SPECIAL TREASURES..........

WHEN DOWN HOME VISITING MY MOM FOR HER
BIRTHDAY; MY SISTER HANDED ME A BAG OF GOODIES
JUST FOR ME!! IN THAT BAG WAS A BEAUTIFUL PRINT
COSMETIC BAG FOR TRAVEL; SOME EXPENSIVE SAMPLE
PERFUME ( IT SMELLED SO NICE); A BEAUTIFUL NECKLACE
TO WEAR; A BAR OF FIG AND BITTERSWEET SOAP THAT
I MAY DECORATE IN MY BATHROOM ; EYE CREAM;
AND A VERY FEMININE ANTIQUE HANKIE; AND A
SWEET LINEN BAG TO CARRY THINGS IN..........
I MUST SAY I AM TRULY TRULY BLESSED WHEN IT
COMES TO MY FAMILY..........MY OTHER SISTER GAVE
ME TWO BEAUTIFUL SCARVES; A BLACK LINEN SKIRT;
AND A SOFT PINK AND WHITE POLKA DOT SWEATER...
ANOTHER SISTER GAVE ME A BEAUTIFUL OUTFIT
TO WEAR............I AM HUMBLED BY THEIR LOVE...
MY SISTER IN LAW IS A NURSE. SHE HAS HELPED ME
AND OTHERS IN OUR FAMILY SO MANY MANY TIMES.
HER GOD GIVEN TALENTS DO NOT HIDE FOR HERSELF
AS SHE GIVES AND SHARES THIS LOVE...........

I HEAR OF SO MANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE FUSSES ALL THE TIME....THEY
ARE SO JEALOUS; UNKIND; OR SELFISH WITH THEIR LIVES. I AM BLESSED THAT
I HAVE A FAMILY WHO GIVES THEIR ALL. GIVES THEIR LOVE. THEY HAVE
LEARNED NOT TO SEE ALL THE FAULTS WE ALL HAVE BUT LOOK ON THE GOOD
INSIDE......
THIS ISNT ALWAYS EASY BUT I THINK ITS A CHOICE.......WE CANNOT ALL
BE ALIKE IN OUR WAYS AND LIVES BUT WE CAN CHOOSE TO LOVE AND LOOK
FOR THE GOOD IN EVERYONE.......

PUMPKIN ROLL RECIPE

PUMPKIN ROLL

Every year in September we enjoy making delicious pumpkin rolls. These can be easily
given as gifts or frozen for later use...........Enjoy!!

• CAKE
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Pumpkin
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• FILLING
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.......FALL EXPLORING

DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR ONE OF MY
FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO GO ANTIQUING....
(AS SOME SAY) BUT IT IS REALLY EXPLORING..
I MIGHT SEE A "BARN SALE" OR AN OUTDOOR
"FLEA MARKET" AND BEGIN MY HUNT...
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS KIND OF
HUNT IS THAT IT DOESNT COST MUCH
AND THE "TREASURES" YOU WILL FIND
ARE PRECIOUS...........YOU AND YOUR HUBBY
OR FAMILY CAN ALL ENJOY THIS ACTIVITY...
I COLLECT SOME OLD CHILDRENS BOOKS.
MY HUSBAND LOVES HISTORY BOOKS.
I HAVE EVEN COLLECTED A SERIES OF OLD
CHILDRENS BOOKS FOR MY 89 YEAR OLD
FRIEND........( SHE LOVED IT) I SET A PRICE
IN MY MIND AND FIND THEM FOR JUST
A COUPLE OF DOLLARS....
I ENJOY FINDING "OLD DISHES" OR PIECES OF
DISHES TO "SET MY TABLE" AT HOME....
YOU MAY FIND OLD LINENS; TEACUPS; DISHES; OR
A BASKET OR CROCK TO USE.........WHATEVER I FIND
IT HAS TO HAVE A PLACE AND BE USEFUL....I DONT
NEED ANY CLUTTER......JUST A SPECIAL PIECE
THEN WHEN I AM DONE WITH IT I MAY GIVE IT
AWAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO ENJOY....

