Whoo Hoo ... I finally finished my first week of Project Life and took pictures.  (Hopefully I'll get better taking the photos as I do it more often)
First week in January:

Left Page: the one actual photo (far left in the middle) is of my cousin Bill, playing trombone, in a band.  His birthday is January 1st so it's fitting to have a picture of him here.  The first journaling, in the middle is:

Week One of Project Life 2012 … I’m really excited about doing this!  I believe it will help me stay more focused on what’s happening in my life and especially to document my 2 beautiful granddaughters!  Brooklyn and Izzie are 1 and 4 and I don’t want to miss a moment as they change! 
I’m following Ali Edwards, Becky Higgins and several others who do this every year.  It started with Becky wanting a simpler way to scrapbook the life of her family.
I’ve also chosen my word for the year … CREATIVITY!  At first that seemed like a strange one for me (I know I’m creative) but realized I could apply it to my goals of decluttering my house.  I am approaching it from a POSITIVE word instead of a negative (decluttering is not a FUN word).  This may be my last chance to decorate the house THE WAY I WANT IT because I know Mike will be moving back home whenever Mary sells her house and moves into an a retirement center.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but with prayer and petition present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all under-standing will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:16-1

Right page has 2 journaling posts (see below), 2 quotes, a picture of some cool stones with virtures written on them and finally ... in the bottom right corner is Paula Deen.  (I LOVE Paula Deen and will be including her in my Project Life album.  (As far as the controversy over the announcement she was diagnosed 3 years ago with Diabetes II - I'm a fan and intend to continue being a fan.  That's it - that simple)

On the right page (upper left) is my Love List.  Rather than making a list of resolutions I choose to focus on what I want to accomplish this year.  If I do all of these events then I know I'll have an amazing year.

My LOVE LIST for 2012:

Blog at least 3 times a week

Get together with Ruth every month

Get together with Andrea at least every other month

See Doylene as often as possible

Focus on having fun

Walk 10 minutes a day

Quit smoking by 2/14/12

Do a monthly double page layout EVERY month

Send birthday cards ON TIME

Get my nails done every month

Save money every month for Christmas

Finish my Christmas shopping by 12/01/12

Go the Texas State Fair

See Josh Groban and Michael Buble’ in concert

Make ornaments and photo gift tags for all the girls

Declutter 15 minutes a day

Make red hat Renuzit angels – Doylene, Ruth, Andrea, Sally, Nancy

Make list of family birthdays, addresses and phone numbers

Keep track of how many scrapbooking layouts I do

Weekly Journaling box:

What happened the first week of Sunday, January 1-Saturday, January 7,  2012?

1 – Bill Emery turned #55.  I called to wish him HB and he put me on speaker phone and I got to visit with Uncle Wilbur, Cliff and Cathy.

4 – I watched the girls while Tiffany went to Metro Care.  They wound up coming back and spending the night because their electricity was out. Brooklyn has learned how to hold her smile.  I made Magic Cookie Bars this afternoon.

5 – Took Mike some of his meds today.

6 – Went to Joann’s tonight and worked on my December Daily.

7 – Discovered a wonderful new blog called Nathalies Notes at:

http://nathaliesnotes.typepad.com/nathalies_notes/2012/01/eyes-on-your-own-paper-yall.html

Facebooked with Lisa Olson and she is going to send me my HS graduation that she just discovered in one of her scrapbooks.  I know I don’t have a copy of it.  What a wonderful addition to my Family History album.

 “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”
~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful week full of laughter and God's blessing,

Karen

Monday's Tidbits

TIDBITS ... a little of this and a little of that ...

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It's bad enough when your friends and family all know when your birthday is ... imagine if it made all the news shows - around the WORLD.  Today is Kate's birthday, as in the future queen of the United Kingdom - Duchess of Cambridge.  She turned 30 today.  The only thing that might be harder is if your brother-in-law is Harry who would've thrown her a big birthday bash but that wouldn't be politically correct due to the economy.  A quiet birthday celebration, with just Will, will probably be lovely!

And not to be forgotten ... Betty White turns 90 on January 17th but they celebrated it this past weekend with a big bash!  She is SO amazing!!!  I love when she does double entandras (gosh, how do you spell this word?  I tried to look it up in a dictionary and still couldn't figure it out! If you don't know how it's spelled how can you look it up? lol)
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Still working on my December Daily ... now I'm waiting on more pictures to come in the mail this week.  I've completely finished Day 1 - 11.  It's going slower then I thought but am loving almost every page.  One page last night just didn't flow.  I'm accepting that every page is not going to be PERFECT!  No one will probably even notice.

