When Life gives you Icicles...

So we are expecting yet another snow storm tomorrow and Wednesday... I am stunned, speechless... well not really, but almost! I can't believe how much snow we are getting!

In the past few years I have increasingly been dreading winter, even during this past summer I kept thinking about dreading winter! But then when fall came I decided that I wasn't going to dread it until I actually Dreaded it! Did that make sense?

Well, I decided that I wasn't going to spoil the wonderful fall weather by dreading something that may not happen! I mean who knows, maybe it would be a really warm winter and I would have ruined my extroidinarily beautiful fall for no reason, right?

So I would see at which point it was that I actually hit bottom and had had enough... silly me! I was figuring that would be around mid-February! Well, I think I've been wallowing at the bottom for a few weeks now! Arrrrg!

It reminds me of someone else I once knew. It was about twenty years ago or so, in the place where I used to live. We would be in the throes of winter, when it was not at all unusual  to hear a shout of acclaimation resounding through the neighborhood.

And that shout was like a mantra of sorts and became expected to be heard at certain moments, either during an extended bout of extra-fridgid New England weather or perhaps it was in the aftermath of a nor'easter blizzard, but regardless, it was always the same. My neighbor, in a flash of desperation, from snowed in vehicles to frozen sidewalks ,would look towards heaven and lamant... "FLORIDA-A-A-A!!"

You know... I can Totally relate to that now!!

"FLORIDA-A-A-A!!"

Ü

 

So then? What are we going to do?

What do you do when Life gives you Icicles?

Ya don't pucker up and Pout about it!

You Make Lemonade!!

Wheeeee-hehehehehe!!! 

Well, except in my case... I made ice tea!

Heh heh heh

Bath Time Baby...

Now, I don't know why, on the last slide show I reverted back to using smilebox... I must have had a momentary brain fart or something... it's not that smilebox is a bad program because it is pretty cool but it is limited unless you want to pay... which I didn't want to pay!

So, this one I made with Windows movie maker which is free and I Love the control I have. I was even able to select My own music, which makes me immensely happy AND I might add was a wonderful choice for this presentation!!

It is short... but Sweet!

Ü

Snow Slideshow

UPDATE

Okay I admit it, I have my 'blonde' moments but since I posted this last night I was able to add music to the slide show, just not of my own choice!
So now, for you listening pleasure, there is 'lounge' music wafting in the background! Heh heh heh... So go grab your favorite lemonade and watch my slideshow. Bah!   Ü

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Okay here are a few pictures that I took today of the snow we had last night. And it was a doozey of a storm! We even had lots of thunder and lightning which was really strange. I don't know the official amount that we got but let me tell ya, it's A LOT of snow... and 'that' is my official report! Ü

Oh, and I wasn't able to put music (for your listening enjoyment) with the slide show because I would have had to upgrade from the free version and I wasn't about to do that when I can upload and use my own music with windows movie maker... now after saying that I was to tired to redo the pictures in Windows so... you can hum your favorite ditty while looking at my pics! Bah!

Slideshow design personalized with Smilebox

*Sigh*

Once upon a time...

in the not so distant past...

*sigh*

Stupid Winter... had to go and take all the color out of my picture!

Lean on Me...

Lean on me when you're not strong,


And I'll be your friend,


I'll help you carry on...




So just call on me when you need a hand,


We all need somebody to lean on



I just might have a problem that you'd understand


We all need somebody to lean on



So lean on me,

When you're not strong,



And I'll be your friend,

I'll help you carry on ♥

Comfort Food

So, I decided to make macadamia and white chocolate cookies last night as there was another snow storm predicted and I was in desperate need of some real down-home-cooked comfort food.

Earlier in the day, when I had gone out to get my haircut, I also stopped at the store and picked up the two ingredients I knew I didn't have... the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.

 

I didn't want to make any old cookie recipe I needed a special cookie to get me through this storm. So I scoured the internet looking for the best Macadamia Nut Cookie recipe...

Okay, I didn't really scour the internet, I only went to one website which is the one I go to first and then if I don't find what I'm looking for I'll go elsewhere. But I usually do and this time was no different. I found plenty to choose from so I just had to pick one that sounded good... and this one sounded perfect!

(and I bet you thought I was joking now didn't you?)

I mean, with a name like Cowgirl Cookies ... they just Had to be especially awesome, eh?

I did tweak the recipe just a bit... I admit it I have an issue with sticking to any recipe. Instead of 1 1/2 cups margarine I used 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup butter flavored crisco... I like butter!

And I decreased the white sugar from 1 1/4 cup to just 1 cup and increased the brown sugar from 1 3/4 cup to 2 cups... it just seemed easier that way.

Then I didn't have white chocolate squares so I used 1 cup of white chocolate chips instead, and then 2 - 2.25 bags of macadamia nuts instead of the 3.5 oz jar.

And yes... I live in the stoneages and still use a hand mixer

And I always measure salt this way too...

But I do use a modern cookie scoop... I love it!

