Disney news

I just found this news and I thought my Disney friends would like this.
Disney World will introduce a new restaurant in Beast’s Castle as part of the Fantasyland Expansion. The restaurant will be located in Beast’s Castle and will be called “Be Our Guest”. It will be a 552 seat quick service restaurant during lunch hours and a 552 seat elegant, full service restaurant for dinner. It will be interesting to see how they change it between the two.
(Thanks Chip & Co.!)

Summer reading

I was reminded of this book today by one of my blogging friends, Denise. I read this book Redeeming Love about a year ago and I could not put it down.  Francine Rivers is such a wonderful writer and the book is a fast read. Everyone needs to put this on their must read list for the summer.  Let me know if there are any other books you would suggest for summer reading. 
Here is a little about the book.
Can God’s Love Save Anyone?
California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.  Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside. Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything, Michael Hosea obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance her frozen heart begins to thaw. But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she can no longer deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael Hosea does…the One who will never let her go.  A life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.

Pocetbook Fix up

One of my favorite blogs The Pleated Poppy had a giveaway for this bag. Well, I didn't win so I thought I can do one for myself.  I went to Target and bought the pocketbook, made ruffles and posies and here it is. It is not as pretty as the one at the pleated poppy, but for a first time I was very happy to have a one of a kind pocketbook.

Happy Birthday Connor!

T

Today is my oldest son's 8th birthday.  I am always so emotional on his birthday, because thinking back to the time before he was born was a roller coaster.  When I was almost 32 weeks pregnant I was holding my oldest daughter who was 2 at the time.  I started up the side steps of my house and somehow fell.  I was trying to protect her and in the process I fell on my stomach. It was like it was happening in slow motion. Thank goodness my dear friend Lisa was in my driveway and heard me screaming. The contractions started coming so off to the hospital I went with Lisa and our 2 little ones in the back seat. Kevin met us at the door of the hospital and so began our journey.  I was treated and released on medication to stop the contractions.  A few days later I went to the Doctor for my check and the contractions were much stronger so I was sent straight to the hospital and I was admitted  to try and stop labor.  I don't think I have ever been so scared. I had monitors and tubes and the medicine they were giving me to stop labor was awful.  I had no control of my body for days. I was in the hospital for a week and finally sent home on bed rest and medication that had to be taken every 4 hours even through the night. My mom was able to take a leave from work and come and stay to help out. They would not have let me come home if she could not have been here. Praise God I was able to hold off until almost 38 weeks. And to everybodys shock out popped a 8.3 ounce baby boy. I am so blessed that God kept him safe inside of me and that his timing was perfect.  Connor is such a blessing to our family! Happy birthday!

Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows

These will be going to my son's class tomorrow for an early birthday treat.

1 (10 ounce) package large marshmallows
40 thin pretzel sticks
1  (16 0unce) package chocolate flavored candy coating, melted
Any topping you like

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Insert 1 pretzel stick into a flate side of each marshmallow.

 Dip marshmallow into candy coating.  Immediately roll in desired toppings. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzel sticks, marshmallows, and desired toppings. Let stand for 10 minutes or until chocolate is hardened.

 I found this recipe in a Paula Deen magazine.

Kids...........

I had to share what my youngest son did at bedtime last night.  He pulled everything off the bed opened the drawer and jumped in it.  SO cute I had to share.

Fruit Pizza Recipe

1 pkg. slice and bake sugar cookies
1 (8oz) softened cream cheese
1 small container of cool whip
1 pint strawberries sliced
2 bananas sliced
1 can or fresh peaches
1 can pineapple chunks
3 kiwi sliced

Slice cookie dough and place in pizza pan.  Flatten out to make the crust.  Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Blend the cream cheese and cool whip together until smooth.  Spread this mixture over cooled crust. Arrange fruit on the pizza any way you like. Then make the orange sauce.
Orange sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Cook Until thick and pour over arranged fruit. Keep refridgerated.

Ruffled Storage Container

Here is another baby gift idea.  Really this could be used to "fru fru" any storage container. This is very easy to do.
1. Take a long strip of material twice as long as what you are ruffling. ( I actually sewed 2 pieces together to make it longer.)
2. Then sew a straight seam the length of your fabric.
3. Pull the thread a little at a time until you start getting ruffles.