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This came in an email today and it's SO true!  You better believe I forwarded it!!!

PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don 't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful. 8 years of good luck if you forward.
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A prayer I received in an email, I thought it was lovely and one that everyone could use:
"God, our Father, walk through my house and take away all the worries and illnesses; please watch over and heal my family, in God's name, Amen."
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This thoughts seems to be coming at me from all sorts of different directions.  If you hear it once it's "interesting", if you hear it twice it makes you go "hmmmmm" and if you hear it three times it's God telling you to "pay attention"!!!
"Run away from toxic people. Instead, surround yourself with others who are positive, who support you and want you to succeed." ~ Gayle King

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Do you pick a word for the new year?  Many scrapbookers are doing this and I've picked a word for the last couple of years but I haven't done it the way Ali Edwards does ... like writing about it, really focusing on the word.  My past words have been JOY, GRACE and BALANCE.  I couldn't decide on this year's word until I read a blog post about letting the word pick you.  What???!  So I continued reading and she had listed a long list of words and one did jump out at me ... CREATIVITY.  What?!!!  I'm already creative why would I need that for my word?  The more I pondered though the more it made sense because:

- I want to keep scrapbooking ALL year long, not just for a spirt
- I want to make several items for Christmas presents this year and if I don't start now I'll end up in December WISHING I'd started in January (again)
- I want to declutter my home and one way to do that is to focus on what I DO want.  Kind of like focusing on the positive result of "creating" beautiful rooms, which of course means getting rid of the clutter. I love Peter Walsh (have you watched his new show on OWN called Extreme Clutter? It's on Monday night at 9:00pm) and one of the things he asked everyone he helps "What
- The best would be to creating a quilt for each my girls

I think I've rambled on long enough.  Hope you enjoyed some of my tidbits!

XOXO,
Karen

Elvis Presley Cake

I had an amazing thing happen today.  After connecting with a very dear old friend (on Facebook several months ago), as in someone I went to school and confirmation with during junior high - yes, we went EVERY Saturday for 3 years to study for confirmation, she shared with me that she'd just seen my high school graduation announcement, and name card, in one of her scrapbooks.  Now I hate to count how many years ago that was ... 1971 you do the math ... but couldn't believe she had kept that.  I may have a copy in an old hope chest that's covered with boxes that I haven't looked in for probably 10 years - but I doubt it. 

She is so sweet and is going to send it to me where it will go immediately into my family history album before I misplace it.  I LOVE memorialblia, just ask my family, but I haven't been very good at keeping it organized.  I think I'll go dig out some of my OLD photo albums and look up her picture.  It's a lovely gift to reconnect with an old and dear friend!  Thank you God for blessing me by putting Lisa back in my life.

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I posted this on my Facebook and thought I'd share it again too.  Wonderful words ... imagine if we could each do this every day?  We all be calmer and probably nicer to be around!

Honor True Self
Forgive with Compassion
Receive ALL of life with Thanksgiving
CHOOSE with Thoughtful Consideration
Dream with Powerful Vision
Act with Bold Courage
Dance with a Light Heart
Relax in the Arms of Spirit
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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And now on today's important date ... Elive Presley's birthday!  Here's a recipe to celebrate, if you feel so inclined.  For more background on the recipe please go to the site.

Elvis Presley Cake

http://www.southernplate.com/2008/08/elvis-presley-cake.html

This is one of my favorite sites and Christy Jordan posts the most wonderful recipes and she's very entertaining as well.  Today she is celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday (January 8, 1935–August 16, 1977).  The older I get the more I appreciate his talent.  (My family has never let me live down getting up in an airport cafe and dancing to "You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog" when I was four, so guess I liked his music back then!)  Just yesterday I was listening to a video of him singing gospel songs - guess I was celebrating his birthday early.  When he died it was one of those events that "I'll always remember where I was" when I heard the news ... bartending in Hart Bowling Alley, if you were wondering.

