Monthly Archives: November 2007

Time Together Golfing

Posted on by
Reply

We have some friends who often end up on a golf course when they go on vacation. They went to Hawaii before and, of course, they ended up on a golf course. They said it was beautiful because they could see the ocean. They both have sets of golf clubs and probably golf shoes . Golfing is something they enjoy doing together even though she’s not an avid golfer like her husband. And that’s one thing that is important for couples to do, to find something that they enjoy doing together.

Low Fat Mashed Potatoes

Posted on by
4

This recipe is for those who like “lumpy” mashed potatoes. 🙂

I make mashed potatoes differently from the traditional way. A long time ago, I read when potatoes are boiled, nearly all the vitamins are lost in the water that is drained off the potatoes after they cook. So I started baking them instead. That way they retain most of the vitamins and they’re actually easier for me to make. I just bake the potatoes in the microwave, let cool, and then the skin comes off easily. I cut them into chunks and they’re ready to make mashed potatoes. Here’s my recipe:

Bake 4 potatoes in the microwave until soft (or oven if you prefer)
Cut in half to allow steam to escape & let cool
Peel (sometimes you can do a lot of the peeling without a knife)
Cut into cubes and place in microwavable mixing bowl (my mixer has a glass bowl so I can put it in microwave) Use a potato masher a little, if necessary.
Add the following to the bowl of potatoes:

  • 1 cup milk (you don’t have to heat it yet)
  • 1 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper
  • pinch of baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp of your favorite reduced-fat spread (I use Smart Balance LIGHT Buttery Spread)

Mix all ingredients in bowl on low speed of mixer briefly until potatoes are mashed but still a little chunky. Do not overmix! If necessary, add more milk to get to the consistency you like. Right before you are ready to serve, put in microwave for a minute or until potatoes are warm. Stir & serve.


A Great Place to Shop for the Holidays!

Posted on by
Reply

Alzheimer’s disease used to be something that I would just read about in magazines. But now it seems that every year someone I know is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. One of my friends, who I knew in high school, no longer visits her mother in her childhood home but visits her in a special care facility for Alzheimer’s patients. Two more friends’ mothers received the same diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. Just recently, I found out that a sweet lady with whom I used to do volunteer work was diagnosed as well. So now Alzheimer’s is personal for me because four ladies who are friends of mine or my family are affected by this disease. Their families know firsthand just how important quality care is for their loved one who has Alzheimer’s, quality care that will provide for their educational, social, emotional and practical needs. And that’s why they have found facilities that provide this kind of excellent care.

When you are thinking about a special holiday gift you want to get for someone, why not visit the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America eStore where you can not only get a nice gift but also help a wonderful cause! Remember that all proceeds go to benefit the foundation. And remember that it is so important for families with Alzheimer’s patients to find the best quality care they can find, and your purchases at the eStore will help that cause as well as aid in seeking to find a cure. We need to remember to give our support to these families in various ways and help them when we have the opportunity.

Babies and Ceiling Fans

Posted on by
Reply

When our son was a baby, he really liked ceiling fans. We would go out to eat at Captain D’s, and he would be so fascinated with the fan that it would entertain him while we ate. When he was old enough to say mama and dada, though, he would look up at the fan and say “Dada.” LOL We never could figure out why he did that except maybe the long ceiling fan pull reminded him of his daddy’s necktie. Well, guess who else likes ceiling fans…our grandson, Baby J. He loves to look up and smile at his new friend, the ceiling fan. Who knows what goes on in the mind of babies! Whatever it is, I guess it runs in the family. 🙂

Cute Themes for Kids’ Bedding

Posted on by
2

When our kids were little, it was always fun decorating their bedroom with whatever they really liked at the time.  I remember when our daughter was little, she had a Rainbow Brite bedspread and cute little Rainbow Brite kitchen, table, and chairs.  She was thrilled!  When our son was little and had his own “big boy bed,” he had Barney sheets, comforter, and curtains.  It was so cute!  He really liked it until he thought he was too big for Barney and we got a Mickey Mouse comforter to replace Barney.  I’m glad the Mickey Mouse comforter was reversible, because when he soon outgrew Mickey Mouse, we just turned the comforter over to a striped design.   It’s still fun looking at kids bedding to see all of the cute themes they have for children’s bedrooms.  I wonder…what will Baby J want for his first “big boy bed?”