4. After you get the ruffle fullness that you want use hot glue and glue it around the box of your choice.  I used a small plastic bin. 

Then just let dry and fill with what you would like. As you can tell this was going to a baby shower. I filled it with a blanket made from the same material and also lotions and soaps and cream (not pictured)

Strawberry Muffins

Strawberry Muffins

2 Cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbs. sugar

1 egg beaten

1 Cup milk

3 Tbs. melted butter

1 cup chopped strawberries

Grease 12 medium or 6 large muffin cups. In a meium bowl sift the flour with the baking powder , salt and sugar. In a separate bowl beat the egg and add the milk and butter. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until just moistened. The batter should be lumpy. Then fold in the strawberries until blended.(After I put them in the muffin tin I sprinkled the top with raw sugar to make them crispy on top.) Bake in a 425 oven for 20 minutes or until a tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Serve the muffins hot.

Julia Sugarbaker

I have always loved the show Designing Women.  I think I have seen them all. I loved it because it was a true group of Southern Women who had a lot of class. Yesterday Dixie Carter from that show passed away at the age of 70.  I have to share one of my favorite moments from that show here. 
In this clip she gives the most classy tell off to someone and explains to them about the night the lights went out in Georgia.  Hope you get a laugh out of it too.

Free Starbucks coffee

Starbucks is going to save the planet on tax day!  Join the movement. On April 15th, bring a reusable travel mug into your local Starbucks and get a free brewed coffee. Find more details here.
For the good of the planet, Starbucks is encouraging everyone to switch from paper cups to reusable travel mugs.
thanks southern savers

Easy Burp Cloths

I have a baby shower tomorrow so I whipped these up today. Of course I forgot to take pictures while I was doing this. Here are the instructions.  I bought a pack of cloth diapers. Then I picked the ribbon I wanted on them and pinned it into place. Then sewed it on using a zig zag seam. I cut the ends of the ribbon with pinking sheers and that was it.  Three burp cloths fast and easy.

 

Easter 2010

Here is a what our resurrection garden looked like this morning. The kids always love to see the tomb empty.  We were talking about Jesus in the tomb last night at bedtime and my little Carson spoke up and said " the next day Jesus took off his wrapper and came out of the tomb". I love how 5 year olds say things.
  I love this passage in John 19:28-30 After this Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished to fulfill scripture, said"I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it to his mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, IT IS FINISHED! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
He suffered on that cross for my sins and for that I am so grateful.  I hope everyone had a blessed Easter.

 

Gene Simmons Family Jewels

This may seem like a strange post for some of you.  I love the show Gene Simmons family jewels that comes on A & E.  If you don't know he is a member of the band KISS. Its funny because growing up I wasn't allowed to listen to them. I just so happen to run across this show and it made me laugh so Kevin and I have been  watching it ever since. A couple of weeks ago the Mom on the show, Shannon, found a lump on her breast which proceeded to show the process of going to the Doctor and having it checked and then a biopsy. The thing I liked about this is it showed you what to expect and the process you go through.  Several years ago when Savannah and Connor were just little, I found a lump. I called the Doctor and they saw me that day. As the Doctor was checking the lump he said do you have a history of breast cancer? (Which I did, my grandmother had it in the 80's when it wasn't talked about, which she had a mastectomy and is a survivor) I remember feeling this knot in my throat and thinking OK this is not good and how could you ask we this while you are doing this exam. Within the week I was having a mammogram, ultrasound and  a biopsy while I was there. All I could think was I have 2 small children and what will I do.  God truly gave me the strength to get through that week waiting on results. Everything came back fine and it was benign. It made me so aware of the need for mammograms and early detection.  Never be afraid of mammograms they are not bad at all and be aware of any changes in your body.  
This episode will air again on April 12 @ 8:00pm on A & E.  If you get a chance you should really watch this.

Another awesome giveaway!

I love the blog Tip Junkie.  Today they have many giveaways going on all day. Just go here to sign up for these.  Happy Blogging