 

CAKE:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 (3-ounce) box vanilla pudding (not sugar free!)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 (16-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup sugar

FROSTING:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, and milk. Beat until smooth.Bake in greased 9x13-inch pan in 350F preheated oven for 45-60 minutes (or until center springs back).While cake is baking, boil pineapple and sugar on top of stove until sugar has melted. While cake is still hot, punch holes in cake and pour hot pineapple over cake. Let cool.
2. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar gradually and beat until creamy. Add pecans, if desired, and mix well. Drop by dollops onto cake until top is mostly covered, then smooth and spread to frost cake.

If you want to see pictures of all the steps to make this cake just go to the blog.

Life is too short ...

This came to me in an email about breast cancer (thanks Ruth!).  I thought it deserved to be shared repeatedly because it's a great description of how to live life.  (I just love when I find "directions" for how to live!)

Life is too short to wake up with regrets..
So love the people who treat you right..
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy,
they just promised it would be worth it.

I really have made the decision to surround myself with people I love, who are encouraging, positive and joyful!  Life is just too short to spend time with people who criticise, drag you down and are negative.

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I've got a question about something I've observed the last 2 days when I've been out and about ... all the gas stations I've seen have bumped their price up to $3.29.  I'm talking ALL of them, like maybe 9 or 10 different gas stations.  NEVER have I seen the same price like this before.  I'm also a little outraged that my favorite station jumped from 3.09 to 3.29 OVER NIGHT!  Is there something going on I don't know about.  Have they all conspired together?  It is bizarre!!!  (BTW - how much is the gas where you are?)

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This is a wonderful blog about raising children.  It's not the usual view point about how wonderful motherhood is and I love the honestly this Mom shared. 
http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

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Here's another blog post that I related to about how self critical scrapbookers are often with their work.  Why we compare ourselves to other talented women who have completely different styles from ours and we let their creativity dry up ours, instead of embracing the differences.  For the most part, I've accepted that my style is "simple".  I don't like adding lots of bulking embellishments and rarely scrap with just one photo on a sheet of 12" x 12" paper.  It's just not me and that's OK (most of the time).  Please share this with all your scrapbooking friends!

http://nathaliesnotes.typepad.com/nathalies_notes/2012/01/eyes-on-your-own-paper-yall.html

Guess this is a good place to end this post.  I hope you've enjoyed the variety today of all the different topics.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday and GREAT week! 

XOXO,
Karen

010512 Peppermint Cookies

I discovered something I didn't know existed last month ... Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips.  If you know me, you know I LOVE peppermint - the taste, the scent, and especially Peppermint Chocolate Chips shakes at Chik-Fil-A only available during the holidays!!!

Anyway, I found a recipe on the back of the package called Andres Peppermint Crunch Chunkies.  Of course I HAD to make them and they were SOOOOO good!  Here's the recipe:

2 sticks butter
1 cup dark brown sugar (I used light brown because that's what I had on hand)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sweetened grated coconut
1-1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans1
1/2 cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Red sprinkle sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F).  Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  On low speed add baking soda, salt and then flour.  Mix completely.  Stir in oats, coconut, pecans and Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips.

Measure out 2 tablespoons for large (or 1 tablespoon for small) cookies.  Place round balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Press slightly.  Sprinkle some of the  remaining  chips on top of cookie.  Bake 20 minutes for large cookies or 12-15 minutes for small cookies. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER BAKE.  They get crunchy on the outside but remain soft on the inside.  Remove from cookie sheet and let cool.

NOTE: I rolled the cookies in the red sprinkle sugar for an added festive flair.

Yield: 30 - 3" or 60 - 1-1/2".

These are amazing and will definitely be adding to our yearly Christmas must have goodies to make.  I just wished I bought several bags to staff in the freezer.

If you make these, please let me know what you think of them.

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I've been working on finishing my December Daily album and I just realized that I didn't take one single picture of the things I made this year (Chow Mein Goodies, Cowboy Cookies, Puppy Chow and the recipe above).  Geez Louise!!!  Guess I'll just add the recipes and hopefully remember to take pictures of them the next time I make them!

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Whoo Hoo ... just bought my Christmas cards for this year at 75% off!  Now ... where do I put them so I can find them in November???

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“What we do today, right now, Will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.”
~ Alexandra Stoddard

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a FAB-U-LOUS Friday!!!

XOXO,
Karen

Some Practical Reminders and Car Wash Brownies Recipe

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible.
What a pity when we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.”
-A.W. Tozer

Here's something I ran across that I wanted to share with everyone.  A little planning for an emergency can effect the outcome of it.  It's all common sense and things I know, but ... I get lazy and this is a good reminder to put a little time and effect into doing something that's so easy.

