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Wordless Wednesday

Teaser Tuesdays


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


•Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

  "Laura Lynn had looked slim but imposing every time I'd seen her on television, gleefully trashing some Democratic congressman or feminist lawyer.  In person, she was tiny, a flat-chested androgynous sprite the size of a starving fifth grader, clad in a pink Chanel suit with tufted cream trim at the hem of the skirt and on the jacket pockets."  page 54
 
To read more about his book, check out my post from Monday.

Shutter Love Tuesdays: Birthdays

This weeks theme is "BIRTHDAYS"

I decided to enter one of my favorite pics of Addison from her Birthday Party last month.  I just love this one because it shows the fun loving, goofy side of a somewhat serious 14 year old!

Head over to The Trendy Treehouse and vote for my pic! 



THANKS

The BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup EVER

The BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup EVER

I cannot take credit for this recipe, it is from my dear cousin Jana.  We had it at her house one weekend and fell in love with it, especially my daughter, I thought she was going to make herself sick eating it!  So of course I had to get the recipe.

What a perfect occasion to use my new Sur La Table cast enamel pot (7 qt maroon) - GORGEOUS!  And it cooked like a dream - heavy!  but totally cool.

Here are all of my canned ingredients lined up, ready to go into the pot.

 I "cheated" and used store bought roasted chickens (two of them since we like a lot of chicken in the soup).

This was the chicken after it had been defiled.  It's a messy job, but well worth it. 

Here is the finished product cooking on the stove.  YUMM. 

And, as you can see, it was a hit with the family.  Every drop of the left overs were eaten!

Here's the recipe ... try it out this week, I guarantee that you will love it!

2 Roasted Chickens, remove skin and shred chicken by hand

2 Lrg Cartons Chicken Stock or Broth

2 cans Green Enchilada Sauce
2 cans diced Green Chillis
1 can of Rotel
1 can sliced carrots
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream style corn
1/2 can of whole kernal corn

Combine all canned ingredients and broth in a large stock pot on the stove, then whisk in the soups.  When it has heated up, add the cooked chicken.  Continue to cook until everything is mixed well and very warm.

Serve warm, with crushed tortilla chips on top along with cheese and sour cream if you so desire.

ENJOY!

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

Want some great ideas for your "To Read" list?  Head over to Rundpinne and check out what's on everyone's current reading list.

My current read is:

  Kate Klein is a feisty, charmingly insecure Connecticut housewife who trades in a life of late-night karaoke sing-a-longs and West Village brunches with her best friend Janie for a world of mini-vans and Mommy and Me pilates classes. Life in Upchurch, Connecticut, heats up when Kate discovers picture-perfect wife and mother Kitty Cavanaugh dead on the pickled maple hardwood floor of her recently remodeled kitchen. A former chronicler of celebrity gossip, Kate takes it upon herself to solve the mystery of Kitty's murder and the disappearance of Lexi Hagen-Holdt, another Upchurch supermom. Along the way, the mysteries and disappointments in Kate's personal life begin to unravel, including her marriage to the kind-yet-uptight Ben, and her unresolved crush on Evan McKenna, a former neighbor with whom a one-night tryst ended in disaster. Thrown in for comic relief, and perhaps to show the depth of Weiner's talents as a writer, are Kate's twin boys and adorably sophisticated 5-year old daughter Sophie ("Sophie was sitting on the toilet, applying lipstick and waiting her turn...").


Goodnight Nobody is chock full of plot twists and turns which can be overwhelming and superfluous. However, Weiner's charm and grace are usually enough to rescue readers from these moments of confusion, and reaffirm our commitment to this endearing contemporary voice. --Gisele Toueg / Amazon.com

Say it with Socks

Okay, I LOVE LOVE LOVE socks, it's a bit of an addiction.  I was wandering around reading some of my favorite blogs tonight when I came across Heck of a Bunch and discovered her newest giveaway ... 3 months of the "sock of the month" club.  Who knew there was a sock of the month club?  I think that is so cool! 

