Randommmmm Dozen! Ain't 8 Great?

This is one of the most fun meme's around!!! It is the Random Dozen by Lid! Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts this fabulous blog meme! Grab the button go to hers and link up!! Dive in, go ahead, you'll be glad you did!!

1. Candy corn: Your thoughts?

Sweet, orange, yummy, makes my daughter go crazy every year! She just loves them with a huge intensity!

2. Briefly, what was the first conversation you ever had with your spouse? (or best friend, if you're not married.) (Or someone significant, like your librarian.)

Hmmmm, 17 years ago....that's...Oops Not saying that. This is a very interesting questinon! tee hee!!!! Ok, I just got a little distracted watching the Bio on Bio for Sam Walton! Very good!! Back on track...must have adhd meds soon! Oh, yes conversation with my spouse, the first one.....Well the only one I can think of was our first dinner at El Chico. He asked if I was afraid to eat to which I said no and ate my meal. Then he asked me if I liked the Dallas Cowboys, I said yes, and he said that we could now continue to date. I bet he is wishing I did not like to eat now!! hahahahahaaha!

3. Could you ever become a vegetarian?

Yes, my Grannie always thought I was. I guess I was weird. No meat, no bread, no seasoning or butter on anything....now I wonder why I would have made that previous comment. lol

4. Have you ever dressed up your pet in a costume?

Not really, I only just put a hat on my little guy in the store, but I did not buy it! Look at him!!! Bogey is the Best!!! Cassablanca's Bogart is my sweetie heart doll baby. He's a Mama's boy.

5. Name something about childhood that you miss (like Clark Bars, Teaberry Gum, Malibu Barbie, cracking fake eggs on people's heads with your fist and "It's the Great Pumpkin" airing only once a year).

My mom
My Rhinestone Cowboy album and my Rudolph Christmas album
Tinkerbell Perfume and Make-up!
Strawberry Shortcake!
Skipper doll & my Farah doll sure wish I had that still!!!
Munchichi!!!
And my entire Raggedy Ann collection...ok well that is just a little too much thought into "stuff" but it is always attached to memories. So I wonder why I get called sentimental!?!

6. Have you ever won a trophy? If not, what do you deserve a trophy for?

yes

7. When do you think is the appropriate time to begin playing Christmas music each year?

All year!!! It just livens up my spirits especially when rightly focused on Christ!! I love strolling down memory lane often so all year is good with me. I just listened to my Josh Groban Christmas the other day while cleaning and cooking in the kitchen. His Oh Holy Night is the absolute best you must download it!

8. What's your favorite board game?

Yahtzee, and if that doesn't really count then Clue with my son, cards with my family, and Life with my BFF sista Chel at Legacy. We played that till the wheel nearly spun off, and Hungry hippos when feeling silly! That is great!

9. How do you feel about surprises (receiving, not giving)?

Love them!!!!

10. Is it easy for you to say, "I'm sorry?"

Depends on the person, usually it is easy. Some people make it hard to give an apology to and other times the pride is a factor.

11. What is your favorite candle scent?

That's easy well sort of! Dreamers....Hawaiian Pardise (Plumeria) and Ritzy Raspberry Ripple; Morenci Candles....Banana Nut Bread & Yankee (most of them) & Bath and Body Works is the Brown Sugar and Plum!!!

12. October is traditionally "open house" time in public schools. If you had a literal open house in your home (like a reception) what light snacks would you serve visitors and what would you show them (as in art projects, graded papers) that would uniquely represent you?

