Category Archives: home

Look Look!

Posted by Jo on December 13, 2011 None comments

The ‘Hubs’ is obviously ‘The man’.  Look what he did last night.  And it only took him about 10 minutes.

I know the picture’s a little dark, but when I used the flash, you couldn’t see the lights, which is kinda the point…don’t they look cool! I love it.  I have always wanted this kind of ‘under cabinet’ lighting and now I have it! It isn’t just for the holidays, it’s staying under there! It’s so cool…

Just thought I would share that with y’all.  Don’t be jealous, you can do it, too!! It’s just the multi-color rope lighting!! ;)

 

Business Ideas

Posted by Jo on December 8, 2011 None comments

So the Hubs and I have been discussing all kinds of things lately trying to figure out where to go with this cupcake/candy business of mine.  It’s been interesting to say the least.  We have thought of everything.

I was thinking we could bake cupcakes and take them to the local restaurant and sell them through them.  Then I found out we couldn’t do that.  Not legally anyway.  And since I don’t think I would do well in jail, I don’t think I want to do anything that will land me there.  :)

Then someone got the idea that we could have a road stand like the Amish do.  I could go and order one of those fancy Display Banner Stands that you can see from the road.  Attract all kinds of attention.  We’d sell all kids of goodies that way!! Only I have a busy summer schedule with camps in and it gets a bit chilly in the fall and winter in good ol’ Michigan.  I don’t think a road stand would be very practical come to think of it.

What I really need is a shop.  A little downtown shop.  That’s what I need.  But then you’ve got all that overhead.  Insurance and electric and gas and ugh! I’m getting a headache just thinking about it! So for now, I’ll just stick with what I’m doing and I’ll make cupcakes and candy in my little home kitchen and I’ll enjoy it!! Cause I’m happy and Blessed!

Cream Cheese Chicken (for 2)

Posted by Jo on November 29, 2011 None comments

Yesterday was a rough day for me. I was in quite a bit of pain and was not in the mood to make lunch or do much of anything at all, really.  But it had to be done and I wanted to do something quick.

So I sat here thinking to myself, wondering what I was going to do.  I remembered Buster buying some chicken breast tenderloins the other day and I knew I had a couple other ingredients in the fridge that should go well together.  I was like the mad scientist mixing this concoction together in my head, and I thought to myself, “self, this could work!”

MMMUUUAAHAAHHAA Just kidding, sort of.

So this is what I came up with.

Cream Cheese Chicken (for 2)

find this:

  • 6 chicken breast tenderloins
  • 1/2 block (about 4 oz) cream cheese
  • about 1/2 -3/4 c.  (I just eye balled it) sour cream
  • garlic salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 2 T. butter, cut into pieces

do this:

  • season your chicken breast tenderloins and place tenderloins in baking dish (mine were frozen, would take a lot less time to cook if you thawed them first)
  • mix your cream cheese and sour cream together in a bowl
  • pour cream cheese mixture over chicken
  • cut your 2T. butter into pieces and just put pieces randomly into pan all over chicken and sauce
  • bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and cream cheese sauce is bubbly and hot
  • periodically stir your sauce as it cooks maybe twice or three times during cooking  so it will be smooth when done

This turned out really good for being thrown together very quickly.  You could serve it with rice or noodles.  I just served it plain with some corn.  I thought about making some egg noodles, but like I said, I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t.  Next time I will, It will be yummy!

You could make  it with more chicken to feed more people or less to feed less! :)

Hope you enjoy  it.  I am linking up with Lisa for Tempt My Tummy Tuesday! Let’s go see what other goodies we can find!! :)

See you soon!

 

 

Writer’s Workshop…

Posted by Jo on November 25, 2011 2 comments

Mama Kat, in all her amazing awesomeness (YES, that IS a word, it has to be, I’ve used it twice today!) hosts this blog meme or carnival or whathaveyou every week called “Writer’s Workshop” and I thought I would join in this week. It’s basically to give people ideas to get them blogging and sharing…

So, it’s been a while since I’ve done this. A long while.  I thought I’d do it again just for giggles.  We’ll see how it goes.  One of the prompts for this weeks workshop was…

1.)  Share a Thanksgiving recipe you will be cooking up this week.

Thanksgiving was yesterday, I know. So, sue me.