Just head on over to Heck of a Bunch and enter to win ... here's one of my favorite pairs over at Say it with Socks.

Secret Santa and Holiday Swap

What is more fun than having a Secret Santa?  I just love the whole concept!  I've signed up for one at The Never Ending Shelf. If you want to join in the fun - head on over to the site and sign up ~ the sign-up closes on 11/15.



Another fun swap is happening over at Holiday Swap.  The sign up for that one closes on 11/14 - so act fast.

Hope y'all sign up and join in the festivities!  Merry Christmas!

Teaser Tuesdays

  Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I frowned.  "You don't seem like the kind of guy to have a lot of experience with committment."  And then I was afraid that I might have offended him, but he appeared unfazed.  (Page 157)

Finished Knitting Project: Baby Pixie Hat

I love the feeling of finishing a knitting project.  Knitting is so relaxing for me - I just love it!  It's a time where I can zone out and chat with God.

I think the hat turned out pretty well for my first one.  Next time I would make the "tail" part longer, but since this is for what will probably be a smaller sized baby, I think it will work.  Next, matching slippers.

Here's the finished project.

TA DA #2, The Guest Bedroom

Previously this room was a MESS!  Part guest bedroom, part storage and part craft "pile" (and everything else).  Here it is now ... a GUEST could actually sleep in here now, imagine that!  Let's start with the closet:

Since I moved my yarn upstairs, more stuff could fit into the closet.  I have my gift bags on the top shelf and my canning jars under that.

 On the other side, my canning stock pots, goodies still in the package from Sur La Table (cool ceramic bakers that I got on clearance), deep fryers, a snowcone machine (doesn't everyone need one of those?).  At the back, extra pillows and blankies.

 Gift wrap, additional craft supplies (stamping stuff).  At the back on the shelf, "to be ebay'd."

 I have converted the chest of drawers into my gift storage -- through-out the year I buy cool stuff and save it for birthdays, Christmas, and just because.  FRIENDS - don't look too close here!

 More gifts.

 Also in here, jeans -- "to be crafted."

 Along with extra bathing suits and Addison's school tshirts that I save.

And the bed ... all cleared off!  Just need some more art on the wall.  Suggestions?

Ta Da - The New and Improved Craft Area

If you don't recall what the BEFORE looked like, just take a look.  Also, you might recall what I refer to as the transition phase.  Yes, I had quite a mess going on around here.  But, that is all in the past now ... TA DA:

 My "new" armoire - purchased from a really nice couple (expecting their first baby) on Craig's List.  Mahogany, love it!  Lots of thanks to my sweet hubby and the boys for getting this upstairs ... I heard it was a bit heavy.

 Overview.  I really down sized my book collection.  I purchased these cool baskets from Michael's (during their 50% off sale, of course).   They now hold yarn ... beautiful, soft yarn.  Yes, I am aware that I have a slight yarn addiction.

 Close-up.  Check out the clear "scrapbook" containers (again 50% off at Michael's).  Great to organize crafts "by project."  You can also see the cool wood cigar boxes on the shelf ... not sure what I'll do with those.

 View from downstairs.  Looks much better than before.

 Close-up of some of my yummy yarn!

Photo printer, yes more yarn plus these cool blocks that I purchased for a whopping $0.25 each at Saks when they were selling off their fixtures after the store closed.  I plan to wrap these in batting and fabric for Addison's "den."  I think this awful blank wall may become my new cross wall.

Inside my new sewing cabinet - room for my machine (which I can put on the pull-out tray/desk area when in use), more storage boxes (yep, Michael's again), fabric, batting and a box that contains glue gun and glue.