THESE LITTLE "TREASURE HUNTS"
CAN BE FUN AND INTERESTING....
HAVE FUN THIS FALL "EXPLORING"
FOR YOUR TREASURES....I WILL TRY
AND SHARE SOME OF MY FINDS TOO!

DONT FORGET TO CHERISH THE MOMENTS....

LAST WEEK I HELPED CELEBRATE MY MOM'S 90TH
BIRTHDAY.....THIS IS AFTER SHE FOUND OUT MY
SWEET SISTER HAD ORDERED A HAWAIIAN LEI FROM
HAWAII FOR A SURPRISE FOR HER TO WEAR!!!!
IT CAME IN A LONG BEAUTIFUL BOX..............
SHE WAS SO EXCITED AND HER HEART DEEPLY
TOUCHED..........
BEAUTIFUL ORCHIDS ALL AROUND..............
WE HAD HER WEAR IT FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN
AT THE PARTY AS WELL..................

I WISH I COULD SHOW YOU HOW MY SISTER PUT
THIS HAWAIIAN LUAU TOGETHER...........IT WAS BEAUTIFUL
BUT MY CAMERA BATTERY WENT OUT......HERE ARE
A FEW BEAUTIFUL PLACES AROUND THE ROOM...
OUT BY THE POOL THEY SET UP A LARGE OVERHEAD
TENT TO KEEP THE FOOD COOL. THEY HAD ROUND
TABLES COVERED IN WHITE LINENS; PLUS A COUPLE
LONG TABLES UNDER THE TENT WHERE ALL THE
FOODS; CROCKPOTS TO KEEP THE PORK AND CHICKEN
BARBECUE AND MEATBALLS WARM.....THEY ALSO
BORROWED A NICE STAINLESS STEEL TALL COOLER
TO KEEP POP AND SOFT DRINKS IN.........
SHE PLACED BEAUTIFUL POTS OF FALL MUMS
AROUND CHAIRS ; ECT AT THE POOLSIDE........
SHE ALSO HAD FINE NETTING WITH TINY WHITE
LIGHTS ROUND ABOUT THE STEPS LEADING
DOWN TO THE PARTY......TIKKI LIGHTS LIT ALL
AROUND ADDED TO THE ATMOSPHERE........
SHE HAD HAWAIIAN SKIRTS TIED AROUND VARIOUS
TABLES AND DECORATIONS.........
I WISH YOU COULD SEE THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS
AND FLOWERS SHE HAD ALL AROUND THAT ADDED
SO MUCH TO THE SETTING.........SHE ALSO HAD
QUIET HAWAIIAN MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND.

I CANT TELL YOU THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT ALL OUR FAMILY DID
TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS "MOMENT" SPECIAL FOR MY MOM...........WE LAUGHED
WORKED; CARRIED; COOKED; SHOPPED; CLEANED; DECORATED; AND THEN
TALKED AND LAUGHED WITH HER..........

AS I GET BUSY WITH MY DAYS.......I DONT WANT TO FORGET AND "CHERISH THE MOMENTS" I HAVE WITH MY HUSBAND; MY FAMILY; MY EXTENDED FAMILY AND
FRIENDS..............BUT MOST OF ALL WITH MY SWEET SAVIOR WHO GAVE IT ALL!

A THANKFUL HEART ...THE LITTLE CHERUB

What a sweet week I had celebrating my "moms 90th birthday"...........I have had
trouble loading pictures all morning on blogger so I thought I would write a little note
on the days events and share pictures later............

I talked with my mom this morning by phone and she said this to me about the "party".
"Honey, words cannot just cannot express how wonderful that was to me" I am just so thankful..."!