National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame Located in Ft. Worth, TX

Posted on by
3

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is a beautiful museum dedicated to the women of the American West, and in fact, it is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring those women who were really courageous and had trail blazing spirits that wouldn’t quit. The museum is actually famous and is known nationally for its educational exhibits, library, and photographs.  It’s a great resource to people all over the country and probably in other parts of the world as well. Our family enjoyed learning about the West and these extraordinary women through neat exhibits and hands-on experiences. Make sure you allow enough time when you go because you don’t want to miss any part of it.  Bring the whole family because it’s great for kids of all ages.

I  had been hearing about this museum, and we finally got to visit it a while back and really enjoyed it.  I imagine Lori, who blogs about being the wife of a cowboy at A Cowboy’s Wife, would enjoy it, too!

What to Get my Husband for Christmas

Posted on by
Reply

My husband has several interests, so it’s just a matter of deciding on one of them for a Christmas gift. He works a lot on the computer so some computer accessories or maybe a gift card from a computer store might be nice. He’s also really into music and plays the guitar and violin, so some accessories along that line would be great, too. Or I could get him some tools. He has a large tool chest and likes to have the right tool for the job. Some body shop supplies to add to his tool chest would be something he would like as well.  There’s still 50 + shopping days until Christmas, so I have time to think some more about his gift between now and then.

Sunday Thoughts – Keeping Marriage Strong

Posted on by
Reply

Good marriages don’t just happen. They require commitment and determination. They require giving 100%. Couples need to think of themselves as a team. A football team works together, and even though there are different positions, they have a common goal. That’s the way it should be for a couple…a goal to make their marriage work. And it does take work in the sense of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the marriage and working on strengthening the weak areas. Couples must take time to do this and not forget the things that brought them together in the first place. Friendship needs to be kept alive. They need to go out on dates, keep fun in their marriage, and remember all the good things about their spouse that attracted them in the first place. Anything worthwhile in our lives requires commitment, and marriage is definitely worth it! And it’s definitely worth praying about and asking God to bless our marriage and help us be the kind of spouses we should be!

Budgeting Software

Posted on by
Reply

Everyone has to deal with finances, personal and maybe on the job. That’s part of life, a part that can get old from time to time. Everyone has their own way of handling finances and budgeting, but sometimes they might need some budgeting software. I have three friends who work in accounting, and my dad used to be an accountant. That is tedious work and far from being a school teacher like I have been. I think if I were an accountant, I would want all the software I could get to make the job easier!

My Bubble Tea Experience :)

Posted on by
Reply

If you’ve never tasted “bubble tea,” you’re not missing much (except maybe some laughs). It’s kind of like having tea with moth balls in it….LOL. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit. What the tea actually has in it is large pieces of tapioca which have swelled up. I had a large straw to drink it with, but the tapioca kept getting stuck in the straw. The tea was really good, that is…when I could get the tapioca out of the straw so I could drink it. I tried drinking directly out of the cup, but then I had these large pieces of tapioca charging at me, so I gave up on that.

I wasn’t the only one who ordered bubble tea at the time. My mother-in-law ordered it, too. However, my daughter was smart enough to order something else. We got a few good laughs out of it, though, so the overall experience was entertaining. But I don’t think I’ll order it again. Don’t let me discourage you from trying it because you might really like it. At the very least, it might be entertaining!

Jewelry to Accent an Outfit

Posted on by
Reply

I have a friend who always wears the neatest jewelry.  She wears earrings and maybe a necklace or bracelet that match the clothes she’s wearing, and I think that’s partly because she’s an artist and her creativity carries over into her jewelry.  (I usually have on my silver hoop earrings, although I do have several other pairs.  And then I wear my watch, although the battery needs replacing right now, so a lot of days recently the earrings and my wedding rings are it.)  I have another friend who wears neat jewelry too.  One outfit she wears that looks really sharp is a black dress with a pearl necklace.   Jewelry can definitely be a nice accent to an outfit whether it’s a nice, black dress or blue jeans and a shirt.

Dark Chocolate Mints … Yum!

Posted on by
Reply

I just had a dark chocolate mint.  Yum!  Dark chocolate is irresistible to me! A few months ago, I discovered Altoids Dark Chocolate Covered Mints….in fact, right before Baby J was born. Oh…they are so good! There’s something about the peppermint oil in them that is good for the stomach, and I know there’s something good about the dark chocolate! 🙂 I was eating a mint one day and noticed on the tin that they started making Altoids over 200 years ago! Wow! That’s old for a candy company. I know they’ve been around for a long time, but I never did care for Altoid Mints until I discovered these dark chocolate covered ones. They are so good!