Pumpkin Dip With Anna's Ginger Thins (See this post......Fall Into Flavor - jumped the gun post) {click on the words in ( )}
Little Quiche
Cream Cheese with Sweet and Spicy Jelly over it and Wheat Thins
Homemade Salsa and Queso
Homemade German choc. cake
Drip Beef with sourdough rolls

Something(s) that represent me...my kids, my heart trinket boxes, my first drawing of a face ever, I've been told it looks a bit like my mom, you tell me. It was not intended nor was I looking at it. Funny huh? (see pics below, the drawing is chalk) my quilt made by Linda from church (oh my I just totally spelled it Lidna first!) My orange counter tops in my kitchen and my lilac/purple bathroom (tub, sink, and toilet are that color)

Thanks Linda!! These are fun!
Chel

Recipe: Could be Bad Blog Etiquette.....

I just really have to do this. I hope that Linda at 2nd-Cup-of-Coffee doesn't mind the resurrection of this meme but it-is-just-necessary. :-)  Lid, is it cool with you?

Please feel free to visit three recipes posted last year (here). The Pumpkin Pie Cake Recipe is here.

After my last post many of you have asked for the Pumpkin Dip Recipe.  You will absolutely pozAtively love this stuff! Be warned it is addictive!

The dip is beautifully served in a hallowed out pie pumpkin! And perty too!

Put it in a pumpkin shell and there you'll serve it very well!

Ingredients

Small can of pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Spice (about 1 tsp)

Block of Cream Cheese (softened)

1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

1 tsp of Vanilla but to be honest I put 1 Tablespoon!!

and my new ingredient Cool Whip! Oh yes you read that right! Cool Whip!

Put canned pumpkin in a bowl. Two big dashes of the Pumpkin Pie Spice (or about 1 tsp) to taste. Blend in vanilla, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. You may use a mixer for these ingredients but when you add the Cool Whip gently fold it in to maintain consistency.

And do not forget to use the Anna's Ginger Thins! Now, if you like you could use Ginger Snaps, especially if you can't find Anna's. My Wow-Mart has them and so does Albertson's. 

Happy Dipping!!!

Chel

Random Dozen #7!!!

1. I've always wondered why we were taught both printing and cursive. Do you prefer to print or write cursive? (Keyboard is not a choice.)

Personally, I have my favorite letters that must be written and I slide right into printing without choice. My brain to hand signals are warped just a bit!




2. Are you a dreamer or a realist?

Dreamer, definitely a dreamer!


3. Billy Joel or Elton John?

Hall and Oats!!! ha ha!!!
Seriously, I hafta choose? Really depends on my mood and which song.

4. What is the scariest movie you've ever seen? Not limited to horror flicks but also includes ones where the tension or suspense is killer, for example, Flightplan (2005): A bereaved woman and her daughter are flying home from Berlin to America. At 30,000 feet the child vanishes and nobody admits she was ever on that plan.

I listened to family that said the Ring was not bad....boy were they wrong! I had nightmares literally and that is the realist part of me speaking! I refused to see it again and closed my eyes for every single preview after that.


5. Now what is the scariest real-life moment you've had?

On December 3, 2005 I was abruptly awakened by the neighbor pounding on my door while yelling that the house was on fire. I did not believe him at first. When I was about 7, we received a call saying our garage was on fire. We ran outside and everything was fine, but when my dad reentered the house we had been robbed! My grandfather's shotgun was stolen. See, the accomplice called to get us out so the robber could leave through the back door. So, when this presented itself in 2005 I did not believe him.... then he screamed my name!

Thank the Lord that my house was not on fire; the shed was. When I peered into my living room it was glowing orange from the fire outside. We had not had rain that year in quite some time, unlike this year. Evidently, the idiots were smoking and put a lit cigarette in the trash can near the shed. They were inside when all the dirtbikes and gas cans began to explode. They escaped before I awoke; it is likely they left when my neighbor began beating on my door. I might mention that I had recently been troubled with insomnia and did not hear one single solitary explosion. I was told it sounded like a shoot-out! $40,000 worth of damage later, we were all fine.

The tree in our backyard which rested on our roof was on fire, but God in His protection kept all sparks from my home! My kids were safe and animals too! We were only without a guard dog for a short time. My Chow-Chow had died and our Chow-Shep Mix was only 2 months old and scared out of his mind. Needless to say no one enters our yard uninvited now.

