Candles, potpourri, everlastings and such....

Southern Living gave a shoutout to this Kentucky based business, lovely!!

Hillhouse Naturals

1917 Hughes Rd.

Wickliffe, KY 42087

Ph. 1-800-993-2767

Fax 1-270-335-5054

joycehillhouse@aol.com

Mugs!!

Saw these in Southern Living.....either I've gotta learn to throw pottery or buy a few of these....Love them!!

Just a few of them here check out....Mangum Pottery .

Texas Peach Cobbler

We had 4 huge peaches staring me in the face today...it was a cold, damp day. We needed a little something, .....COBBLER!! YEAH! This recipe is from Cooking Light...taste like nothing is missing.....yummy. I reduce the butter by half and use a larger dish, making the calories less than quoted. Dick can never have just one dish of cobbler...he was a happy man today!


This dessert tops juicy fruit with a biscuit-like topping. The batter goes into the dish first, then rises up through the fruit as it bakes.




Yield 8 servings



Ingredients

Filling:
4 cups sliced peeled ripe peaches (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Batter:
6 tablespoons butter ( I use 3 tablespoons)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground cinnamon
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (I use raw sugar)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare filling, combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
To prepare batter, place butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. ( I use a 7 x 11 inch dish) Place dish in oven 5 minutes or until butter melts. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through dash of cinnamon) in a medium bowl. Combine milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter over butter, spreading evenly (do not stir). Spoon peach mixture over batter, gently pressing peaches into batter.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 294 (28% from fat)
Fat: 9.3g (sat 5.7g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.5g)
Protein: 4.2g
Carbohydrate: 51g
Fiber: 2.2g
Cholesterol: 24mg
Iron: 1.3mg
Sodium: 235mg
Calcium: 118mg
Bill and Cheryl Jamison, Cooking Light, JULY 2007

This will not last long around our house....bless his little heart!

A Pink Angel for Deena!!

I searched high and low .....

Everywhere I could...

For a pink angel for Deena's Day....

In soon became clear to me that Deena's Pink Angel would be crafted by me! I did my best and made this little angel with love and prayers of HOPE for DEENA!

This little angel is on her way to Deena!

Deena's story....

Sharing my journey with breast cancer.

**I was diagnosed on 10/28/2007, at first stage 3C,later to learn it was stage 4 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, with 29 lymphnodes cancerous & HER2Neu a 3+ , and as of 1/25/08, the PET/CT scan showed it's even in my bones, ribs, adrenals &(metastasized throughout by body)

In July of 2008 I had 5 brain tumors removed.. My life changed in the blink of an eye with the diagnosis..

**I am a motherof 3, daughter, grandmother of six , wife of a wonderful man, friend & artist. I am a retired banking Vice President & a self taught primitive artist working in fabric, paint & paper mediums. With a love for all nature, but a fear of snakes .

Living at the edge of the Singing Woods Forest Preserve

While I'm Waiting.....

John Waller

Waiting is not wasted time!!

Friendship

"Friendship is born at that moment when
one person says to another:
'What! You, too? Thought I was the only one.'" (C.S. Lewis)

Happy Saturday Friends!!

White Turkey Chili

With the weather getting cooler, you can't beat a great cup of soup! This recipe is awesome! If you are super busy, buy a roasted turkey breast...if you have a Fresh Market in your area, they always have them. Just add some crusty bread, or take some low-fat cheese and top a yummy piece of whole grain bread and broil it.....possibilities are endless!

11 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 15 ounces)
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and divided
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
Melt the margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through garlic), and sauté 5 minutes. Add turkey, 1 1/2 cups beans, broth, and next 6 ingredients (broth through black pepper), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
Mash remaining beans. Add mashed beans and milk to the turkey mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in chopped cilantro.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 217 (19% from fat)
Fat: 4.6g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.6g)
Protein: 19.6g
Carbohydrate: 25.1g
Fiber: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 33mg
Iron: 3.2mg
Sodium: 462mg
Calcium: 82mg
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1998

Salmon Croquettes with Remoulade

All this campaign hoping and praying makes me hungry!! These croquettes are very, very light and tasty! I still can't believe the good food we get to eat! Next time I serve these I believe I'm going to make creamed peas instead of the remoulade...Dick won't like that as much though!! He almost licks the bowl of the remoulade he loves it so much! That boy loves to eat!

