Peanut Clusters
* 12 oz. can Spanish Peanuts
* 12 oz. bag Chocolate Morsels
* 10 oz. bag Peanut Butter Morsels
Heat morsels over medium heat – continuously stirring. When completed melted, add peanuts. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonful onto wax or parchment paper. Cool. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Makes approx. 40 clusters.
Gift Idea . . . Mix two teaspoons of cinnamon or nutmeg into a 1/2 pound of ground coffee (I used Breakfast Blend); or scrape the seeds from four vanilla beans. Scoop into a coffee bag with a coated lining. I found the lined bags (39 cents ea.) and the adorable little clear scoops (99 cents ea.) at the Container Store. Just added the ribbon and tag, you could even had a cute coffee cup filled with those little flavored creamer cups . . . . who doesn’t love coffee. I gave these to the girls in the office. A simple and inexpensive gift.
I sooo wanted a new way to display my Christmas cards. I had this old bulletin board down in my basement and some fabric left over from these wall displays I did in my kitchen (another story). So I went and bought some batting, covered the entire bulletin board with the batting, then covered that with my fabric, just staple gunned it to the back. Bought some velvet ribbon and these great buttons that look like metal but are actually plastic. I stapled the ribbon onto the board and then also where it crisscrossed. I clipped the backs of the buttons off with nail clippers and then hot glued them to the cross-sections. Sooooo simple and I just love how it looks!
Spent the weekend putting up Christmas stuff . . . thought I’d share some of my ideas with you . . . here’s the first one . . . I had bought these canisters at Walmart a few years ago in the candle department. They’re exactly what I wanted. I needed something to put some pasta shells in and these were perfect. I decided one year to decorate my kitchen in Christmas so I changed the canisters out . . . I bought a bag of red wrapped $1 candy and a cheap bag of mini marshmallows. I just bag them up every year and re-use them. Those marshmallows are hard as rocks, LOL.
So it’s been awhile. Life has been hectic, disappointing and simply just sad. You know, when you get to 50+ years old and experience any kind of health issue you start to re-examine your life. You realize that you’re now on the side of less years ahead of you than behind you. I figure you have 2 ways to look at your life, either with hope or with regret. I try to live my life with no regrets. Having no regrets sometimes means you have to step outside of your comfort zone. If you’re a Christian you more than likely live with hope. Living with hope doesn’t mean life is always going to be perfect. Living a life as a Christian has taught me to rest in peace and know that I don’t have all the answers. Keeping your eyes and heart open for God’s direction is key. When things don’t go the way I’d hoped they would, I have to rely on God, that He has my best interest at heart. He has a plan for my life just like He has a plan for your life. Life doesn’t always make sense, but if you look back on your disappointments haven’t they always turned out better for you in the long run?
I am heavy hearted because a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with stomach cancer earlier this year and she is not doing well. We have known each other for over 30 years. She is my age and has 2 beautiful daughters in their 20’s who have moved back home to help take care of their mom. Another example of life just not making any sense. She is a strong, independent, loving, kind, caring woman and her life has been cut wayyyy to short. I believe she has lived a life with no regrets.
None of us know what the future holds. I never thought in a million years that breast cancer would touch “my” life, but it did and it changed me. As I look forward and forward is the way to look, what I know for sure . . . . . . . life really does go by in the blink of an eye . . . make the most of everyday your given . . . laugh a lot (it’s good for your soul) . . . love the people who love you back . . . don’t take those that you love and care about for granted . . . don’t sweat the small stuff . . . . . . . . step out of your box!! . . . . . . . take a risk!!! . . . and be thankful for everything you have. The New Year is just around the corner . . . can’t wait to see what God has for me! What about you?
Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly,
love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and NEVER regret anything that made you smile!
Sooooo maybe because the sun has been shinning forever . . . maybe because it feels like football JUST started (well, the Broncos just started – LOL) . . . maybe because I’m in denial . . . it just CANNOT be Thanksgiving next week!!!! NO WAY!!! My daughter keeps asking me to give her my Christmas list . . . she’s starting to sound like she’s my mom . . hellooooo Christmas list?
Her and I have been doing the whole Black Friday thing for years . . . getting up at 4:30am . . . getting our Starbucks . . . then getting to stand in line . . . soooo F.U.N.!! LOL . . . It’s “our” thing. It’s what we do. That’s what family is about, having traditions, things you do because it’s all about the adventure and making a memory. Life is all about making memories and sometimes they become traditions. Every family has their “thing”. We have other “things” like strawberry waffles for Christmas breakfast, putting the manger out but not putting baby Jesus in until Christmas morning, and Santa alwaysssss brings a new movie and a game for the family. It’s true, Santa didn’t bring the “big” stuff to our house, after I was divorced I said “Ohhhhh heck, No! The big guy in the red suit is NOT getting credit for this stuff – MOM did it”!!! Yes a little selfish, but what can I say.
So, back to the Black Friday thing . . . I have to say I’m a little disappointed in some of the big retailers . . . now they’re opening on Thanksgiving??? It kinda takes away the drama of the whole 4:30am gig . . . now we’re going out Thanksgiving night and still getting up early on Friday (not 4:30am early). Christmas shopping will pretty much be done by 11:00am and then we’ll get to take a nap . . . ahhhhhh. This year . . . the good news is my hair is finally long enough to put in a pony and I can wear a ball cap!! Yes, it is the little things in life that make me happy (and they say women are hard to please??? huuuuhhhh nooooo!)
A “MUST” have!!! Released at Target today!! Wow – it’s great! Rod Stewart is the only one who can sing a Christmas song and have it sound romantic! (Well . . . maybe Blake could – LOL)
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Soooo, I just had to comment on the CMA’s last night. I’ve been listening to Country Music for a few years now and am totally addicted. I’m never good with their names or the real names of their songs . . . I just know which ones I like (you know like that one that guys sings about . . . ). A couple years ago one of my friends (hey, Pat) had just bought Blake Shelton’s new CD “Red River Blue”. To be honest I’d never heard of him (remember, I never remember their names), anywhoooo she let me borrow it. She told me to listen to track #1 because that was his most popular song at that time. Ok . . so I listened, it was “Honey Bee” and at that moment I was crushin’ on Blake Shelton. There is not a bad song on that CD, “Honey Bee” . . . “God Gave Me You”. . . “Drink On It”. . . “Sunny in Seattle”. . . “Over”. . . I love them allllll!!! He and his wife, Miranda Lambert won the “Song of the Year” award for the song they wrote together called “Over You” about the loss of his brother when Blake was 14 years old. It was the most “real” moment I’ve seen on an award’s show. When they accepted the award, there was not a dry eye in the house (or at my house – lol). So here’s to Blake Shelton!!!!!! Yahooooooooooo
Country Girl 