches of hugs...

Slow cooker Thursday - Cran-Apple Hot Cider

2008-10-02T16:30:00.005-05:00

Slow Cooker Thursday is sponsored by Sandra at Family Corner.. Go check out her blog for some other great recipes and join in, if you like..

Cran-Apple Hot Cider

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons whole allspice
4 sticks cinnamon (3 inch)
1 bottle (48 oz) apple cider (6 cups)
1 bottle (48 oz) cranberry juice cocktail (6 cups)

1. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours.

Before serving, remove allspice and cinnamon.

Favorite Ingredients Friday / Bread Edition

2008-09-25T15:49:00.002-05:00

For Favorite Ingredients Friday ( Bread Edition ), hosted by Overwhelmed With Joy,

I want to put the bread recipe that I got from
My Momma's Cookbook. Go check it out, then go check out the other recipes..

Well, It's a beautiful day here in North Mississippi. I am so glad, and I am so glad that the Presidential debate in Oxford is still on for tonight.. I was in Oxford a few weeks ago for a meeting, and they were steadily getting everything ready. the campus was buzzing with excitement. Our meeting was a t the Chamber Of Commerce, and they said they were so ready.. So... it's a sigh of relief right now in Oxford.. Please pray for our candidates. This is one important night.. and pray for our nation too.. I'm sure you're ahead of me on that... Bunches of hugs!

Slow Cooker Thursday / Hashbrown Casserole

2008-09-25T10:40:00.003-05:00

Slow Cooking Thursday is hosted by Sandra at Family Corner. Go check out her site for more recipes ,and join in if you like..

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon Watkins pepper
2 cups Velveeta cheese, shredded or cubed
1/2 cup chopped onions
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds frozen hash brown potatoes

PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, combine sour cream, soup, pepper, cheese, onions, salt and pepper; gently stir in potatoes. Spoon mixture into lightly buttered slow cooker . Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours; turn to low and cook 2 1/2 hours longer.

Serves 8 to 10.

Kids love this!

And check out my Watkins On-Line Catalog. It's not just spices, it's lots more..

Have a great day!

Bunches of hugs.....

Good News!

2008-09-23T10:12:00.002-05:00

Good News!

The trucking company that my husband drives for has been bought, and they should have plenty of work now.. It looks like ( for now ) that our prayers have been answered. Thank you, Lord!

Thanks for all of your prayers for my family.. .. We were worried for a little while ..

I hope all of you have a blessed week, like we have...

Bunches of hugs!

Slow Cooker Thursday! - Chicken Chili

2008-09-18T07:23:00.002-05:00

Slow Cooker Thursday is hosted by Sandra at Family Corners.
Go check her page and the others that joined in.

Chicken Chili

Ingredients :

Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 15-ounce can white kidney beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped green sweet pepper

1/2 of a small fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped*

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped tomato

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

2 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce) (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly coat an unheated medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in hot skillet; drain off fat.

2. In a 1-1/2-quart slow cooker, combine chicken, drained beans, broth, onion, sweet pepper, chile pepper, cumin, oregano, white pepper, and garlic.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. If no heat setting is available, cook for 4 to 5 hours.

4. If desired, sprinkle individual servings with tomato, green onion, and cheese.

Tuesday

2008-09-16T14:28:00.003-05:00

My brother and My Aunt and my cousin, all three lost their homes. They are physically okay, but exhausted. They have generators going and everyone in the neighborhoods are helping each other out. My brother evacuated to Corpus Christi and My Aunt and her son, who both had homes on the bay, are at her other son's house farther North in Texas. Thanks for your prayers and continue to pray for these people.. They said it may be a month before they get the power going in some areas.. and Galveston is just...gone.....

The gas prices here went back down from $4.14 gal the other day to $3.65 a few minutes ago.

Don't know how long that will last, do we? To top it off, yesterday while I was filling my car up with gas, I got stung by a yellow-jacket. I knocked it off, but it's stinger was still stuck in my wrist, so I got it out with my nails.. I got some medicine . Now, it's just black and blue and swollen.. It's not hurting as much as it was last night..

I hope you are having a good week. The weather is nice.. Feels like a Fall day today..

Hurricane Ike & the Red Cross

2008-09-12T22:43:00.003-05:00

My brother and my aunts and their families all live in the Houston,Texas area. They stayed in Houston,since they are on the East side, but it looks like Houston got a rough ride.. In 1983, We went through Hurricane Alecia. I remember it was horrifying.. We were without power for 2 weeks, and the flooding was all around.. There were moskitoes and snakes and bullfrogs all over when the floods came.. It gives me the creeps just thinking about it..

NOW... IKE!

This storm IKE IS A MONSTER! Please pray for all of those going through this...

and even our gas prices in North Mississippi are going up, because the refineries are shut down.For how long?? Who knows...I paid $4.14 gallon friday afternoon and they say it will be over $5.08 gal. this weekend.. I don't plan on going anywhere.. I'll just be watching and praying for them.. so If you are in the storm areas, My thoughts are with you...

Stay safe and bunches of hugs.....