Yield
4 servings

(serving size: 2 croquettes, 1 tablespoon sauce, and about 1/2 cup carrot salad)

Ingredients

Rémoulade:
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
2 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon capers ( I never have these!!)
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of hot pepper sauce

Salmon croquettes:
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup crushed saltine crackers (about 30 crackers), divided

( I use whole wheat saltines)
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) cans pink salmon, skinless, boneless, and drained (such as Bumble Bee)
2 1/4 cups grated carrot
4 teaspoons butter
Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)

Preparation

To prepare rémoulade, combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl; cover and chill.


To prepare croquettes, combine 1/3 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon mustard, and egg whites in a bowl.

Set aside.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onion and celery; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Combine onion mixture, yogurt mixture, 1/2 cup crackers, 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and salmon in a bowl; toss gently.

Cover and chill 10 minutes.

Divide salmon mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Coat patties evenly with remaining 1/2 cup crackers.

Cover and chill 20 minutes.

Combine carrot and 1/4 cup rémoulade in a bowl (reserve remaining sauce); toss gently to coat.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; reduce heat to medium. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Serve croquettes with carrot salad and remaining sauce. Garnish with fresh tarragon, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 273 (30% from fat)
Fat: 9.1g (sat 3g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.6g)
Protein: 24.6g
Carbohydrate: 26.7g
Fiber: 3.2g
Cholesterol: 43mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 743mg
Calcium: 91mg
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Instead of shredding carrots this time, I used Broccoli Cole Slaw mix and added some Splenda to sweeten it a bit, since carrots are sweeter than the mix. We had some Lesueur Sweet Peas with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions....happy, happy!!

Dick and I prayed for our family, country, Sarah and John, PFC Hunter Levine and all our soldiers and their families and Deena.

Joy comes in the morning

Psalm 30:5
"For His anger lasts only a moment,

but His favor, a lifetime.

Weeping may spend the night,

but there is joy in the morning."

My momma was the sweetest soul. Life was not always easy for her, even so, she was always able to find joy in all areas of her life. As a child, I can't tell you how many times I would walk past her bedroom door and catch a glimpse of her beside her bed, on her knees, praying.

Since she was a preachers wife there were many things to be praying for, but I knew sometimes life had just taken all she had to give, and she had to go to her heavenly Father to ask for help and strength.

It's times like these when life seems uncertain and sometimes scary, I remember the phases she repeated over and over, "Joy comes in the morning, girls!" or "Remember that little "i" in faith!"

Lamentations 3:22-23

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness

Miracles still happen....

The statement below comes from the devotional book "Streams in the Dessert". Katherine posted this on her blog Power of Prayer. After reading it, I started thinking about this miracle. Our son Rich and his youth group always attended Ichthus every year...every year it rained....not little rain but " big old fat rain".....scary rain.

“Difficulty is the very atmosphere for a miracle – it is a miracle in it’s first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty, but impossibility! Is your situation seemingly impossible? Then it is the perfect environment for a miracle to occur. I believe in miracles, do you?”


This was the miracle at Ichthus Christian Music festival in Wilmore, Kentucky. I copied this explanation from Wiki. During the time at the Ichthus Farm, severe weather events have dominated the last four years. In 2002, severe storms brought heavy rain and strong winds in the early morning hours on Sunday morning. Thankfully, the storms were well forecast, and many individuals were evacuated following the final concert the night before to area churches and schools. In 2003, strong storms again seemed to threaten the festival, resulting in Friday night concerts being cancelled. Interestingly enough, radar images from that night seem to show a sudden area of clearing directly above the festival as the storms moved in, shielding participants from the heavy rain, dangerous lightning, and strong winds. This is now referred to as the Ichthus Rainy Day Miracle.

Made to Worship

Psalm 95

1 "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

3 For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.....

Our family tree is growing!!

Our Son Rich and his sweet wife Rachel are going to have a baby!!

Due June 12th 2009!

Aren't these pictures amazing...simply amazing!!

Leah and Sam are going to have a little cousin, Kate too. June 12th is Leah's birthday also! I'm sure she wouldn't mind to share a birthday with her baby cousin...

if only

baby's cooperated with due dates!!

Our whole family's so happy for you Rich and Rachel!! You will be wonderful parents...this baby is already blessed to be born to you two! You both love the Lord with all your hearts and will raise this little one in a home built on his word

and lots of love.

One thing is for sure, this little one will be a little doll with a

head full of glorius curls!!

We can't wait!!

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

If at first you don't succeed.....try again!!!

Starting any new thing is sometimes really hard. Remember getting that bike with training wheels and being really happy riding around with the security of four wheels.

Then one day you look around and the other kids in the neighborhood are going really FAST on their bikes. You realize they don't have training wheels. The thought enters your mind......

I want to go fast too!!

The wheels come off!! Whow...this is scary stuff, I'm afraid! ....reason to be afraid! Falling off hurts!!