Yes I would have to say we were all very scared but God and the neighbors were there for us 100%!


6. What word do you misspell without fail?

When typing I misspell "from." I get going way too fast and spell form which spell check will not catch.

When writing I leave out words, well I do that when typing too!!  Who am I kidding? I spell that wrong when in a hurry whether I am typing or writing!


7. Name something you like to do but are not really talented or good at.

I love to sing but it is not my God given talent!

8. Do you get your emotional/mental batteries recharged by being around people or by having alone time?

Definitely both!

9. Have you ever been on TV?

Yes! When I was 6 or 7 I was on TV while sitting on Santa's lap. In 1997 I was interviewed on the morning show in Tulsa for the Senior Citizens Health Fair and they showed up live as well! Plus I was interviewed on the radio too. Then once my voice was on FoxNews! It was Shepard's show. tee hee!



10. Apple or pumpkin pie? (Don't be greedy.)

Apple pie (but Pumpkin Dip or Pumpkin Pie Cake!) but definitely Apple Pie!! :-)



11. How many magazine subscriptions do you have?

Just one, Runner's World, for motivation....hasn't quite worked yet! But I am learning a lot!!



12. What lesson do you have to keep re-learning?
 
 What lesson do I NOT keep re-learning? Time management comes to mind first at the moment...while I sit here blogging at 4 AM! lol
 
Twas fun! Chel

A Jewel of a Find!

Our church has undergone some addition and in the process we are adding a library. They have emptied out some of the older books and set them out for the taking!! Imagine my surprise when I found a beautiful old book!! The illustrations are gorgeous in the book!

I have collected old books of various sorts since '94. My first find was book of poetry from 1895 by Keats which contained a pressed four leaf clover!!  But I believe this is now the oldest book in my collection.

This will be such a gem to read to my grandchildren one day!!!

It is called First Steps for Little Feet in Gospel Paths by Charles Foster, 1885!

I am absolutely elated!!! I have found several old books but this was the most exciting for me.

I cannot wait to see what they put out on the tables next!

Chel

What Kind of Legacy?

What kind of legacy will you leave, to what will your children see you cleave?
Do you cling to the eternal the Heavenly Father above, or do you wander aimlessly in search of an earthly love?
Do you seek Him out to be your strength and your shield? Or do you run through all the stops with a failure to yield?
Do you find yourself alone and out of place? When was the last time you sought out His face?
How are your knees these days? Do they bend and bow to your own will and ways?
Or do you bow to your Father, Healer, your Keeper? Do you ask for help or simply grow weaker?
To which direction when lost do you look? Have you thought that the compass may be found in the Book?
A book of His Laws, His Word, and His Ways, His Word has the Power to cut through the haze!
To secure you and keep you until He returns for His Bride, Will you walk right beside Him or find a place to hide?
Do you know He is forever a faithful, fearless friend? He is your Savior, your Guide, your Redeemer Amen!

This was on my heart today as I sit among the noise both outside and inside of me. When the bank account runs low will my faith also go? Will I sit and watch as life passes by or will I cry out and go on faith without blinking an eye? The days are growing shorter and the troubles of this life keep us focuses on what is temporary instead of living with the end in mind. If I truly want for it "to be on earth as it is in Heaven", then why would I worry and fret? Am I concerned with what is now only a moment in time or do I store up my treasures in Heaven to abide?

What are you dealing with today? Do you have need of prayer? Do you need an ear? Feel free to leave me a prayer request, if you do not want it published then please tell me so.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please take all our cares and worries to keep sin from reigning in our lives. Assure us and reassure us again that you ARE here you ARE presesnt and you ARE active in our lives. Help us to be a living sacrifice knowing that eternity is at stake in so many lives. Amen

Love, Chel