Here are a few practical reminders for your home, and if you drive, for safety and maintenance of your vehicle.

Just a few preparations could save a life.

For the home:

     Check and replace smoke detectors.

     Make sure there is one fire extinguisher in the dwelling.

     Keep extra water in containers for emergencies.

     Have flashlights and batteries, candles, and matches for power outages.

     Keep important phone numbers handy.

Vehicle:

     Check tire pressure-keep pressure gauge in car.

     Schedule regular tune ups and engine maintenance.

     Put together emergency kit for vehicles. Put in a box the following:

            First aid kit

            Knife or scissors

            Blanket

            Flashlight

            Water

            Batteries

            Cell phone charger

            Hammer, screwdriver, rope

            Snack bars, a few cans of food.

Thought I'd off set this practical advise with a really yummy sounding brownie recipe.  I definitely am going to try it, just because the name is so funny.  I admit I'm better at "collecting" recipes than I am making them, but when I'm inspired look out, there will be magic in my kitchen!

Car Wash Brownies

http://frickonastick.com/2010/12/a-birthday-tradition/
(note: I have no idea why they’re called Car Wash Brownies but I don’t even need to know…)

1 cup margarine
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup sour milk (add lemon juice)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs

Icing:
½ cup margarine
¼ cup milk
4 Tbsp cocoa
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F

Mix in a pot the margarine, cocoa and water, bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Add milk, sugar and eggs last. Mix well and pour into 9×13 pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until it tests done.

Icing:

Bring margarine, milk and cocoa to a boil. Take off stove, add icing sugar. Stir until combined add vanilla. Mix with beaters until smooth, then pour over lukewarm brownies.

If I hadn't just made a batch of Magic Cookie Bars I'd be whipping this up in my kitchen instead of blogging about them. I'll report back after I've personally taste tested them.

If you try them, please let me know how you liked them!

Sending you HUGS and chocolate dreams,

Karen

010212 Have you ever made a LOVE LIST?

I guess you could also call them a Life List or a Bucket List but I'm going with Love List because it all the things I "want" to do in 2012.  They're not necessarily the typical kind of get healthier goals but all are to support my having more FUN in my life.  (Through therapy last fall I truly GOT that I don't have much fun in my life and I'm more than ready to change that!)

My LOVE LIST for 2012 …

1.     Get together with Ruth every month

2.     Get together with Andrea and Doylene at least every other month

3.     Focus on having fun

4.     Walk 10 minutes a day

5.     Quit smoking by 2/14/12

6.     Do a monthly scrapbooking double page layout EVERY month

7.     Send birthday cards ON TIME

8.     Get my nails done every month

9.     Save money every month for Christmas

10.  Finish my Christmas shopping by 12/01/12

11.  Go the Texas State Fair

12.  See Josh Groban in concert

13.  Make ornaments for Sara and Tiffany

14.  Declutter 15 minutes a day

15.  Make red hat Renuzit angels

16.  Make photo gift tags

17.  Make list of family birthdays, addresses and phone numbers

18.  Keep track of how many sbing layouts I do

19. Do Project Life - a weekly photo album with tidbits of journaling. 

20, Call my uncle for a weekly chat to inquire about our family history.

21. Take my granddaughters to the Fort Worth Zoo 

22. Decorate my house for every holiday

Some of these will require some $$$ and planning to make them happen but none are hard.  They will all add a spark, some joy and perhaps some grace in my life!  Most important, if I focus on this list daily my spirit will be reminded to do what I can TODAY to make them happen, rather than sitting on the computer and watching TV for hours an hours accomplishing nothing.  In fact, I'm going to pencil them in on the top of my calendar months.

It's a choice we all have how we're going to LIVE our life or just EXIST!

I'd love to hear what you might add to a list of your own.

New Years Wishes

May peace fill all the empty spaces around you
And in you, may contentment answer all your wishes.
May comfort be yours, warm and soft like a sigh.
And may the coming year
Show you that every day is really a first day,
A new year.
Let abundance be your constant companion,
So that you have much to share.
May mirth be near you always,
Like a lamp shining brightlyOn the many paths you travel
May you be true love.Author Unknown
~Author Unknown

I'm wishing you love and joy,
Karen