It's exactly the same thing with trying to eat healthy and exercise. Sometimes it's really hard..like restaurants or mood swings, lots of different road blocks. Everyone is different and you have to find what is right for you. I use www.thedailyplate.com, a friend of mine uses www.sparkpeople.com , still another uses Weight Watchers. Get some help from one of these places...this process has to be for the rest of your life, so pick something that will work forever. I won't be logging into the daily plate the rest of my life, but I will be eating this way forever...I love the way I eat now..love it!! Feeling good...priceless!



The main thing is to never give up!! Try, try again!!! When you fall off, get back on that bike and ride. If I can do this...you can too!! If you make a mistake...it's okay!! Get back on that bike and ride fast like the wind!!

You can do this.....you really, really can!!

Yum!

York 100 Calorie Peppermint Bar

Lot's of favor and really good!




Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 package (18 g)
Total Calories 100
Calories from Fat 50
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 4g
Sodium 10 mg
Total Carbohydrate 11g
Dietary Fiber less than 1g
Sugars 9
Protein less than 1 g

Is there a smile on your face?

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10










When Dick plays golf or is out of town, I walk by myself and use my ipod. Love all my songs..classical, R&B, oldies, newbies, inspirational songs......one of the new songs on my ipod is by a guy named Brendan Benson....the song is "What I'm looking for". The lyrics include the phase.....

I may never grow old,

I may never give in

And I'll blame this world that I live in

I visit hell on a daily basis

I see the sadness in all your faces

Brendan adds a pause on that last phase....I see the sadness in all your faces...OUCH! You mean somebodies watching my unsmiling face?......has my light gone out?.....Thanks Brendan for reminding me to smile at you and anyone else I come into contact with.

I remember back in the seventies when someone (probably on the Phil Donahue Show !)...came up with the idea that people should walk up to another person and give them a big ole hug.....everyone needed a hug! Well, today I think most people would just be happy with a smile, maybe a kind word..

This little light of mine....I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!!

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Fun....

Checked on LeAnn and she had this on her sidebar....I love those quiz's! It was right on for me.......see about you! Thanks LeAnn...you always have the neatest blog!!

You Belong in Spring

Optimistic, lively, and almost always happy with the world... You can truly appreciate the blooming nature of spring. Whether you're planting flowers or dyeing Easter eggs, spring is definitely your season!

What Season Are You?

Boo Bash 2008

The only thing I realized about the whole Halloween dress-up thingy is the little kids can get away with it the best!!

Sissy's best friend Shannon has a big party every year to celebrate fall and her birthday. Shannon is the sweetest heart you will ever meet...well Sissy's a sweety too!

Leah has always loved The Wizard of Oz. When she first came home from China, Leah stayed with me 2 or 3 days a week. The room she took her nap in at my house has a Wizard of Oz water globe.....she loves, loves loves it.

Most of all she loved the ruby slippers inside....well...

Check em out!!


Are these the cutest Ruby slippers ever!!

Leah and I share a love of Dorothy and those slippers....

"there's no place like home, there's no place like home!!"



Dick and I didn't want to be anything scary since Leah Really hates anything like that.....Dick wanted to be Beetle juice...compromise, we went as the young couple (Alex Baldwin and Geena Davis)...Act 1.

Everyone thought I was Loretta Lynn (who I absolutely LOVE!) and Dick was Roy Orbison....okay...no biggy!

We switched!























Sissy and Shannon are two peas in a pod....they have been through thick and thin together.

I love their "poor" stories of how they used to pool their money together for food.....those were the days!




Sis and her natural talent, juggling...she can juggle anything!

We had so much fun roasting hot dogs and marshmallow's plus spending time with good friends and family!


Sis has better pictures on her site...you can check them out here

A prayer by Max Lucado

You Have Our Attention, Lord

"Our friends lost their house.

The co-worker lost her job.

The couple next door lost their retirement.

It seems that everyone is losing their footing.

This scares us. This bailout with billions.

These rumblings of depression.

These headlines: ominous, thunderous-“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!”

“What Next?”

What is next?

We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.

You told us this would happen.

You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.

Greed will break your heart, you warned. Money will love you and leave you.

Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.

You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have, wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor,

Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t.

You gave it.

And now, tell us Father, are you taking it?

We’re listening.

And we’re praying.

Could you make something good out of this mess?

Of course you can.

You always have.

You led slaves out of slavery,

Built temples out of ruins,

Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.

This disorder awaits your order.

So do we.

Through Christ,

Amen· • • • ·

God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them. (Lk. 18:7 NCV)

Hear us from Heaven

Jared Anderson


2 Chronicles 7: 14-15

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

It's not an accident....