This is what I brought. No, I don’t have any pictures.  Maybe next time…

Green Bean Casserole

find this:

  • 4 cans french style green beans (or whole green beans or cut green beans if you prefer, what-ev)
  • 1 family size can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup (yes, it must be Campbell’s, come on people!)
  • 1 container Frenchs Fried Onions (yes, it has to be French’s, pay attention folks!)

do this:

  • open and drain beans
  • put beans in casserole dish
  • open and pour soup over beans; mix with spatula
  • top with fried onions
  • bake @350°F about 30-35 or until onions are golden brown and soup is bubbly and hot
  • remove from oven and allow to sit about 5 minutes before serving
  • enjoy with family

This is a family favorite not only for the holidays but at other times during the years whenever we decide we get a craving for it.  It’s a great dish.  And it’s easy to make! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

 

 

AAGGHHH!!

Posted by Jo on October 14, 2011 None comments

OHMYGOODNESS!!  I was dusting today, trying to get my house cleaned up for company coming tomorrow and I couldn’t  believe the tangled mess behind the computer desk.  It is a good thing I’m married to someone smarter that me cause I can’t tell ya the difference between computer video cables and usb cables and this and that or the next thing.  It’s all the same to me I tell ya!

And all the dust and cob webs.  It’s like it’s drawn to them! Although, I’m pretty sure it really is, something about static electricity and all that jazz look at me all my smarty pants).  Anyways, it was a disaster area back there, but I got it all cleaned up now and it’s looking much better now!  Just thought you’d all like to know that! It’s one thing I hate to do so I don’t do it very often. How often do you dust behind your computer equipment??

I anxiously await your response…  :)

Another New Recipe…

Posted by Jo on July 23, 2011 None comments

This one I haven’t tried yet, so I cannot attest to it’s yumminess or lack thereof.  I will be trying it soon, though.  I didn’t have the recipe with me or the ingredient list while at the store when I went, so i couldn’t shop for what I needed.

This one is a little more labor intensive than the last and has more ingredients, but is LDL friendly, therefore I can eat as much of it as I want and not worry about controlling portions.

Strawberry Salsa

  • 2 c.  fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 1/2 c. kiwi, chopped
  • 1/2 c. seeded cucumber, chopped
  • 1 T. honey
  • 2 t. lime juice
  • 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. ground ginger

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl until well blended.  Cover.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to blend flavors.

This would be great on corn thins, by itself, with some lowfat cottage cheese, the possibilities are endless…enjoy!!! :)

Some Day…

Posted by Jo on July 6, 2011 None comments

Some day, after we sell our house, or when we become rich and famous, whichever comes first, the hubster and I would like to add on to the little house we live in.  It’s nice and cozy and isn’t really a bad little house at all, but there is no storage at all and really no room to entertain, which we would love to do if we had the space.

We have been talking about some of the things we’d like to do.  We have discussed putting in a dishwasher.  Maybe adding a few more cupboards to the kitchen.  I figured while we are working on the kitchen, and since we plan on staying here forever, why not make  my ideal kitchen….nice gas range with sealed burners and the center burner, dishwasher, one of those undermount sinks, a side by side fridge, you know, the works.  If were gonna do, we might as well do it big!!

Go big or go home, I always say!!!   :)

Then we’d like to add a nice size family room and make what is now living room into dining area and make the “dining” area more kitchen area.  Just to make it so everything isn’t on top of everything else.

Also, we are thinking a bigger master bathroom might be nice.  With a tub in it.  Right now our bathroom only has a shower.  Which most days is fine, but sometimes I like to soak in a nice warm bath and I have always wanted one of those jacuzzi bath tubs!!

Anyway, it’s a long ways off and nothing we can’t live without for now and we are content with what we have, but hey, a girl can dream , can’t she???   :)

A little R&R

Posted by Jo on June 20, 2011 None comments

I have not been sleeping well the last few nights.  In fact, Saturday night, I got less than an hour of sleep and ended up missing church on Sunday.  I hate missing church.  But, I couldn’t even see straight, let alone get up and get ready for church and GO to church…

Last night was a little better, I got about 5 hours of sleep.  I don’t know if I am manic right now or what, but I know I need some rest.  These are the times when I like to just run a nice warm bath and throw some bath salts in the tub, climb in and just soak all the worries away…even though it’s not sleep, it rests your body and soul and you feel rested and rejuvenated…

And, I love how bath salts make you feel all smooth and soft when you get out and they smell so good…gotta go… :mrgreen:

Must Haves…

Posted by Jo on June 18, 2011 None comments

Okay, by a show of hand (giggle) I want to know how many of you actually own a full home theater system…

Okay…

Now, by another show of hands (more giggles), how many of you just have those little speakers propped up in the corners of the room that are hooked up to the receiver you already have??