Isnt that all we want from others when we celebrate and show our love to them??
I am so glad she felt loved and cared for.........My sisters and brother and his family; my niece
and others all pitched in to cook; clean; organize; decorate; make breakfast; make lunches; make
suppers; all laughing soooo very hard; tears filling our eyes in precious times; hugs so tight
we wished we could take their hearts and knit them with ours; families.........all living apart coming together to "bless her name".............

As I went on my walk this morning I passed this one home that sits upon a "hill". In the little bushes of flowers there sits a "cherub" among the foliage. I noticed day after day as I would walk by this little "cherub" had its head knocked off sitting beside it. I would just look at that little
"cherub" each day and say to myself ." I wish someone would fix that little "angel".......
As each week passed this Spring then summer I would fix upon this little figure..........
Last week before I left " there were workers in that yard fixing the roof and throwing branches; ect down on the ground.........so much activity I walked into the street instead of the sidewalk.
As I walked by this morning I again looked for my little "cherub" and there she sat "all fixed"
with her head in place.............Isnt it funny how God shows us things in the sweetest ways........

As my mom worked all her life as a wife; mother and now a widow of 90 her life was busy
.Then as life goes on..........we have changes; and our heads may go aray............even I in lifes
day to day business flutter along...........But Jesus is always there to put us on straight again;
to make us whole;to put us together again and strenghten us..............I am so thankful for this
last week and for His day to day strength He gives.......

ADDING "FALL TOUCHES" TO MY FRONT PORCH...

THIS WEEK THE WEATHER HAD TURNED "COOL" SO I PULLED OUT MY "FALL DECORATIONS" BOX AND BEGAN TO ADD A FEW TOUCHES TO MY FRONT PORCH.............. I HAD THE SAME PILLOWS FROM SUMMER BUT TOOK A PIECE OF SCRAP "ORANGE FABRIC" FROM LAST FALL AND SEWED UP THE PILLOWS....I ALSO ADDED SOME CUTE RIBBON ( MY SISTER GAVE ME) THAT SAYS "POTTERY BARN" ON IT....NOTICE THE MUMS MY HUBBY BOUGHT FOR ME.... A BIT OF GARLAND; SOME WOODEN APPLES ADD TOUCHES OF AUTUMN............
AN OLDER WREATH TURNED "NEW" WITH A FEW ADDED BERRIES; RIBBON...... I HAVE USED THIS "TIN" FOR SEVERAL SEASONS I JUST CHANGE THE BERRIES OR FLOWERS...
I BUNCHED ALL MY "SUMMER FLOWERS" TOGETHER AND MADE THIS SWEET LITTLE GARDEN TO ENJOY NEAR THE "FRONT PORCH"...........

I HOPE YOUR ENJOYING THE BEGINNINGS OF "FALL" I WILL BE TAKING THE
NEXT FEW DAYS HELPING OUT CELEBRATING MY "MOMS" 90TH BIRTHDAY
PARTY!....................QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP............

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups egg noodles
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

STROLLING THROUGH THE "FARMERS MARKET".........

GRANDPA AND SWEETEST GIRL GRANDDAUGHTER
ENJOYING TIME AT "FARMERS MARKET"..........
"OH THAT OATMEAL COOKIE" WAS SOOOO GOOD! THANK YOU GRANDPA!!!................... MUMS FULL OF COLOR FILLED THE MARKET THIS WEEK............MY HUBBY BOUGHT ME SOME TO TAKE HOME..............
THIS BOOTH SMELLS SOOOOO GOOD WITH ITS FRESH PRETZEL BREADS AND OTHER ROLLS; COOKIES MUFFINS ........... WE SEEM TO "FAVOR" THE SAME BOOTH EACH TIME WE GO............THEY HAVE WONDERFUL FRESH PRODUCE AND GREAT PRICES.........
I LOVE THE PRETTY RED PEPPERS........THEY JUST TASTE BETTER THAN THE STORE............


We have enjoyed the "Farmers Market" many times this summer. In fact, we see the same people that also come out each week. It can be a great way to enjoy healthy delicious veggies and a fun inexpensive time for you and your family.