Guest Post: To Janessa - Special Delivery

This special letter was shared with me today by a new friend (it's so cool how God puts people together).  This letter was written by a mom who lost her daughter in a car accident during the summer.  I feel so blessed to have been given the priviledge to read this as I got such a clear, vivid, beautiful visual of God's love.  With permission from "The Scribe," I am sharing this with you. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 2, 2010



To Janessa – Special Delivery ~


Well Honey, remember our favorite word? I know you do and I'll just let you ponder on it a bit while I tell you the story from my side of the clouds this morning. You and I both knew the only thing you really yearned for in life here on earth was to have a godly husband who loved only you and be blessed with a healthy beautiful child to become a family. Simple as that - you wanted for no material things, no fancy profession, no accounts brimming with money. You asked for very little. But as life goes, your time with us ended three months ago today and you went on to a most Beautiful Place.


But I must tell a very sweet story which was revealed to me this week. My friend, Lisa, said to me "Now, Cindy, I'm going to tell you something that will make you happy, but it will also make you a bit sad." I told her I thought I was up to it. A young woman, Meredyth, in our office and her husband, Chris, have been trying for a very long time to have a baby. They had tried all methods to get pregnant, yet none had worked. They were almost to the point of giving up, but attempted in vitro fertilization. Well, that procedure is tricky and not always successful, but Meredyth announced this last Monday (after amniocentesis) that she indeed was pregnant with a viable baby boy! How elated she and Chris were! The whole office is so excited for them and we are anticipating a baby shower and all the fun things that accompany the arrival of a new little person into this world!


Lisa continued her story - she said "Well, you know, Cindy, the day we here at the office found out that Janessa was killed?" I hesitantly said "Yes?" She said, "Well, that was the day Meredyth conceived!"


I looked at Lisa, and I felt a hot wet tear slowly spill from my eye. And I sat there and gazed into her eyes, which were also brimming with tears, and I quietly said, "The moment Janessa laid her hands in the Hands of Jesus and said hello to her eternal heavenly Home, the Lord was placing a beautiful baby boy into the warmth of his earthly mommy!" A simple, in-the-blink-of-an-eye change of places! And that little boy, even though he may never know this, will be very special to me. For I know that he and you, Honey, ever so lightly touched fingertips as you both passed from one world to another. And Jesus - He watched it all and said "It is well."


So, Honey, I know you already know his name and he knows yours and you've already seen his face and he'd recognize you, but when he arrives for us to see, I will think of you and Jesus as you smile with happiness. And that Honey, is our favorite word - yes, it is bittersweet.....we smile with sweetness as I shed a few tears. For I know you don't, for there are no tears in Heaven! I love you, Sweetie!


Mama

My Craft Area: THE TRANSITION

When we left off last time I was showing you my horrible craft trail through the whole house - I had stuff everywhere.  Well, things tend to get worse before the get better, right?  Here's some pics of the transition phase.

Pool table room:  this became the holding spot for a lot of items in transition.

Pool table room cont'd - against the shutters is the growing pile of giveaway stuff.  Yay!  Things movin' out!

The pile of clothes from Addison's room - now part of the "to sell on ebay" pile.

Guest bedroom - yes, just threw everything on the bed until it found a home.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

My Craft Area: BEFORE

My craft "area" was a disaster ... it was spread out in the guest bedroom closet, the guest bedroom, my bedroom and upstairs:

I had originally planned to set up tables in the guest bedroom and sew and craft in there.  In this pic:  sewing machine, yarn in the tub and the canvas bag, empty boxes and extra gift items in the blue bag (I buy gifts ahead and stash them).

That never happened, the piles just grew.  In this pic:  fabric in the gold tub and blue bin, yarn in the trash bag, canning supplies and goodies from my latest shopping trip to Sur La Table.

Guest bedroom closet.  In this pic:  electric fryer, extra pillows, and the "to be sold on ebay" pile.

The closet continued:  baskets, extra leaf to my table, and shipping boxes.

In my bedroom:  shoes from my latest trip to DSW, books from my latest trip to Half Priced Books, and yarn and ebay stuff on the ottoman.

Upstairs:  sofa table, extra reusable shopping bags, and lots of etc. (you can see the play-doh).

Upstairs bookshelves:  encyclopedias (can you believee that?), books, wireless printer and more etc.

The other side of the sofa table:  fax machine, computer and files.

TO BE CONTINUED ...