Okay…

Is there a difference?? Do I have to have a big fancy home theater system or can I get by with just the bare minimum?? My husband would have me believe we MUST have the whole nine yards, the whole kit ‘n’ caboodle, the whole enchilada, the whole….okay, you get the idea…

While we’re on the subject, am I the only one with a husband who has to have the volume jacked up so loud when watching a movie that you actually feel like you are IN a movie theater while you are watching a movie in your living room????  Love you honey……

She’s not my “little” girl anymore….

Posted by Jo on June 15, 2011 None comments

Well, we recently went through a rough spot, you might call it, with our daughter, but she seems to be coming around now.   She’s 14…need I say more??  Probably not…

She has always been a good child and always wanted to please her dad and I, but lately, she has wanted to do her own thing and didn’t really care what we had to say about it.  It was really kind of exasperating.  She felt like we were being unfair and refused to see our point of view about a situation.

My husband prayed with her and had her do some praying and extra bible reading and I really think she is coming around now.  I am thankful that she does have a tender heart and that she has a heart for God and want to do right.

Although My husband and I are far from perfect parents, we have raised our daughter right and she knows what she is supposed to be doing and not supposed to be doing and I just have to trust that if we lovingly but firmly guide her back when she begins to stray that God will keep her where she needs to be.  So far so good, I will continue to pray for her and guide her the best I can and leave the rest up to God…

At a loss…

Posted by Jo on June 6, 2011 None comments

For those of you who know me, you know this is something odd…that I would not know what to say…

It’s not so much that I don’t know what to say, so mush as I don’t want to say too much or say the wrong thing.

Just know that there is a lot going on with me right now.  I need some prayer, please. Some of what is going on is not going on “with” me, and doesn’t even really directly affect me, but it shakes me to the core that the devil is attacking  so “close to home”.

And the other stuff I’m going through is going on “with” me, but I am in prayer about it and I am seeking God’s guidance and His will in this situation, which is always hard because as a human being, I rely too much on my feelings and emotions…Of course, I never want to do anything that will cause anyone pain, especially my family and myself.

Please friends, keep your loved ones close to you, tell them and show them you love them every chance you get.  Be slow to anger and quick to forgive, for we are not promised a tomorrow to try again!!!

Blessings…

Posted by Jo on May 19, 2011 None comments

I do realize that doing dishes isn’t normally considered a blessing, but I also realize that being able to do dishes is…

As most of you know, I have been “under the weather”, so to speak for a couple of months now.  It all started with slip and fall in the tub and kinda went south from there, unfortunately.

At one point doctor’s were saying there seemed to be evidence of an old stroke or possibly seizure activity according to some results of a CT scan.  Well, that ended up not being the case , Praise The Lord!  But they did determine that I have a cyst (app. 1″ x 1″) on my brain.  It does not appear to be causing any problems, so they are going to leave it be.

But now we are left to wonder what the problem actually is…

I continue to have major migraines (which isn’t a new thing) and passing out occasionally (which is new since the slip and fall).  We are told that IF the passing out is from the concussion I go when I fell, it will stop on it’s own eventually.

If it’s not from that then we will have to figure out what it is from and try to treat it accordingly.  The Dr. didn’t really say how long we should wait, so I’m not sure what to do there, but I will be checking with my regular soon to see.

At one point, my regular Dr. was going to have me do a cardiac monitor and I think that’s probably my next step.

So back to my original thoughts…I have been having good days and bad (seems mostly bad lately, unfortunately) and some days it’s a struggle just to be up and out of bed.  And, some days I can get simple things done like cleaning toilets, folding laundry and doing dishes.  Today started out rough with a migraine, but has gotten better so, as I was washing dishes today, I looked up and saw this out my window…

…and thought “What a blessing to be here and be able to do my dishes today”.

Spring is my favorite time of year, to me, it represents a rebirth of things and a new start…which we can all use now and then…