It makes perfect sized cookies.

See -

Perfect... and they were absolutely Yummy!!

There was something that occured to me while I was mixing up the batter.. using my old hand held mixer... and that was how sensational the batter was.

Now, I'm not talking 'sensational' as in the sense of taste, although it is amazingly delicious, I am talking about being 'sensational' as in to feast your eyes upon!

Just look at this batter!

It's beautiful... like a work of Art! 

I bet you wouldn't get this using a stand mixer!

Heh heh heh

Ü

One Weird Tip

I woke up this morning, rolled over in bed, peeked out the window at the snow and settled back in to stare at the ceiling and get my thoughts together for the day when this 'popped' into my head "What weird tip is it that melts away belly fat?" 

Huh? Now why would I think of that? Except that it is one of the most frequent and obnoxious adds that pop-up while browsing the internet today!

And it's adds like this one, which remind me of the gimmick used by those exhibits at the fair in which a schmuck has to fork over a $1.00 to view the unicorn only to find out after paying that the unicorn is actually only a cow with a deformed horn.

Now, I have on occasion been a schmuck and paid the buck and saw the uni-horned cow but I make it a rule Not to click on any adds on the internet at anytime, Ever! As I am convinced that they are out to infect my computer or steal my identity or some other malicious trick, which is not a good thing! And seeing as though my husband is 'The Farmer of the DELLS' and I am an extension of him, so to speak, it would be a really Bad thing! Cause, you know, brilliant computer people are above being infected with such things! Heh heh heh *wink*~*nudge*

And so it is really annoying because, aside from being a buckless schmuck, you're left to wonder?

But because it was implanted into my brain upon awakening this morning I've been thinking about it and thought I would look into it.

So, what is the one weird tip for belly loss? According to sources on the net, the so-called "tip" is drinking lots of acai juice. Acai juice acts as sort of a cleanser to rid the body of unwanted weight. Unfortunately, as with most "cleansers", all the body tends to loose is water, which ends up coming back once you stop taking the juice.

So there, now I know... and so do you!

And it would be really weird for me to do a post without even one picture... so I thought beings we were talking 'fat' here I would include this 'fatbooth' picture of Webster.

And I highly doubt that is acai juice dripping from his... chin-s?
heh heh heh

Ü

Upwards and Onward!

Wow... as it would seem, I've been slacking when it comes to posting here lately! But it's just that I have been so busy through the holidays that I couldn't to do anything beyond the neccesities and then I kinda hung low for a little bit trying to recouperate.
But life has a way of going on and 'busy' never seems to cease and desist and 'busy'ness just switches gears and goes trundling on. So here we are in 2011... and 'Webster' has started playing basketball through Upwards Sports. It is a Christian based sports league which encompasses basketball, cheerleading, soccer and flag football. The emphasis isn't on the score but on learning teamwork and just having fun. And I love the fact that they include God in every practice and every game as they pray before the game starts and have devotions at half-time.

This is an except from their website on thier about page:

About Upward Sports

Upward Sports, the world’s largest Christian sports program for children, was created with a vision to provide the best sports experience possible for every child. Each year some one million people around the world play, coach, referee or volunteer in Upward Sports Leagues and Camps hosted by more than 2,400 churches. These churches have taken Upward Sports Programs to 67 countries on mission trips. Anyone – children and volunteers of any faith or no faith – can participate in Upward Sports. Specifically designed for children in K5- sixth grade, Upward Sports aims to bring out “the winner” in every child – regardless of the game’s score.

So here are a few pictures from Websters first game.

And then at half time there was a wonderful devotion about New years Resolutions!

I generally don't do such things anymore as I don't like to make rash decisions at the end of the year or feel like I am forced to make a commitment to something just because it is 'that' time of year again... but, there does seem to be one thing that appears to be a re-occuring desire every year and that is, I resolve to desolve the existing layer of fat that I have just accumulated over the holidays! Bah!

And this year is no different, although there seems to be a more urgent motive this time as it would seem that I have fallen a few years behind on actually succeeding!! So diet change, calorie counting and exercise are pressing hard in the forefront of my mind these days... *sigh*...

Hmmm... but I've heard cheerleading is really fun and good exercise...

I wonder if they would let me join in?

What? I like Pom Poms!!

Heh heh heh
 
On a more serious note... and as serious as I can be about New years resolutions because I really don't make them... the new year does bring about a symbolism of "newness"... it's a 'new' year... a 'new' beginning, and it does afford the perfect opportunity to begin something that needs a start date. And I suppose there is a bonus about doing it now because you'd have the whole year to get it done!
Now after saying that, I will say that I do have desires for this year, but it is the same for every year, and that is to be found in God's favor. In all that I do, I want to be pleasing to him because I want him to bless me, and keep me, and shine his face upon me and give me Peace... always!
And I want my confidence to be in Him so that in any situation I find myself I will trust that God is there with me and that He will never leave me and He will bring me through.

Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 27:3-4