Give to the American Red Cross if at all posible. They need our help!

I haven't forgotten how it felt that day....

2008-09-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

I haven't forgotten how that September morning felt..

My momma was at my house, visiting with us for a few weeks.

I was getting dressed for work, and Mom and I were drinking morning coffee.. We had the TV on.... We were actually watching th Today Show, like millions of households were...

I was headed out the door for work.. Momma said she would keep watching and let me know something when I got to work.

When I got to work, My co-worker Tracy and I were listening to the radio and looking on the internet. Her grandmother called us and so did my Momma with the updates..

There were no customers that day. There were lots of people flooding to the gas stations to fill their cars up..

I remember when I got home, My husband wanted me to go fill our gas tanks , so I did.

The images I saw on TV were like nothing I had ever seen before. We had the news on constantly.. Looking on the internet, taking in every little detail that we could hear about..

My husband was near New York..In the next few days, he said you could see the smoke and fires from the distance..

I'm sure some of those images will haunt us forever.. I haven't forgotten and I won't forget..

My prayers are with all of those who lost someone that day and for our nation that lost so much on that day..

New Family member!

2008-09-08T16:03:00.003-05:00

Hello, I've just been super busy lately..

My husband's son, Jay and his wife Anna, had their new little baby boy last Thursday night.. His name is James. He is the cutest little thing. he weighed 9lbs, 2 oz and is 20 inches long..

It's been so long since I have seen such a wee little one.. There were some that were just a few pounds, in their incubators at the hospital. They were hooked up to tubes and such.. I felt for those new mothers, that have those itty bitty ones.. So precious..

We went and saw the baby Friday night. Mother and child are doing fine and are home now.

The other photo is my daughter, eating cookies that i got in a cookie swap, wearing one of the mink stoles I am trying to sell on E-bay.lol....... Wish me luck..

I hope all of you are having a good week so far. My mind is telling me the days are getting shorter.. it will be time to change the clocks before we know it..

I'm trying to keep my blog going, though lately, it's been hectic..I will visit whenever I can.. I'm trying to catch up on my reading..

Bunches of hugs..

Happy Labor Day, Everybody!

2008-08-31T23:45:00.005-05:00

I got this from Yahoo..

10 Things to do before the end of Summer!

Hey, I'm so ready for fall, but I want to make sure I get these in..lol

I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day.I'm off work,so that's a plus!

Bunches of hugs....

1. Make the best burger in the world. Seriously.

Take a cue from the grilling pros that will have you flipping the hottest patty at the party.

( I've done this already..lol)

2.Pack a picnic. If you're not an avid picnic packer take a lesson from the pros.

( Does the family reunion pic-nic table count?)

3. Go for a bike ride

(I can do this..)

4. Throw a stress-free party...These great recipes for easy Labor Day eats will help you chill without getting super-glued to the stove.

5. Don't feel compelled to wear white...According to Shine's fashion expert, Jennifer Romolini, white has legs that extend beyond Labor Day. If you do decide to don white, try to avoid the grill without the proper protection.

6. Make your potato salad pop

There's no need to go ho-hum with your tater salad. Spice it up with one of these 10 potato salad recipes.

These sound yummy!

7. Watermelon! Yummy

8. Give ice cream it's just desserts

Whether it's your local parlor or homemade frozen bliss, now is the time to get your last licks in before fall.

We can do this..lol

9. Come bearing cool gifts

If you're a guest at a BBQ, Bring your host one of these 22 homemade gifts.

These sound like fun to make..

10. Meditate on maintaining your summer bliss. Think of all the cool things that have happened for you this summer!

*****The Winner Of My August Big Crumbs Drawing for an Avon traincase filled with Avon products.......

is Kathy , over at Indelibly Blogged! Congratulations,Kathy

I know you'll enjoy those Avon goodies..

and to all the others that entered, Don't forget, Once you have entered my Big Crumbs drawings, you are automatically entered in all of my Big Crumbs drawings for my referrals..
I'll have another drawing for September.. I'll post a photo of the prize for September in the next few days...

Happy Labor Day, Sweet Peeps!

A.A.A.D.D.

2008-08-29T10:49:00.003-05:00

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. -Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,I notice mail on the porch table thatI brought up from the mail box earlier.I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,and notice that the can is full.So, I decide to put the bills backon the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,since I'm going to be near the mailbox

when I take out the garbage anyway,I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,

so I go inside the house to my desk whereI find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,but first I need to push the Coke aside

so that I don't accidentally knock it over.The Coke is getting warm ,and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke,

a vase of flowers on the countercatches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and discover my reading glasses thatI've been searching for all morning.I decide I better put them back on my desk,but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,

I'll be looking for the remote,but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs

but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,

get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying toremember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water,

there is still only 1 check in my check book,

I can't find the remote,

I can't find my glasses,

and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all darn day,and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,and I'll try to get some help for it,

but first I'll check my e-mail...

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

( yes. I stole this from an E-mail I got.. I couldn't think of anything to write right now..lol

Have a great Weekend.. Bunches of hugs! )