If you stumbled across my blog, you have a few pounds you want to lose, and are frustrated and tired of nothing ever working.

Been there, done that...got the ticket!! I want to tell you there is hope!

When I stepped on the scales today....still not an easy thing to do..... I realized I'm only 12 pounds from my goal weight!!!! Not 65 pounds to lose anymore....just 12!!

By logging in my calories everyday at www.thedailyplate.com , a FREE website, keeping my eye on the goal...HEALTH....day in, day out....with the Lord's help...I've lost 53 pounds!

If I can do it...you can too! The reason I started blogging was to spread the word....you don't have to spend a dime.....you have everything you need to succeed at weight loss right there within you...you just need a few tools. Knowledge is power. Start by simply logging EVERYTHING you eat....slowly you will see...oh, that's why I gained the weight! Portion control, choices, exercise...the weight WILL come off! I promise!!

Make the commitment, pray about it.....lay your burdens down....ask God to move that mountain and it shall be moved!!

I'll help you any way I can....Blessings! Maree

The sorry state of the dollar...

A friend of Dick's said his 401 was now his 201! We gotta laugh about ...

Little changes....

One of the reasons I couldn't stay on the Low Carb Diet is my need of a sandwich. Can't explain it, but I love them! Simple stuff...2oz.Boar's Head turkey or chicken, 1 tablespoon Hellman's light mayo, couple pieces of lettuce, 2 slices of whole grain bread... I'm a happy girl.

Here are some breads we use all the time, there's no reason bread shouldn't taste great. Some immediate benefits you might notice are stable blood sugar, less hunger between meals and better weight management ...........you gotta get your fiber baby!!

Brownberry Grains & More Double Fiber: 100% Whole Grain, 100% Whole Wheat Bread, excellent source and 45% daily value of Fiber in 2 slices. 90 calories for 1 slice.






If you like thinner bread, this one is very good...use it for a snack sandwich.

Each serving is 3 slices, 110 calories, 3 grams fiber

If you are trying to transition into whole grains or like white breads for

grilled cheese...this one is perfect....love it!

Rich, soft and delicious. Indulge your every white bread craving with our classics.
110 calories and 3 grams fiber in 2 slices

Ahhhh....

I was searching on Martha Stewart's web site for ideas for Halloween costumes and ran into readers favorite pumpkins....cute, cute, cute!! Think I could make the Tin Man!

Photography 101+

This is my baby doll Leah...wow! Those eyes!

My daughter Melissa and her family had an awesome photo shoot Sunday, some of the pictures are posted on her website.

More pictures are posted on Debbie's site (the photographer) Pixel Fairy Princess. Melissa's friends Sara, Mia and Caroline and Felicia's family, then Sis and her family pictures...Oct 6...Life is beautiful.

Be still my heart! Words can't describe how amazing they are!

The last picture on Melissa site of the two girls is Leah and the photographers little girl Li-Li....they look like sisters!! Leah's nickname is Li-Li, small world!

Holly, the girls look so, so precious, gorgeous picture of Caroline! And Felecia you look so beautiful!! That picture of you and your husband.....you will be so happy you have that picture 25 years from now!!

Pictures don't have to be frozen statues anymore...check it out!

Corn chowder..

I'm always a little sad when Panera stops serving their summer menu.

The Summer Corn Chowder was my favorite! Not only was it comfort food, it was low in sodium and very filling.

Panera you are going to start missing me because I'm making panini's and soups at home now!

This recipe is yummy ...love the added chicken too.
6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breast halves)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

Preparation

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalapeño; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 5 minutes).


Nutritional Information
Calories:257 (28% from fat)
Fat:8.1g (sat 4.4g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.8g)
Protein:19.1g
Carbohydrate:28.6g
Fiber:1.9g
Cholesterol:52mg
Iron:0.4mg
Sodium:668mg
Calcium:165mg

Anchorage trail...

This is one of our favorite walking trails ...

Built and paid for by Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter who is a resident and owns about 6% of the land in Anchorage.

Anchorage is a beautiful heavily shaded city, within Louisville city limits.

In 1914, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted designed a plan for Anchorage, which would incorporate stone bridges and triangle intersections, similar to Olmsted's plans for Louisville's park system.

Here are a few pictures we took Saturday. We walk about 3.5 miles there now. John Schnatter keeps adding to the trails and has a great vision there. In an interview, he told the Courier-Journal that his goal was purely to "preserve the city's character".

We are forever grateful to John and his vision for "Our Town". Thanks!

The old fashioned swing.....

Awesome detail....

Baby Doll..

We pass this on our walk along to and from the Anchorage Trail