Wordless Wednesday

Happy 11th Birthday

it doesn’t seem like that long ago.

Merry Christmas ‘09

Thank you to all my friends.

May you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Best Hostess Gifts by Audrey McClelland

‘Tis the season… Holiday parties are upon us! I love this time of year. People open their homes and their businesses and invite you in for the most lovely parties. Each Holiday season we probably go to about dozen parties… each host/hostess is always so gracious. They welcome you in with open arms and capture the essence of the holiday festiveness through decorations and cheer.

It’s always proper to bring a gift for the host/hostess… after all, he/she is opening their home and/or business to you. Sometimes it becomes a little difficult to find the “perfect” gift – especially if you don’t know the host/hostess personally.

Here are my TOP 5 Host/Hostess Gifts for the Holidays:

1. Martha Stewart’s LIVING Magazine
The most famous hostess of all… Ms. Martha Stewart! I love this idea because the gift keeps being given all year-long, and for a fabulous price – $28. The content and ideas in this magazine are exceptional.

2. Personalized Candle from Red Envelope
I love the personalized touch of this gift. There’s nothing like a beautiful scented candle… but to see your name on it, it truly just gives it such a sense of elegance. I ordered one of these for one of our neighbor’s (who we don’t know that well) and they loved it!

3. Holiday Adornment Coordinates
Festive and in true Holiday spirit! Decorations are always a fabulous gift to bring… especially to a Holiday party and something that can be re-used again next year. I love this set because it really does work together beautifully.

4. Family Character MagnetsSomeone gave these to us as a gift last year and we just couldn’t get enough of them! So clever! So unique! And… I promise, an unforgettable gift to give someone. I love it because it really does show that you took the time and thought about the “perfect gift. Not to mention… they’re just FUN (and easy to order)!

5. Wind Chimes
Every year my parents host a huge Christmas Eve gathering with family and friends. About 5 years ago, someone brought them a Wind Chime as a “thank for you hosting” gift. There has been nothing more soothing and more comforting than the sounds of that Wind Chime throughout the year. It’s different… and oh-so-delightful!

Random Tuesday Thoughts – Kind of…well I am babbling anyway…

This weekend was a busy one.  I spent Wednesday through Friday cleaning and doing laundry so we would have a clean house and clean clothes to return to home to.  HAH HAH!  When we got back I looked around and got that icky feeling inside, like now “I have to clean because this is a sty and why did I bother to doing all the cleaning when we were just gonna tare the place apart while packing… UGH!”

My beautiful teenager had her first live appearance and her doting mother FORGOT the video camera.  So I whipped out my cell phone camera and tried to to time with other peoples flashes because conditions have to be PERFECT to get a good picture with it, ARGH!!!

Oh anybody, somebody sponsor me a decent camera, Please!!!  Ugh.

Remember how I mentioned the freakish fog we had a few days back.  Well we got to drive in the stuff on our way to the show and on our way home the next day.  What was really weird for me?  It was between 3 and 4 in the afternoon.  We watched the temperature drop from 46° to 26° while in the fog.  We had been traveling for a while, but it got so cold the truck’s heater couldn’t keep up.  It was freezing.

So glad to get home, even though I had to clean again!

I got to see my brother’s family, YAY!   That included seeing my little nephew, so tiny and so cute.  He is 3 months old and gorgeous!

Gotta work on my grocery list which includes the Roast Beast for Christmas!

On another note:  Has everyone been noticing the supposed “lower prices” in the stores.  Do they think we just fell of the STUPID Truck?  You’all just been shrinking the packaging.  Come on…

Breath

We have to finish our Christmas Shopping tomorrow, its going to be a mad house!

Well have to go now and bake some cookies and more cookies because I don’t have enough temptations in the house, ARGh!

Hmmm, me thinks that Momma’s been watching too much SPONGEBOB!!!

Guest Post – What to Eat to Have Beautiful, Lustrous Hair

We all want that gorgeous hair that we only see in commercials. If you’re like most people out there, you want that hair that you achieved in the salon—never to replicate at home. Getting beautiful and lustrous hair seems like an impossible task, because no matter how hard you try it’s just not the way you envision it. You either have dull or lifeless hair, or perhaps it seems to be lacking volume or that extra “oomph” that you long for. Before you rush out and buy any number of expensive products though, know that there are some simple and effective ways to achieve beautiful lustrous hair. Truthfully it’s as simple as the foods you eat, and they can make a huge difference in getting that gorgeous hair that you’ve always been after.

Red Meat
It may sound unusual, but eating red meat can help to ensure that you get some of the most important nutrients that your hair and your body craves. Red meat is an excellent source of protein, which is important in and of itself to your hair. It is also loaded with iron, and oftentimes the reason that we don’t have that gorgeous hair is attributed to an iron deficiency. So be sure to include lean red meat in your diet at least a couple of times a week to get proper levels of iron, and ensure that you get that beautiful hair that you’ve always dreamed of.

Green Leafy Vegetables
When our hair is lacking silica, we see damage to the roots and also a whole lot of breakage—this is far from the beautiful hair that we’re after. Therefore you want to eat foods that are rich in silica, and one of the top on the list is green leafy vegetables. In addition to providing silica, these rich vegetables are also loaded with other nutrients that are important to our hair and our bodies alike—healthy body and healthy hair are important and lend way to each other!

Eggs
Not only can eggs work well as a natural shampoo from time to time, but they also happen to be a good food to eat for healthy and lustrous hair. Eggs provide not only ample protein that the hair needs, but also great levels of Vitamin B. This works well to ensure that the hair doesn’t get greasy and that it maintains that gorgeous and natural glow that we’re all after. So consider adding eggs into your diet each week for the best effects.

Sometimes achieving that beautiful hair is easier than you think. If you turn to the right foods that are loaded with nutrients then you can get the gorgeous hair you’ve always been after. It’s that easy, so remember to just change up your diet a bit before you run out to buy those expensive products—you may just need your nutrients!

M.E. Ward writes about how get an online BSN degree.

Pig Picken Cake Recipe

Ok, I promised to post this recipe for you along with a pic, but I forgot to take a pic right after I made it, but I was able to sneak a pic before it was gone:

See why it’s called a “Pig Picken” Cake?  Makes you wanna pig out!!!

Here is the recipe for a layered cake:

• 2 boxes of White Cake Mix
• Medium Can of Mandarin Oranges
• Large can of Crushed Pineapple
• 2 Large tubs of Cool Whip
• 1 Large Box of Jello Vanilla Pudding

Follow the instructions on the cake box, but add the half (drained) can of Mandarin oranges per batch.

Bake like normal.

While the cakes are baking:

In a large bowl mix Vanilla Pudding and the can of Pineapple, juices and all.

Add one tube of Cool Whip and fold till almost blended than add the other tub of Cool Whip and fold gently until completely blended.

When both cakes are VERY cooled, frost the top of the first cake generously and place 2nd layer on top of it and complete frosting process generously.

Place in refrigerator and let chill before serving (at least an hour.)

There should be some frosting left over.  My kids like to nibble on it, but it would be a great topper on some jello or pound cake!

Now loosen up that belt and enjoy!